ABSTRACT
Cities are complex phenomena that are influenced by quantifiable conditions and features, and qualitative aspects, such as collective emotions, that are not that easily measured, dissected, or demonstrated. The understanding of informal urban development requires the employment of both quantitative and qualitative aspects, in order to read into a particular context and understand the circumstances that shape urban events, as well as reference and compare the forces that produce urban changes. Recently in Latin America notable academic, public initiatives, and professional projects have been geared towards the holistic rehabilitation of existing informal areas. Some of these are true milestones, due to their methodological and practical contributions to this global discourse, and they have had a strong influence in developing the Informal Armatures approach. While there are many other examples from different continents dealing with the improvement of existing informal settlements, I have selected several compelling case studies from two closely related nations, Venezuela and Colombia. The following section posits that the degree of success of these initiatives has been radically different due to the ways in which the political sector has attended to the needs of the urban poor. Where the Venezuelan model presents a comprehensive precursor of research and technical studies, the Colombian model illustrates how the implementation of strategic plans and projects has yielded high-impact results in the lives of informal settlement inhabitants, as well as the large urban contexts in which they occur.
