The Culture of the Informal City: Innovation From Within

In Latin America, the massive migration flows from the countryside to the cities, and the uncontrolled expansion of these last ones, have changed the rural-urban dichotomy. The dominant hypothesis is the “penetration -physical and cultural- of the urban world into the rural world” (Guidicini, 1998). Nevertheless, many of the characteristics of rural construction are maintained in the cities, but with less concern for the quality of the environment and more attention to economic activities. This is evident in “informal” settlements, where one of the essential features is still self-build. This paper aims to contribute to the debate of eco-compatible requalification of “informal” housing by highlighting the collective force and the creative and participatory potential that “informal” architecture and its “popular” culture offer if combined with the scientific expertise of professional architects. In order to achieve this purpose, it is proposed to integrate two methodologies: Participatory-Action Research (PAR) and Human-Centred Design (HCD).