The Barriadas of Lima, Peru: Slums of Hope or Despair?
Problem or Solution?
Professor Bill ChambersPro Vice-Chancellor
External Relations & Widening Participation
Hampshire GA March 2009
Lecture Structure
1. Peru
2. Migration
3. Housing in Lima
4. Growth of Lima
5. Progressive Development
6. Employment
7. Government Policies
8. Hope or Despair?
Source: www.politicalresources.net
PeruThree Zones
CostaAtacama Desert (driest in the world)
SierraAndes (2nd highest mountains in world)
SelvaAmazon (largest tropical rainforest in world)
Costa: The Atacama Desert
Sierra: The Andes
Selva: The Amazon Basin
2. Migration
Peru: Population by Region
Region Area % 1876 2001
Costa 11 24 53
Sierra 26 75 36
Selva 63 1 11
Primacy of Lima:‘the head of a giant on the body of a
dwarf’
Characteristic Fact % Peru’s population 25 Size compared with 2nd city 11x % financial transactions 95 % electricity consumption 75 % doctors 66 % factories employing >5 people 70
29
Reasons for Primacy
• capital city (work, culture, civilisation)
• largest port (Callao)
• traditional home of Vice-Roy in Colonial
Growth of Lima
• >50% migration
• 50% Andes
• central-southern Andes
• mainly young
• rural poverty
• land tenure
• infant mortality
• guerrillas
• cocaine
3. Housing in Lima
Callejon
Barriadas
• A residential community
• formed by low income families in which the
• houses are constructed in large measure by the residents themselves and
• which are generally but not exclusively formed illegally.
(Collins 1975)
4. Growth of Lima
Source:
J. Matos Mar 1977Las Barriadas de Lima 1957
Source:
J. Matos Mar 1977Las Barriadas de Lima 1967
Source:
J. Matos Mar 1977Las Barriadas de Lima 1977
San CristobalCentro cerro
Rio Rimac floodplain : Carmen de la Legua and San Martin de Porres 1965
Comas 16-3-1945
Andes foothills
Comas 1965
Southern Atacama desert: Tupac Amaru
6. The Invasion
• After several years residence
• Pay to join invasion committee
• Planned by architects
• On Holy Days, National Holidays, Public Holidays, weekends, government crisis
• Appeal to patriotism or religiosity of nation or landlords
7. Progressive Development
Progressive Development
• The gradual development over time of housing, community, utilities and employment.
• Depends on finance, health, motivation, priorities and government policy
Progressive Development of Homes
• chosa (matting hut)
• peripheral wall
• internal walls
• concrete roof
• second floor
• more
chosas
Chosa, peripheral wall from casa noble
Wood
Water cylinder
cement bag
Roofing: tiles, iron, electricity tubes
Roofing concreting
Finished casa noble: windows, doors, concrete roof
Casa noble Carmen de la Legua 1965
Carmen de la Legua 1965
Carmen de la Legua 1982
Carmen de la Legua 2003
By 1974 its transformation into an urban barrio was almost complete – paved roads, uniform lotes, water and electrical services, urban style houses constructed with permanent materials, and a central plaza around which stood municipal buildings, a movie theatre, and a church all were
established.’ (Lobo 1982 p 42)
Moving from Carmen de la Legua to Comas
Carmen de la Legua 1965 view of my house
Carmen de la Legua 1982 view of my house
Carmen de la Legua 2003 view of home
Comas Avenida Tupac Amaru 1965
Comas Avenida Tupac Amaru 1982
Comas Avenida Tupac Amaru 2003
Maria: Restaurante El Once 1965 and Salon de Belleza 1983 Comas
6. Employment
Ambulante selling tobacco, chewing gum, sweets
Open air office
domestica
Mobile furniture store
7. Government Policies
Government Policies
• Do nothing • Eradicate • Contain• Site and Service, Improve & Incorporate
• Unease• Minimum modern standard• Too little, too expensive, too late
Barriadas
Hope or Despair?
Problem or Solution?
References
• http://www.comasweb.com• Chambers, B. 2005 The barriadas of Lima: Slums of Hope or
Despair? Problems or Solutions? Geography 90, 2002-224• Dietz, H. 1998 Urban Poverty, Political Participation and the
State: Lima 1970-1990. University of Pittsburgh Press• Gilbert, A. 1994 The Latin American City. Latin America
Bureau. • Lloyd, P. 1980 The ‘Young Towns’ of Lima. Cambridge
University Press.• Lobo, S. 1982 A House of My Own. University of Arizona
Press.• Morrish, M. 1984 Squatter Settlement in the Third World.
Geography 16-19. Longman.