Using the home for income-generation; The case of Kumasi, Ghana

Using the home for income-generationThe case of Kumasi, Ghana 

^{Cities, Vol. 15, No. 6, pp. 417–427, 1998}

Author: Irit Sinai 

Resumed by Pindo Tutuko

Overview

In many cities in developing countries is using homes not only for shelter, but also for income-generation through informal-sector activities.This paper examine the characteristics of households.

Descriptive analyses of socioeconomic characteristics, migration history, housing and location indicators, and tenure are presented.Households that use their home for income-generation occupy more rooms, but their housing quality is not as good as the housing quality of other households. 

Kumasi

Kumasi is situated within a dense rain forest, about 260km from the capital, Accra, and the Atlantic coast. About half of Kumasi’s residents live in traditional compound houses. Typically, a compound house is a one-story structure consisting of a series of single rooms surrounding a square courtyard. Some rooms have an additional entrance via a veranda that is opened directly to the street. These cooking and bathing facilities are shared by all households residing in the compound. Many compound houses have no latrines. 

The Data

• Data collection involved detailed interviews of 596 heads of house- holds. 
• The questionnaire asked about housing quality indicators, location characteristics, the use of housing for income-generation, and other economic and demographic characteristics of household heads. 

Housing Uses in Kumasi

Every compound house in Kumasi is used for income-generation by one or more resident household.
Different parts of the home can be used for income- generation activities. First, the house itself – for most households this means the bedroom, since the majority of households in Kumasi occupy just one room. Second, the yard, which is shared with all households residing in the compound. Third, the veranda, which some households have exclusive use of, and others share with one or more other households. finally, the street adjacent to the house, which is part of the plot the house is built on.

Background characteristics 

• In Kumasi access to formal jobs does not necessarily discourage households from undertaking informal-sector activities. 

Formal-sector jobs are more prestigious, but they often do not pay enough to sustain households.

 Migration History

These findings indicate that in Kumasi informal- sector jobs are not a transition stage on the way to finding formal-sector positions. Recent migrants are more educated than migrants who have been in the city longer, and better education means easier access to formal-sector occupations.

Income

Some households use their home for income as a way to increase total household income.
Other households undertake informal- sector economic activities in the house because they cannot or do not want to find other work.
This result suggests that income levels are the same for formal and informal jobs in Kumasi.

Housing characteristics and tenure

Most respondents (90.7%) occupied rooms in compound houses, sharing cooking, bathing, and toilet facilities with other households residing in the com-pound. The dominant form of residence arrangement in Kumasi is renting.

Location characteristics 

• Kumasi is a large city. 
• Densely built, small tracts of undeveloped land within the city boundaries are still used for subsistence or market agriculture. 
• Most villages have a core area of traditional compound houses (in the larger villages there are also multi-story compounds). 
• Urban sprawl is all around them in the form of villa type houses. 
• The core area of Kumasi is surrounded by a circular road. 

When households use their home for income-generation, it is not always the occupation of the house-hold earners who earns the most money.But it is still not surprising that these households live closer to the work place of that household member than other households. The location of households in both groups are equally accessible to markets and public transportation.

Multivariate analysis

• Households that do not use their homes for income-generation enjoy a better quality of housing than households that do. 
• Migrants do not use informal-sector jobs as a stepping stone to formal-sector ones.

Conclusion

• Households undertake such activities in the city core and the periphery, regardless of income, tenure arrangement and accessibility to markets and public transportation. 
• Larger households, female-headed households, and those with older or less educated heads, use the home for income-generation more. 
• In single-household houses or apartments use their home for income-generation less than compound dweller. 
• Households that use their home for income-generation occupy more rooms, but their housing quality is not as good as the housing quality of other households. 

Source: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0264-2751(98)00037-7

Cultural Landscape, Urban Settlement and Dweller’s

Cultural Landscape, Urban Settlement and Dweller’s Perception: A Case Study of a Vernacular Village in Northern Thailand 

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 42 ( 2012 ) 153 – 158

Junjira Nunta and Nopadon Sahachaisaeree

Resumed by Pindo Tutuko

Investigation about factors affecting the formational pattern of cultural landscape and the formation of urban settlement. Indication that urbanization affected the formation of urban settlement and the changes in dwellers’ perceptions. Perception of the local dwellers should be the prime factor to be considered in the planning and management of urban settings.

Introduction

The spatial pattern of human settlement was determined and readjusted not only by the daily human needs, but also by their social norms and cultural settings. 

The research is yearning for the utilization of resultant to identify the process by which the pattern of vernacular settlement explaining the significant of social identity and livelihood in the past could be beneficial to explain the current social dynamic in the modern urban community. 

Methodology

There are 2 objectives in this study that includes: to study the dynamic of vernacular house influencing on the transformation process of urban settlement and cultural landscape; and finally, to explain the perceived process and response of local people towards meaning and changes of cultural landscape. 

An integration of quantitative and qualitative approaches was applied to reveal the behavior of relevant users in the built environment. Empirical data were complied by means of questionnaire survey and in depth interview with sample subjects responding to cultural landscape. 

Literature Review

The urban form and landscape of a settlement 

The interaction of physical structures and their built environment should not be treated separately from human behavior. The built environment is a function of architecture, an integral part of the design problem to be solved, even though the planning and urban design processes are intangible activities. 

The conceptualization of cultural landscape 

Cultural landscape as the trace and evidence of the changing of land, topography and environment made by men from activities in their community lifestyle or ethnography that appear both in concrete and abstract characteristics.

The taxonomy of cultural landscape

First, the landscape that is intentionally designed and created by men such as garden, park, etc. Second, the landscape that has evolved as a result from changes in society, economy, administration, religion, and belief. Finally, the landscape is involved in religion, art and culture or natural elements.

Results and Discussions

• The research result found that the ways of life and local culture are still maintained. 
• Characteristics of the building space and formal pattern had been transformed in accordance with the modern life style, but some traditional style still remains without any improvement. 
• Different types of architecture are found in the study areas. The original buildings are entirely made from wood. 

Building pattern is usually a one-story house with high basement which area was used for storing agricultural equipments or for leisure activities.

The basement is so transformed and rebuilt by new material and subdivision to accommodate activities such as storing unused material and garage.

Results from the housing survey found four types of building pattern in accordance with building material and housing structure; 

1) Typical one-story houses; 

2) Transformed houses which interior space was adjusted and adapted basement as functional area.

3) Contemporary houses; 

4) Modern houses which used new material such as concrete and tiles. There are one storey and two-storey. 

Units of houses were divided to two types; a) more than 30 years and b) less than 30 years. 

Recent road construction further brought about linear extension and a typical physical development. 

Houses were built along the road ruined the typical pattern of settlement. Spatial settings and urban pattern were gradually changed. 

The results from questionnaires found that both cultural landscape and physical area had affected on the perception and response of dwellers towards cultural landscape changes.

Coinclusion

• Urbanization had affected formation of urban fabrics as well as changed the dweller’s perception. 
• Recent road construction further brought about linear extension and a typical physical development. 
• Houses that were built along the road ruined the typical pattern of settlement. Cultural identities were proved to determine the origin of cultural landscape. 
• Perception of the local dwellers was found affected the response process in both changes in cultural landscape and physical appearance of the settlement. 
• Perception of dwellers concerning cultural landscape should be the prime factor to consider in the planning and management of urban settlement in any particular area where physical landscape is bound to be transformed. 
• Moreover, the community management should include the education of local people about culture conservation to achieve consciousness and awareness as based on surveys and opinion in the summary. 

Source: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042812010580

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.04.176

特別区の密集住宅市街地における基盤整備への取り組み方に関する調査研究
～品川区・中野区・新宿区・豊島区を対象に～

A Study on Policy and Practice of Infrastructure Provision for Densely Built-up Area Improvement
～Case Study of Shinagawa Ward , Nakano Ward, Shinzyuku Ward and Toshima Ward～

都市住宅学39号 2002 AUTUMN

下田周公・高見沢実

本分PDF　 https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/uhs1993/2002/39/2002_85/_pdf

はじめに

  東京都は阪神・淡路大震災の教訓を踏まえ、「防災都市づくり推進計画」を策定している。しかし現況としては、「地域内では宅地面積や道路幅が狭く、複雑な権利関係や建物所有者の高齢化に伴って住宅更新が停滞し、更新と併せた公共施設整備も進んでいない」と言われている。

 そこで本研究では、東京都における整備主体である特別区の密集住宅市街地整備促進事業への取り組み方に着目し、密集市街地整備の具体的な現況を事業実績より把握し、今後の密集市街地整備の方向性を整理することを目的とする。なお、密集市街地整備を考えた場合、まず重要な課題として挙げられるのが狭隘道路の拡幅整備であることから、この点を中心に本研究を行った。

研究方法、研究対象

 調査対象地区の選定は、既往研究において調査が行われた東京都23区の中から、住環境政策の一環として密集市街地整備を取り組み、かつ密集市街地における基盤整備の取り組み方に特徴のある品川区、中野区、新宿区、豊島区の4区を選定した。

  本研究の方法は、実態調査と各区に対するヒアリング調査及び各区の密集住宅市街地整備促進事業関連資料の調査等による。各区の密集市街地整備の現況を基盤整備について整理し、密集市街地の基盤整備の今後の方向性についてまとめを行った。

品川区

 基盤整備の方針…細街路整備と壁面後退を誘導しながらの基盤整備、生活道路、区画道路の拡幅整備

 基盤整備の実績…民間活力を利用した共同建替えに伴う前面道路の拡幅整備

 実績をあげられていない基盤整備の状況…大規模共同住宅等の建替えに伴った基盤整備以外は、顕著な進捗状況が見られない。

  見直しと今後の整備方針…各地区に防災再開発促進地区が指定され、重点整備地区として密集市街地整備を特化する方針である。共同建替えを推進し、それに伴う前面道路の拡幅整備を進める方針であるが、住民の共同化合意が得られず基盤整備が進捗していないのが現状である。

中野区

 基盤整備の方針…地区計画の策定、木造賃貸住宅地区整備促進事業、既存道路の拡幅整備、行き止まり路の解消のための新設道路の建設整備

 基盤整備の実績…前面道路の拡幅整備、避難経路の確保

 実績をあげられていない基盤整備の状況…建替えにあわせて基盤整備が着実に進められているが、顕著な進捗状況が見られない。

  見直しと今後の整備方針…各地区に防災再開発促進地区が指定され、重点整備地区として密集市街地整備を特化する方針である。

新宿区

 基盤整備の方針…市街地再開発事業、地区計画の策定、前面道路の拡幅整備、細街路整備と壁面後退を誘導しながら基盤整備

 基盤整備の実績…大規模共同住宅等の建替えに伴う前面道路の拡幅整備、基盤整備に活用するためのまちづくり用地の取得

 実績をあげられていない基盤整備の状況…個別建替えに伴う前面道路の拡幅整備には顕著な進捗状況が見られない。

 見直しと今後の整備方針…各地区に防災再開発促進地区が指定され、重点整備地区として密集市街地整備を特化する方針である。

豊島区

 基盤整備の方針…細街路整備と壁面後退を誘導しながらの基盤整備、住民参加を基調とした修復型のまちづくりによる基盤整備

 基盤整備の実績…新設道路整備完了、主要道路間の通行可能、基盤整備に活用するためにまちづくり用地も積極的に取得

 実績をあげられていない基盤整備の状況…沿道の個別建替えに併せて用地買収が行われ基盤整備は進められているのだが、地区全体として整備効果が目に見えない。

  見直しと今後の整備方針… 防災再開発促進地区が指定され、密集市街地整備を特化する方針である。

まとめ

 各区とも一定の成果を挙げているものの、基盤整備が計画通りに進んでいないことから整備効果が目に見えない面もあった。

 

 今後の密集市街地における基盤整備に対して四点の方向性

1.地区計画の策定

2.低未利用地やまちづくり用地の取得活用 

3.自力更新が困難なまちに対する共同建替えを利用した前面道路の拡幅整備計画

4.行政評価による密集市街地整備の見直し