Design and Landscape for People: New Approaches to Renewal

Abstract

Children, Youth and Environments Vol. 17 No. 4 (2007) ISSN: 1546-2250 Design and Landscape for People: New Approaches to Renewal Cumberlidge, Clare and Musgrave, Lucy (2007). New York: Thames & Hudson; 224 pages. $50. ISBN 9780500342336. Twenty-three case studies representing best practices in renewal from 14 countries, spanning five continents and sharing 25 awards (among 12 of the showcased projects). That, in a nutshell, is Clare Cumberlidge and Lucy Musgrave’s new book. Besides the impressive numbers underpinning its range, surely should be added the outstanding 269 color illustrations. This book is an impressive exhibition of some excellent innovations in rural and urban renewal that redeveloped existing land and infrastructure, created new facilities including through reuse of old, used culture and place identity to further economic development, and through strategic work with local communities, including children and youth, brought in desired environmental change. After a preface by Ralph Rugoff, who highlights the importance of the book, the introductory essay by the interdisciplinary author duo, Cumberlidge (curator, cultural planner and art consultant), and Musgrave (architect, planner, researcher) who founded the General Public Agency in London, provide a sweeping review of the emerging new practices in the field of renewal and cite several more examples from around the world in addition to the case studies included in the book. Renewal is typically considered an urban phenomenon. “Urban Renewal” historically had a negative image, with James Baldwin famously dubbing this process “negro removal” highlighting the marginalization of minority groups and the poor in renewal of “slums” and blighted areas in post-World War II American cities. However, a shift in renewal thinking occurred in the later part of the twentieth century with community development underpinning renewal efforts—though the need to command and control 415 populations and their use of land continue to drive renewal efforts in slums across the world, particularly in developing countries undergoing fast urbanization. Given this prevalent, inhumane image of renewal, this book helps to direct attention to emerging practices in both urban and rural contexts that have transformed people’s environments in a more people-friendly manner. The book’s 23 case studies are organized into five sections:Utility, Citizenship, Rural, Identity, and Urban. The introduction does not explain why these five categories were chosen, nor does it explain the process of selection of case studies from around the world beyond stating, “[w]e identified and were in communication with many inspirational projects from around the world which for reasons of editorial focus have not made it to the final selection” (224). Each section is introduced by the authors with a review essay that again introduces many more examples from around the world while briefly discussing the achievements of the selected case studies. A fact sheet about each case study is included at the end under “Project Information,” though inclusion of these summaries in the case studies themselves would have facilitated smoother reading and comprehension. The five case studies under “Utility,” from South Africa, Slovakia, Germany, Mexico, and India, demonstrate adaptive reuse of obsolete infrastructure as well as new infrastructural innovations to cater to multiple community needs. A wonderful example of this latter concept is the Playpump project in South Africa, where a merry-go-round for children enabled children to pump safe drinking water to an overhead tank while playing. Colorful advertising panels covered the overhead storage tanks and delivered public health messages to the water collectors, who were typically adolescent girls. Critical perspectives are missing from the case studies. For example, the “Utility” case study of Slum Networking in India showcases a highly contested project—the largest slum upgrading project using the concept of Slum Networking in the Indian city of Indore—without any critical analysis. The project targeted development of individual household toilets, water supply, roads 416 and soft landscaping across the city slums, but achieved only very limited coverage at the end of the project (Verma 2000). The tenant householders refused to make any investment in infrastructure, while others cited insufficient space within the house for a toilet, and still others who received toilets did not have private water supply. Further, a survey revealed that no water mains had been installed in ten...