Spontaneous Development of Urban Centers An analysis of the transformation process of Adama and its primary commercial centers
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Date
2006-03
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Addis Ababauniversity
Abstract
Central areas in Adama have been transforming into either of two
forms - blighted and decayed areas or congested and very poor quality
urban environments. It seems that the problem exists as urbanization
takes place in the context of relatively slow economic growth,
ineffective legal and regulatory frameworks and perhaps an absence
of a strong and functional social order, all leading to spontaneous
urban development. The aim of this study is to understand how these
urban areas became to be the way they are today. There have been a
lot of studies on transformation of cities in the context of
industrialized nations. It is not clear, however, whether or not these
studies can explain the situation in the developing world. Attention
thus far, in cities in the developing world, has been limited to
amelioration of problems associated with poverty and delivery of
infrastructure and social services. The quality of the urban
environment was not considered as a priority. This study discusses the
different stages in the transformation of central urban areas of Adama
in general, and that of its commercial centers in particular, and the
effects of the transformation process on the quality of the urban
environment.
life of the low and middle income inner-city residents of Addis
Ababa. Financial, institutional and legal problems are also seen
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An analysis of the transformation process