INTRODUCTION TO HOMOGENEITY AND DISPARITY- With a sprinkle of individual actors
               
           The city and its urban form is a certain topic which is multi-faceted. There is no true perspective to view a city; each person's idea of what constitutes a city will differ with their theory of mind, agenda and backgrounds. Hence, this blog attempts to explain what, not just myself, but other actors with a city think of a city. This first post is of those who are undervalued in terms of power, The Builders.

A city is an expression of self,
Each individual building tells a story,
An artist of such merit, who paints with the fabric of concrete, board and brick,
A design proposed by the customer but brought to life by some builder named "Rick"

What was "Rick"s aim, did he feel no shame,
Building a house, as if he playing a game,
A window here, a window there,
Soon the structure resembled a wreck,
Money in hand, Rick did not care

Cares not for geography or form of city,
Nor for the dwellers in the street,
His focus only on the task at hand,
No thought to the inequality beneath his feet

View Of A Global North Resort from Above

One of the main actors in the urban script: The Builders

The builders are often underestimated when it comes to city form, and subsequent function. A body is not neutral, and often, a building can reflect the builder, for better or for worse. How does a builder, as this chief actor, think of a city? Does he see promise for finance? Or instead empty space upon which to leave his mark and legacy?

"Rick" the builder draws inspiration from many forms, but the majority of his clientele prefer a dwelling which mimics the perceived towers of wealth and status that originate from the Global North. This cycle of text and expression represents a discourse that is perpetuated by the Global North which even now still affects those who aim to settle in urban centers. The ideology, that bigger is better, leads to a style of housing which is similar in form and structure to those in the "better world". We ask ourselves, how much of this is truly necessary? In time, it is believed, that our newly, up-and-coming urban areas will be almost indistinguishable from others.

This belief, while seemingly possible, understates the true form of a city to simply structure. Such is not the case, as while structures may become indistinguishable (think slides in class which made it difficult to pinpoint a city), the processes, actors and functions of the city will be wholly different.

i. The reflection being done is upon the photo in the center; i.e. of the Builder's Base. From my perspective, i interact with this builder generally daily (my neighbour), and it always interested me as to how he goes about his work. Mostly because, it seems his entire day is spent moving trucks and equipment from one spot in the lot to another plot. Nonetheless, i chose this picture because, to me, it epitomizes a disparity occurring within Trinidad, born out of financial status and social status.  The structure next to the blue truck is meant to become a simple housing plot for some of the workers. Imagine the difference in style of housing from one to the other, and what makes it even more interesting is that the actors are the same (the builders) but the form and function of the structures they build versus the structures they reside in are worlds apart. 

Transition into an Urban form which "Mimics"

ii. As this first post focuses more upon the individual buildings instead of the city which they altogether compose, we draw reference to Hall and Barrett's readings, which state that there is an idea of fragmentation, which arises where a city is seen to be more chaotic in structure, fragmenting into a series of independent settlements, economies and cultures. For me, this is a key aspect, because it is possible to see how the "micro" scale individuality of each person's abode, coupled with their socio-cultural jumbling of mind, and whatever agenda they may carry, can influence a city form. A city thus is not overtly planned, but instead composed of both planned (usually by the actors who were key individuals and gatekeepers- also stated by Hall where the idea that power and class played "second fiddle" to these individuals who could implement barriers to resources, as well as excluding and including certain types of people) and unplanned settlement. *Cities as systems of cities within systems of cities*
Knox and Pain talk of Globalization, Neoliberalization and international homogeneity in architecture and urban development. This stresses a tendency towards homogeneity as "a result of the combination of several factors: Market liberalization (Capital), International Migrations, Cultural Globalization, Urban Entrepreneurial ism, and changes within architecture and planning. These points shall be expanded upon in the second post, titled Homogeneity, Is it plausible, possible, feasible and desirable?

This final link iii. is one which i believe reflects disparity between builder and client- most notable seen in the conditions of migrants who work as labourers building homes

http://www.groundup.org.za/content/immigrants-accuse-construction-company-abusive-labour-practices

*These pictures were all taken by me; The first a couple years ago on a hot air balloon ride in Florida
The second two more recently. The time gap also shows how the homogenization of areas occurs as a process as opposed to an immediate "oh leh we jus build it like dem" mentality.