Current Research
SIGUS Research
SIGUS research is focused in four areas:
This includes research on 'The Good Squatter' (since squatting - or quasi-legal development - is so common, how can it be directed toward a win-win end?); and Rapid ePlanning (how to approach the two key issues of today in the peripheral areas: speed and scale of development).
2. DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
This includes development of participatory tools, and CD/internet sites of information.
3. SUSTAINABILITY
This includes development of participatory tools, and CD/internet sites of information.
4. ROLE OF THE PROFESSIONAL
Where and how can architects and planners best contribute? How can their unique skills be utilized?
COMMUNITY ACTION PLANNING (MicroPlanning)
A Participatory Development Methodology by Reinhard Goethert and Nabeel Hamdi
Community Action Planning empowers communities to design, implement and manage their own settlement programs. Its methods are participatory, community-based, problem-driven, fast, and designed to inform policy from the grassroots. This approach was developed by Reinhard Goethert and Nabeel Hamdi during their collaborative work over the past 15 years. Their participatory approach catalyzed in Sri Lanka as part of the Million Houses Program, a national-scale participatory program internationally applauded. In Sri Lanka it was applied nation-wide and has become a model emulated in programs internationally.
The key element of Community Action Planning (CAP) is an active, intense community-based workshop, carried out over a period of 2 to 5 days, depending on the specific goals of the workshop. The output of the workshops is a development plan which includes a list of prioritized problems, strategies and options for dealing with the problems, and a rudimentary work program describing who, when and what is to be done. Integral to the method is the equal relation between the professional technical inputs and the community.
The set-up for the workshop requires a minimum of preparation, materials and training. Required is a motivated community and a confident moderator/facilitator/organizer who can take the lead in assuring that announcements are made, participants identified, a location selected, a few materials collected, and finally in running the workshop. Much of the preparation is done by the community. A designated person often takes responsibility for the logistics. Moderators need not be highly skilled and can adapt the style and content to suit their own temperament and the prevailing circumstances. Training of moderators/facilitators can be minimal, but is strongly advised to participate in an actual workshop in order that future moderators can capture the dynamics of the event as much as understand its procedures.
Materials required are limited to markers of some kind, large sheets of paper (any kind: wrapping paper, newsprint, cardboard, unfolded boxes), and a place for display of outputs.
The location should be in the community and accessible, rather than in government offices. Example locations have included formal classrooms to sitting on the ground with the back of a makeshift store as display space. This offers familiarity to participants, emphasizes the bias toward the community, and allows instant corroboration of issues.
The start to the process is problems definition. Both perceived  those felt as being a problem  and "real" problems  those that are measurable  are included without initial distinctions.
The process adopts four general stages of work:
- Stage 1: PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION and PRIORITIZING:
What are the problems?
- Stage 2: STRATEGIES, OPTIONS and TRADEOFFS:
What approaches and actions are most suitable to deal with problems?
- Stage 3: PLANNING FOR IMPLEMENTATION:
Who does what, when and how, and how to get it going?
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Stage 4: MONITORING:
In all cases where community action planning was used the fundamentals were retained: rapid, intense field-based workshops, a problem-driven agenda, equal community/technical participation and documentation.
Research Questions
Context of Research
- Research derived from reality of place
- Both 3rd World and 1st World issue
- Focus on pragmatic application
Joint MIT-World Bank- University of Maputo exploratory studies in participatory design and development linked to city structural planning. Focus on three levels: community-community links, channels to link to city, and receptivity at structural planning level.
Research Topics of SIGUS Interest
Special assistance will be offered to students who focus on topics related to the interests of SIGUS. SIGUS provides guidance in formulating the thesis hypothesis, preparing an outline, structuring fieldwork and identifying local contacts, as well as advising on the report and/or thesis during its development. Contact sigus@mit.edu for discussion of topic in more detail. Although many of the interests are grouped by country, generally they may be applied to other contexts as well.
EL SALVADOR
"Comparison and Evaluation of Five Different Housing Prototypes Resulting from Divergent Perspectives by their NGO Funders". Studies targeting housing offered by the varied donors in their earthquake reconstruction programs. "Evaluation of the Innovative 'Cluster' Type of Land Subdivision in Sensunapan vs Traditional Forms in Santa Ana". Comparing initial development goals of land subdivisions to their current state 20-years afterwards. "Earthquake Resistance of Design and Structural Innovations in Low-cost Housing". Analyzing dwelling performance under various earthquake magnitudes.
EGYPT
Revisiting the legacy 'site and service' projects from the 1980s built by varied international development agencies. What worked, what lessons?
PERU
The 1967 PREVI competition in Lima. How did it turn out? What lessons may be learned?
KOSOVO
Study of the Informal sector rapidly growing on the outskirts of the larger cities, particularly Pristina.
GENERAL
"Shape Grammars: Children, Heritage and Design". Programs and methods that respect and build appreciation of architectural heritage through educational programs.
The 1976 Vancouver-Tondo competition in Manila. Comparison of international housing competitions targeting low income. How effective where they? Is this a good model for innovation?
Rapid urban growth modeling through computer graphics. Development of simple dynamic growth model for practitioners and tested in various urban areas.