Web-based participatory mapping in informal settlements

Web-based participatory mapping in informal settlements: The slums of Caracas, Venezuela

Falco, E. (TU Delft Urban Studies)
Zambrano-Verratti, Jesús (Università di Trento)
Kleinhans, R.J. (TU Delft Urban Studies)

2019

This article explores the potential of web-based participatory mapping tools for urban planning purposes and spatial information creation in informal settlements, i.e. the slums (barrios) of Caracas, Venezuela. While an increasing use of mapping tools is found in developed countries, fewer applications are found in informal settlements of developing countries, due to issues of high informality, illegality, and a lack of information, human and financial resources. In the context of course-based mapping activities directed to neighbourhood Sector-level planning officers and action research, this study has employed a two-tier approach (planning officials doing the mapping and eliciting complementary information from the population) to online participatory mapping (Google My Maps) for urban planning purposes in the barrios of Caracas. Our efforts aimed mostly at identifying and mapping public facilities, and planned and under-construction public works. This research aims to show the potential contribution of such tools to planning informal settlements and creating locally-produced spatial information. The outcomes of the mapping courses have already proven to be useful for planning public projects across Sectors and Communes, mutual consideration of their priorities in the preparation of two-year development plans, and for increased awareness of local residents of communal councils.

Collaborative mapping
Developing countries
Informal settlements
Urban planning
Web-based participatory mapping

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:d7457054-d560-495a-aa11-94092391e27d

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2019.102038

2020-03-26

0197-3975

Habitat International, 94

Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2019 E. Falco, Jesús Zambrano-Verratti, R.J. Kleinhans