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.