Discussion: Simple Forms of Building in the Third World
Nowhere are simple forms of building more important than in the cities of the Third World, where the majority of the earth's rapidly increasing population lives. In many cases, the annual population growth rates for Third World cities are 10 per cent or higher. The conurbations themselves, however, cannot expand their infrastructure at the same pace, nor can sufficient dwellings be created for the new arrivals. The result is often increased population density within the existing urban fabric. This is made possible by the system of "rooming", in which, typically, 15 or more units may be lined up along an internal corridor, with a communal kitchen and sanitary facilities in the yard. In 1976, 85 per cent of the population of Lagos lived in conditions of this kind, with an average of five persons to a room. In extreme cases in Africa, there may be up to 3,000 people living on a hectare of urban land.
