Urban Design and Informal Settlements: Tijuana Case Study

How do cities grow when official planning cannot keep pace with population demands? In many rapidly expanding urban areas, residents take development into their own hands, creating vibrant, self-built neighborhoods on challenging terrains. This text-based course explores the spatial dynamics of informal settlements through a detailed study of Tijuana, examining how communities use tactical spatial practices to manufacture living spaces out of marginal land. You will gain a deep understanding of how informal urbanism operates, how it interacts with formal planning systems, and how these lessons apply to global urban development challenge areas today. What you will learn: Understand the foundational terminology of informal urbanism, land tenure, and territorial occupation; Analyze the physical and social structures of manufactured sites in border regions; Evaluate the tactical methods residents use to secure infrastructure, water, and electricity; Examine the relationship between formal municipal planning and community-led spatial strategies; Identify sustainable development practices that respect and integrate with existing informal networks. You will begin by mastering core concepts of urban geography and border dynamics before reading through detailed spatial analyses, structural case studies, and policy evaluations of Tijuana's unique landscape. This course is designed for beginning students of urban planning, architecture, geography, and sociology, requiring no prior experience in design or municipal policy. Prepare to expand your perspective on how cities are built and occupied from the ground up.