This chapter sets out ways in which to think about the role of design in relation to informal settlement upgrading and how it can bolster active citizenship. it explores the inter-connections and overlaps between three discourses/practices: participatory development, informal settlement upgrading and design. the primary interest is the importance of ‘design thinking’ for dramatically improving the efficacy of participatory upgrading and maintenance processes, with a partiality towards a citizen-centred conception of democratic urban governance. to ground the policy frameworks and recommendations that follow, the conceptual landscape is first laid out.
Citation: 2014, In SACN, From Housing to Human Settlements: Perspectives on South African Cities (Johannesburg: South African Cities Network).
