Colonial Imprint
Many of the cities examined in this project echo their colonial past. Remnants of colonial plans reflect the modern-day location of central business districts and economic activity. Today, some city neighborhoods retain European influences, as seen in Mexico City and Accra. Formally planned areas of the city continue to be the most well-serviced, with abundant infrastructure, transportation, and amenities, while other areas of the city struggle to receive similar levels of investment.
Urban Expansion
As the global population of urban dwellers continues to increase, city boundaries will likely increase as well. The boundaries of Mexico City, Accra, and HCMC have expanded outwards in recent decades. This urban sprawl has led to a rise in informal settlements and a greater need for infrastructure in these locations. It also raises important questions surrounding access to economic opportunity. As communities settle on the urban periphery (or cities’ edge), poor transport infrastructure and long commute times reduce access to economic activity and social amenities, reducing productivity and inclusion.
Proximity to Economic Activity
The central business districts within each city are the hub of economic activity and a magnet for transportation and infrastructure projects. In this case, informal settlements are concentrated on precarious and unserviced land near the CBD and transport. The city’s wealthiest residents do not always choose to live near these areas. In Buenos Aires and Accra, some higher income residents live futher from the city’s central business districts. Residential estates located far from the city center in Accra show that higher income residents have alternate means of transportation, allowing them to still reach the city center. Informal settlements are sometimes located in available land that is near the central business district, but was previously unoccupied due to issues including flooding or inadequate infrastructure.
Symbiosis Between Formal and Informal Settlements
Formal and informal settlements, though fragmented, display an element of symbiosis. Informal settlements, which arise organically and are situated outside of government regulation, often lack the resources and infrastructure afforded to formal settlements, that adhere to at least some state regulation. Despite dramatic differences in quality of life between residents of formal and informal settlements, the residents of each are interdependent on each other economically. This was evidenced by the close proximity of upper- and lower- income areas, located side-by-side in Nairobi.
Flood Vulnerability
Rising urban populations and the growth of informal settlements forced the poorest residents of many cities to settle in land that is undesirable or unsafe. In Mumbai, Mexico City, HCMC, and Accra, informal settlements have expanded into flood-prone areas. These settlements are made even more unsafe given their frequent use of weaker construction materials, lack of foundations, and oftentimes, lack of “permanent structures”. The poorest residents are thus the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, demonstrating disparities in access to housing and health outcomes.