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THE IMPACTS OF URBAN MORPHOLOGY ON THE RESILIENCE

OF INFORMAL TRADERSMr.Albert Ferreira

Assistant Lecturer, Department of Town and Regional Planning, University of Pretoria

Dr. Karina Landman Senior Lecturer, Department of Town and Regional Planning, University of Pretoria

Source: Adapted from The Informal City, 2011

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Introduction

• Exploring the relationship between Urban Morphology and the Resilience of Informal Traders through various Diversity indicators in the CBD of Pretoria/Tshwane.

• Salat’s (2011) theories on complexity and diversity will be used as a framework for this investigation (incorporating ecological resiliency concepts)

• Assessing impacts and design implications will be given

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The Informal Economy and its role

• The informal economy in SA (30% of GDP)• Informal Trading a major component of sector• Growth in the informal economy is because of:• Inability of formal economy to absorb unemployed• Urbanisation of Poverty • Relatively easy to establish• Immigration• Robust, Flexible in nature

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Challenges facing informal trading

– By law enforcement (Harassment) – Crime (customers and own safety)– Lack ablution facilities– Health hazards– Proper trading facilities– Over trading– Access to storage facilities – Most traders are not represented by

association thus often get excluded from participation

– Lack of access affordable to micro financing

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Who are the Informal Traders?

• Very Diverse Group of ordinary men and women – Acute and instinctive business knowledge– Diverse in terms

• Product/services on offer• Structure• Location (often impeded) • Subsistence vs. Enterprising• Cultural Backgrounds Skills and Experience

(not tested in this presentation) etc.

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Resilience & Diversity

• Resilience – ability of the urban systems to cope with shocks and pressures and adapt to these in ways that these systems can continue to function

• Various indicators used to understand relationship between urban morphology and resilience

• One of these: diversity• Complexity & adaptive capacity enhanced

through diversity• Increased diversity also allows for greater

redundancy and thus ability to cope with disturbances

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Theoretical Underpinning

Salat: Complexity in urban morphology has three main components

Objects of the same family but offering different configurations

Diversity of objects in Space/Spatial Distribution

Diversity of objects of different scalesPareto distribution – Inverse power rule

Small = more & big = less

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Diversity in relation to traders

Diversity of Objects• Types of traders (population)• Types of trading places (structures)• Types of productsSpatial Distribution• Location of tradersDiversity at various scales• E.g. metropolitan / district facilities

in selective areas

Neighbourhood

Urban Block

Building

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Diversity of ObjectsTypes of traders (population)Types of trading places (structures)Types of products

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CASE STUDY SELECTION AND

SCALES OF ANALYSIS

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Contextualisation

• CBD block structure resilience (from 1860-Present)

• Land use and Subdivision change• History of Trading in the area – History of Trading more than 150 years old

(Agricultural service town- holy communion markets)– Move from Church Square to Market Square turn of

the Century (move to trading square) – Modernist era and Apartheid Rule – Post Apartheid proliferation of informal trading

• Shift in Demographics

1878

2013

SA History online, 2013

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800mX800m area

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Block level

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Building/Structure level

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Informal Trader Locations

Pedestrianised Church Street

Van der Walt/Thabo Sehume RoadInterse

ctions

Church Square

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Informal Trader Agglomerations

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LEGENDFruit vendorSweets & CigNews paper vendorClothes, Footware and AccessoriesFood & RestaurantCosmeticsElectronics & CD’s/DVD’sTraditionalSalonsServicesCombo’s

Clothing DistrictTourist Trap

Fruit, Veg & Food

Mixed

Mixed

Informal Trader Product Diversity

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BLOCK TYPES

Marabastad

40m

70m

240m

140m

Pretoria Central

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GOVERNMENT BLOCK STERILIZATION

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25 Informal Trader Mobile Street Trader Chain Store/National Retailer Convenience Store Wholesale Arcade/Shopping centre route Individual Shop Speciality Retail

LEGEND

Government Block Sterilisation

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The Contrast between interface and use

Informal Trader Mobile Street Trader Chain Store/National Retailer Convenience Store Wholesale Arcade/Shopping centre route Individual Shop Speciality Retail

LEGEND

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PERMEABLE AND SMALL BLOCKS

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Small Blocks with single usage

Informal Trader Mobile Street Trader Chain Store/National Retailer Convenience Store Wholesale Arcade/Shopping centre route Individual Shop Speciality Retail

LEGEND

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Small Blocks with subdivisions and mixed uses

Informal Trader Mobile Street Trader Chain Store/National Retailer Convenience Store Wholesale Arcade/Shopping centre route Individual Shop Speciality Retail

LEGEND

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ARCADE AND SHOPPING BLOCKS

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Arcade and Shopping Blocks

Informal Trader Mobile Street Trader Chain Store/National Retailer Convenience Store Wholesale Arcade/Shopping centre route Individual Shop Speciality Retail

LEGEND

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Arcade and Shopping Blocks

Informal Trader Mobile Street Trader Chain Store/National Retailer Convenience Store Wholesale Arcade/Shopping centre route Individual Shop Speciality Retail

LEGEND

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Arcade and Shopping Blocks

Informal Trader Mobile Street Trader Chain Store/National Retailer Convenience Store Wholesale Arcade/Shopping centre route Individual Shop Speciality Retail

LEGEND

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Block form and ImpactsBlock Type Characteristics Impact on traders

and environsGovernment model

Block size: 210mX140m

• Single Usage & Isolated• “Sterilised” Periphery• Not permeable & Car orientated• Little Pedestrian movement and very concentrated at certain points• Large plots taking up most of the block• Important functions for community and adds consumers to the area

• Not creating space for trading• Unsafe areas • Impedes movement• Difficult to repurpose• Government workers important consumers in the area

Small and Permeable model

Block size: 100mX140m

• Small blocks• Multi functional (edu, retail, gov)• Permeable and accessible • Pedestrian orientated • High intensity & medium density

• Creating economic space due increased pedestrian movement and interface • Formal and Informal in unison

Arcade and Shopping model

Block size: 210X140m

• Opens up block for pedestrian movement• Creating more retail space • Multi functional (edu, retail, gov)• Management is key

• If managed well traders and other activities very successful

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Urban Design and Management implications

Design/Management Issue

Impact Suggestions

Street Interface Dictates the space viable for trading (formal & informal)Passive surveillance

•High street model on human scale•With accommodations for informal traders

Formalisation of Stalls

Can removed adaptive capacity of the built environment

•Less permanent structures with a focus on mobility and auxiliary services (cleaning, security, sanitation)

Urban Management

Less excessive control and more facilitative role

•Setting up small area City Improvement Districts funded by traders and corporates•Direct negotiation with traders not associations

Government office investment

See government block type

•Mixed use government offices with good interface and economic space for both formal and informal activities•Integrated rather than isolated

Investment in new arcades

Opening up of block •Management is key•Gentrification concerns

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Conclusion

• Diversity important indicator to understand resilience of urban from

• Also in terms of uses, e.g. Traders in CBD• Morphology impact on traders in number of ways:– Location choices– Influences movement of traffic (motorised and

pedestrian) – Agglomerations – Adaptive Capacity of urban space to change

• Should consider this in terms of future urban intervention