Gender-Responsive Urban Planning and Design of Public Open Spaces for Social and Economic Equity: Challenges and Opportunities in Dhaka city, Bangladesh

The gendered built environment contributes directly to social and economic inequities The economic prosperity of Dhaka city is yet to translate into a desirable urban life especially for its female citizens Public open spaces where active urban life flourishes are populated by men and boys in the city Nevertheless these spaces are in a constant state of becoming radically departing from the earlier ideas of static due to increased engagement of women in urban productivity politics and governance Space is a neglected dimension both in gender and urban studies The paper examines the urban system of Dhaka that consists of both physical and social systems interdependent and interlinked in a way that maintains a dynamic balance between forces or exhibits a capacity to grow and change The findings illustrate that access to and mobility in public open spaces influenced by a range of pragmatic ideological socio-cultural and spatial factors underpinned by prevailing gender inequalities and asymmetries contribute to both social and economic inequities in the city Thus the paper recommends gender-specific gender-sensitive and gender-transformative planning approaches for meaningful occupancy of public open spaces by both women and me

Fluid engagements:responding to the co-evolution of poverty and climate change in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Most individuals living in low-income households in cities like Dhaka, Bangladesh, reside in informal, high-density settlements that experience exacerbated vulnerabilities from climate change. When determining development approaches that take into account future needs for adaptation, community residents and the professionals and policymakers who support these communities must consider the existing challenges associated with living in poverty, the rapidly increasing rate of urbanization, and future climate risks. The key objectives of this paper are to expand the understanding of the co-evolution of these "wicked problems" and the need for developing alternative strategies for adaptation. The paper explores the organic creativity of residents living in informal settlements as they draw upon locally available resources to create situation specific, pragmatic solutions to locally defined challenges. We term this practice "fluid engagement," a design approach that aspires to be flexible, situated, pragmatic and participative, and demonstrates a willingness to be open to heterogeneous combinations of purpose and programs. Critically, "fluidity" suggests a participative approach to design that takes into account the "voices" beyond the policy and professional nexus to the participation of the community. This paper aims to connect emerging literature concerning the urban practices of low-income households in cities of the South with a detailed case-study analysis of the spatial practices at the micro-level in an informal settlement in Dhaka. The paper contributes to a new agenda of architectural and urban-development research that engages with issues of poverty and climate change as a process of co-evolution. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved