The porosity of borders: between formal and informal urban patterns

Abstract

Urban spaces developed with formal and informal settlements that have varied permeability features are the places where any social, cultural and ethnic communities cohabit in a heterogeneous arrangement. Both formal/regular and informal/spontaneous modes of spatial production lead to changes in socio-economic and spatial relationships within the city. Planned and unplanned housing patterns intersect and are juxtaposed in time. The seam lines between the various parts of the patchwork-like settlements show different qualities in terms of transition characteristics, creating different patterns for the use of public and private space and spatial discontinuity. Therefore, fragmentation and disconnection are encountered between different social groups at the intersection of formal and informal residential settlements. The differences make the borders meaningful, however, to eliminate discontinuities in terms of creating quality urban environments; the boundaries should be more blurred, ambiguous and even seamless. Porosity/permeability characteristics of the borders as indicators of ambiguity strengthen the potentials of in-between space to increase communication and interaction providing urban fluidity. In the scope of the research, to analyze the connection/intersection of various formal/informal housing patterns in Istanbul in terms of their spatial and social dimensions, a comparative and mutual assessment is conducted. Creative approaches and bottom-up models of different countries related to the porosity characteristics of in-between zones are concluded along with the findings of the field study related to the theoretical framework.