South Africa’s ‘Insidious’ Housing Problems Happening in Britain

The Guardian – Lindela Figlan. In the world’s second most unequal country, South Africa, millions like me live in informal settlements without toilets, water or electricity – never mind decent shelter.

To fight against this we founded Abahlali baseMjondolo, which roughly translates as “the people of the shacks” to resist illegal evictions and campaign for the right to housing for all.

Visiting the UK, I have understood the same insidious denial of this right is also happening in Britain. My trip has highlighted our common struggles; how much the UK can learn from what is happening in South Africa and the persistence and determination of our movement in the face of attempts to close us down.

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Praxis Discussion Series: Urbanization

What’s driving urbanisation? How can we make our cities more inclusive? What does resilient, sustainable urbanisation look like, globally, in Asia, and in the Pacific? This is a discussion with four leading experts: Max Kep from Papua New Guinea’s Office of Urbanisation; Professor John Connell from the University of Sydney; Truman Packard, World Bank and Simon Cramp, AusAID

Carren Jao – Architecture For The Underserved, For Under $15k

Badehus, Safe Haven Orphanage, Ban Tha Song Yang, Thailand – Photo: Pasi Aalto / Tyin Tegnestue

sustainablecitiescollective.com. November 20, 2012. My inbox is often filled with photographs or renderings of glitzy new developments, glinting under the sun. Of course, it looks great, but lately, I find myself tiring of hearing multi-million budgets, LEED ratings over again. I absentmindedly wonder, “How many of these buildings will truly be assets to their community long after these stats are lost in the ethers of the Internet?” (Can you really count something as lost in the Internet, anyway?)

I found my appreciation for architecture re-kindled with an introduction to the work of this year’s European Prize for Architecture winner, Norway’s TYIN Tegnestue. The duo was established 2008 and made their name designing community-sensitive structures in underserved areas of Thailand, Uganda, Sumatra and Norway. Theirs is an “architecture of necessity,” where beautiful form serves a true purpose.

TYIN involves the community in the design and building of their work and their materials are sourced nearby or from local merchants. Many firms follow these processes, but the product speaks for itself. TYIN’s structures are warm, appealing and feels organic. Here are some of my favorites.

Read more: Carron Jao –  Architecture for the Underserved, for Under $ 15k

SmarterCities Rio | Fareed Zakaria Speaks About The Intersection Of Globalization And Urbanization

Dr. Fareed Zakaria, Editor, TIME Magazine, speaks about the intersection of globalization and urbanization.

Affordable, Evident Building Methods

MMA architects has developed a simple building method using sandbags to create affordable housing in the townships of Cape Town. Sandbags are stacked onto a wooden frame, resulting in a thick wall which keeps both the heat and the cold out. This wall is then finished with stucco, which enhances the appearance of the houses.

See more: http://www.afrikamuseum.nl/blog/inspiration/affordable-evident-building-methods

Ruth Hall – The Impact Of Land Restitution And Land Reform On Livelihoods

africaportal.org  This thematic paper investigates emerging trends evident in the limited literature available on the impact of land restitution on livelihoods, and suggests ways of thinking about, and planning for, livelihoods.
The paper has a two-fold emphasis: its primary focus is on rural restitution claims where land has been restored, but it also addresses rural land reform more generally. Where land ownership has been transferred to land reform beneficiaries, similar patterns and challenges may arise, regardless of whether the land was acquired through the redistribution or the restitution route. The analysis is based on a synthesis of available quantitative and qualitative sources, including a relatively small but growing body of qualitative case studies.
The focus of this paper, therefore, is on the design and set-up of projects, the kinds of livelihood opportunities envisaged in business plans, how these are supported financially and institutionally, and the dynamics that ensue. On this basis, the paper draws lessons about how post-settlement support impacts on the livelihood potential of land reform projects and recommends ways in which such support can be optimised for maximum livelihood benefits

Download full text: http://www.africaportal.org/impact-land-restitution-and-land-reform-livelihoods