Gentrification Essay

This investigation is based on the assumption that gentrification with all its troubles can’t be prevented and is an inherent part of every city. What are the negative impacts of gentrification? What are the underlying mechanisms that feed these impacts? What drives these mechanisms? What would be an alternative scenario?

1 Ethymology

Gentrification derives from Old French “gentrise” = people of gentle birth. The english synonymous is “gentry” = low nobility (niederer Adel). (1)

2 Definitions

Jürgen Friedrich describes the phenomenon gentrification as the replacement of a lower class through a higher class society. (1)

For Andrej Holm gentrification comes with dramatic economical and sociocultural changes. (1)

The probably most important definition is defined by the German British sociologist Ruth Glass:

“One by one, many of the working class quarters of London have been invaded by the middle-classes—upper and lower. Shabby, modest mews and cottages—two rooms up and two down—have been taken over, when their leases have expired, and have become elegant, expensive residences .... Once this process of ‘gentrification’ starts in a district it goes on rapidly until all or most of the original working-class occupiers are displaced and the whole social character of the district is changed.”

-Ruth Glass (1964) (1)

Affected places are often areas in cities that are either close to the city center or areas with small density of residents mostly due to the presence of industry.

In this paper we will take a closer look at Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York which is currently facing many problems concerning gentrification.

3 Williamsburg history

Williamsburg located in Brooklyn bordering Greenpoint to the north, Bedford-Stuyves...

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...se enough money during a certain period of time the inventors get start their proposed project.

Crowdfunding for architecture would distribute the money, wealth and power which would lead to a democratic non-profit participatory design system as oppose to the traditional hierarchical profit based top-down real estate system. Crowdfunding is based on quality and innovation not on profit. A project needs to catch enough interest in order to be realized. This forces innovative architectural concepts.

Conclusion

The new mechanism = the crowd instead of the old centralized organizations plus the new driver = the quality instead of profit eventually leads to a new highly participatory society redefining our own relationship to the environment.

#gentrification #densification #non hierarchical systems #crowd funding #non profit organization #participatory design