Segregation is the action or state of setting someone or something apart from others. This sociological concept can be materialized as spatial inequalities, often related to mobility infrastructures that create barriers or urban segregators. ‘Jousting Segregation starter kit’ is a data driven approach that attempts to tackle urban segregation in Greater London. Moving towards a city model where the private dependency of cars would reduce, Public Multi modal transportation increase thus leading to an obsolete use of certain infrastructure and urban spaces. The project is derived by measuring, cataloging, defining strategies and an application method. Its final objective is to identify urban taxonomy of spaces in the city and create an urban starter kit of interventions to catalyze changes in segregated areas of the city.
To identify patterns of segregation, a series of demographic indicators were analyzed individually to understand the current situation. Further on, these categories were combined, working with ethnic diversity, density, rise of propriety prices and rise of income overtime, two main indexes were created, Openness to Intervention and Risk of Segregation. When merged, it results in The Index of segregation which rates each ward in relation of the need of intervention and the openness to be intervened. Further on, three wards were chosen as case studies to run space syntax and a series of conceptual evaluations or urban taxonomies were produced being: the monotony maze, the fragmented tissue, segregation over time and junk spaces.
Figure 2 THE INDEX FOR CALCULATING SEGREGATION
Figure 3 URBAN TAXONOMY - FRAGMENTED TISSUES
Figure 4 URBAN TAXANOMY - JUNK SPACE
Spitalfields and Banglatown Ward was selected for a zoom in case study to run space syntax and focus on fragmented urban tissue. By analyzing the urban fabric of the ward, the presence of high streets, the historical changes and road hierarchy, new connections were proposed, focusing on rejoining the tissue. Then it was corroborated by space syntax, showing how punctual changes in the network can positively affect the whole ward.
Figure 5 THE URBAN STARTER KIT CONCEPTUAL MODEL ANALOGY
Based on the formulation of an urban conceptual model and taking the analogy of child’s play box the Urban starter kit was conceived. Proposing a strategy to include stakeholders from the community, education sectors and Government entities to bring together a proposal bringing in Urban Design & Infrastructure management, Technological advancements, Cultural Identities and Civic guidance. The kit would run be initiated in a three-step protocol. Phase 1, tactical urbanism, and community engagement were translated in the interventions, bringing together all the four categories of stakeholders into a common ground to discuss and gradually start the change process. Phase two is where the spatial transformation begins by removing fences and repurposing small car park spaces, aiming to create a sense of belonging related to these new spaces by bringing the community together and exploring their own specific values. Phase three is represented by the bigger changes in the tissue, such as the replacement of one of the buildings to consolidate the new connections proposed by the reframing of the network structure. This step sets the final changes of the proposal that will surely be reinterpreted and in constant change, whereas they are a part of the urban dynamics.
Figure 6 URBAN INTERVENTIONS
By setting the Starter Kit as a scalable tool that can be adapted to different contexts, the expansion of the applicability of it was considered. Using the indicators of the space syntax analysis set to define the fragmented tissue in the city, clusters of low connectivity areas were found on a larger scale. In the clusters of fragmented tissue, educational facilities and community associations were mapped, relating the possible stakeholders which could receive and make use of the Starter Kit. Lastly, the three-step intervention scenario could happen in all these localities, creating a vast network of punctual interventions towards a more inclusive city without cars. For more details on this project check out the Jousting Segregation Starter Kit – IAAC Blog .
Jousting Segregation Starter Kit is a project of IAAC, Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia developed Master in City and Technology in 2021/2022
Students: Júlia Maria Veiga, Kishwerniha Nagoor Meeran Buhari and Maria Augusta Kroetz
Faculty: Mathilde Marengo, Eduardo Rico and Iacopo Neri
