REFLECTION
Before viewing my other colleagues
post it became clear to me that urban housing in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad was linked
in place and space with both economic and social dynamics of the city. Firstly, we will consider the history and
architecture of housing in Port-of-Spain.
It is the uniqueness of each period in history and home design which
help us move from colonial period of very English type plantation homes, to
government low and high rises towards today’s very contemporary dwellings. Housing
and its type of architecture also helps us to understand why the processes of
neglect or decay, gentrification and revivalism are occuring.
Today’s very diverse urban
structure has lead to definite spatial locations of specific economic and
social practices. For example the
spatial distinction of the East from the West, with the West boasting of wealth
and economic growth and revitalization projects, the emergency of new housing
types and other modern amenities. The East
on the other hand seems to be on its way down, stuck in place, a dismal place
where no one wants to enter. Those who
reside here are stuck in time and space.
A place of great historical
significance, whose ambitions have been hidden behind economic and social
trama. Today, the social dynamics, as
expressed by Gideon Sjoberg (1960), in his pre-industrial model, is true in the
city of Port-of-Spain. For greater detail follow the link provided:
Government hosing initiatives of
both low and high rise apartments are seen as a double-edge sword. It’s use to accommodated large numbers of low
income individual has gained it merit. Yet, on the other hand it, has been
associated with congestion, crime and gang related violence. The emergency of this subculture seeks to
perpetuate poverty. Also, with increased
urbanization especially in the developing world, this problem will be further
exasperated. It, is clear that urban
spaces are dynamic and a neighborhoods place in an urban space is important in surviving
modern processes. In order for residential neighborhoods within urban spaces to survive, this disorganized phase,
they will not only need economic strength but governmental backing and social
capital in order to survive.
http://urbancongestion.blogspot.com/
Please cite the authors of the blogs in this post.
ReplyDeleteVery very insightful and informative. A great launching point for any housing researcher interested in the Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean generally.
*trama - trauma
*hosing - housing
*it's - its
*individual - individuals
*emergency - emergence