“Jazz settlement”, when music explains why need makes human beings resilient

© arcomai I Jazz settlements.

In the early 1990s, the concept of “non-place” became widespread in the architectural debate, a neologism derived from a successful book, written by Marc Augé (1935-2023), entitled “Nonplaces” (1992). For the French anthropologist, ethnologist, writer and philosopher, “non-places” are those spaces as opposed to anthropological places, that is, all those areas built by human beings that have the prerogative of not being identity-related, relational or historical. Among these we find transport infrastructures (motorways, stations, airports) and supermarkets, shopping centres, hotels but also refugee camps (UN-Habitat) where they are parked for a long time, indeterminate refugees from wars and miseries, and therefore – we add – also the so called “slums” all over the world.

In the early 2000s, another “fortunate” term appeared – still in use – which shortly thereafter was adopted by urban planning and architecture: “informal settlement” and/or “informal housing”. It was another neologism – born within the UN-Habitat – and used to indicate urban centers that grew spontaneously, usually associated with favelas, shantytowns, bidonvilles and ghettos. A form of ambiguous classification, or rather a euphemism to avoid a word that could be seen as a stigma for those seen in poor neighborhoods. A cliché to give a single name to varied housing realities, united by limited access to essential goods, the lack or absence of basic infrastructures and healthcare, in which more than 2 billion people live today in the so-called Southern Hemisphere, between the Tropic of Cancer and that of Capricorn. It is the most common form of urbanization on the planet, accounting for a third of total urban form. Up to three billion people are expected to live in these urban settings by the mid-21st century. The term identifies all those urban settlements that do not come from the plan, and for this reason they are identified as “non-formal”, grown outside of formality, legality, officialdom and bureaucracy; the same planning tools that around the world have contributed to destroying the social and morphological structure of cities and countryside, sometimes causing the formation of ““squatter settlements”.

These two words have two factors in common: both terms carry with them a negation (“non-place”, “non-form”) and therefore, inevitably, also a negative meaning; both their meanings, over time, have changed because the entity, which they have represented for years, has undergone a process of anthropization. In fact, while Augé’s “non-places” have today become the identifying and historical places of contemporary society; at the same time, even the so-called “non-formal settlements”, which have always been denied as forms of self-architecture, are proving to be the only form of social, cultural, economic, sustainable and identity-based resilience of the contemporary world, and perhaps also the last frontier of modernity. 

In order to activate a process of emancipation regarding the meaning of “ghetto” and, therefore, of planning intervention within these urban contexts, we think that we must start again from its meaning, updating it based on the conditions of the present. To do this we were inspired by music and in particular by jazz, a musical style born a century ago in New Orleans from a melting pot of different cultures, where the music of African slaves was mixed with European musical traditions. We have thus created a new neo-logism: “jazz settlement”, which replaces the post-logism of “informal settlement”, convinced that it will not become another convenient euphemism because the meaning we give to the term it is associated with the self-organization of urban common spaces and the right to the city. Jazz is a musical genre characterized by a strong improvisational component, a fast-paced rhythm and a great expressiveness and spontaneity that we associate with the process of development of the depressed areas, usually linked to the mere concept of poverty. In the past, many “improvement” projects adopted in these contexts have failed because the idea was to give a fixed “form” to something that was born from needs and, therefore, in constant transformation.

© arcomai I Jazz settlements.

Jazz music and “non-formal housing” may share some similarities through improvisation, resourcefulness, and collaboration within communities. In jazz, musicians make the most of the available instruments and musical ideas. Similarly, residents of “jazz settlements” often build and adapt homes with ingenuity and creativity, using limited resources to create a dynamic and sustainable environment that is constantly evolving. Jazz is based on the interaction between musicians, where each artist listens to and welcomes the musical ideas of others, creating a cohesive whole. Jazz settlements often foster a strong sense of community, with residents working together to share resources, solve problems, and create a sense of belonging. Both thrive on a strong sense of togetherness. Jazz compositions frequently have a basic structure, which, however, does not limit individuals’ creative freedom and is capable of generating unique moments and melodies.

Jazz settlements typically grow organically, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t an underlying order. They often develop according to the natural morphology of the land, creating a hierarchy of spaces serving the needs of the community. Within them there are districts and areas linked to the economic, ethnic and cultural conditions of the groups that live there. While jazz is formed thanks to adaptability within a musical context, the inhabitants adapt and work to satisfy their basic needs. At the basis of every action within the “unplanned areas” there is the satisfaction of a need; and resilience is the factor that articulates these individual needs into collective solutions.

© arcomai I Jazz settlements.

Here, people struggle to survive every day, seeking food, shelter, and protection from violence. Added to this are intangible needs such as maintaining one’s dignity (humanity), hope for a better future, resistance to oppression, and fighting for one’s rights. It is important to remember that these inhabitants are not passive victims but active individuals who tried to resist adverse conditions and create a better life for themselves and their families thanks, precisely, to the extraordinary personal and collective resilience of the inhabitants. A strong cultural identity and a sense of solidarity help people survive segregation and oppression. For this reason, we are convinced that the so-called slums can also be places of strong community cohesion and cultural identity. Conditions are not always present in “formal cities,” where the social contrasts within a society make it divisive and conflictual.

Here, people share similar experiences and support each other, creating support networks and a sense of belonging. In the face of hardship, self-organized communities can develop great resilience and capacity for innovation. They create creative solutions to problems and find ways to assert their culture and identity. Thus, “jazz settlements” can be seen as spaces of potential social transformation. Through targeted investments, inclusive policies, and community development initiatives, “places of marginalization” can be transformed into places of opportunity and progress. The “free form” of the “places of modernity” is the expression of participation that follows the “chord progression” of jazz and not the “piano form.” To intervene in these places, instead of formalizing an “informal settlement,”  we should understand the structure of the music, listen to the “informal chords” of the “jazz housing” against the “formal rhetoric” of the plan.

Music represents a cultural phenomenon of extraordinary richness and complexity, deeply intertwined with the history and identity of human beings. Its influence on anthropization is a fascinating topic that needs to be studied and explored, helping us to better understand ourselves and our place in the world. Today, jazz continues to evolve and develop. There are many different genres of jazz, each with its own unique characteristics. Jazz is a living, vibrant music that continues to inspire musicians and concertgoers around the world. Let’s listen carefully to the “jazz settlements” to understand the music of life. Long live the neologism.

© arcomai I Jazz settlements.