PUBLIC DEFENCE – Xavier Mendez Abad

“(Re) Making Collective Spaces.
A socio-spatial exploration of the appropriation of collective spaces in Guayaquil’s barrios populares”.

  • Date: 13 December 2024
  • Location: Auditorium C14, Alexianenplein 2, 9000 Ghent
  • Timing: 4 p.m. CET

Abstract

Current urban research and design often fail to capture the complexities of collective spaces in contexts of predominant informality. While there is growing interest in public space as a mechanism to upgrade barrios populares, the everyday appropriation practices that shape and give meaning to the spaces of collective life remain largely underexplored. Understanding these practices is essential for developing contextualised interventions. In Guayaquil, Ecuador, governmental initiatives have introduced public space projects to drive improvement and transformation in barrios populares. However, the residents’ experiences and the appropriation of collective spaces are still overlooked.

This PhD research explores the appropriation of collective spaces in the barrios populares of Guayaquil, focusing on the socio-spatial dynamics that influence how these practices manifest in public space projects. A qualitative approach is employed to explore three selected neighbourhoods that illustrate the interactions between resident-led processes and the governmental public space projects. Empirical data was collected using a combination of socio-spatial methods that uncovered the appropriation practices embedded in the collective spaces of these neighbourhoods.

This socio-spatial exploration identifies spatial trajectories and projects, intermittent spatial practices, boundary configurations, conflicts and negotiations as key interlinked themes that reveal how appropriation practices shape collective spaces. This research provides insights into the underexplored dynamics of collective spaces in barrios populares, highlighting the agency of residents in shaping and transforming these spaces. It also contributes to understanding the interplay between formal and informal city-making practices in barrios populares and beyond.

Jury

Supervisors

Prof. dr. Hans Leinfelder (Faculty of Architecture, KU Leuven, Belgium, supervisor)
Prof. dr. Yves Schoonjans (Faculty of Architecture, KU Leuven, Belgium, co-supervisor)

Assessors

Prof. dr. Augusta Hermida Palacios (Universidad de Cuenca, Ecuador)
Prof. dr. Viviana d’Auria (Faculty of Engineering Science, KU Leuven, Belgium)
Prof. dr. Erik Van Daele (Faculty of Architecture, KU Leuven, Belgium)

External members

Prof. dr. Jeroen Stevens (Department of Architecture, KU Leuven, Belgium)
Prof. dr. Caroline Newton (Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft, The Netherlands)

Chair

Prof. dr. Arnaud Hendrickx (Faculty of Architecture, KU Leuven, Belgium)