SPACE SYNTAX METHOD APPLIED TO INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS: CASE OF BHAR LAZREG, IN TUNIS

Abstract

Urban research is essential for understanding certain complex urban phenomena and guiding actions aimed at dealing with them. The phenomenon of peri-urbanization and informal neighborhoods are an example. These neighborhoods have continued to proliferate in Tunisia for more than fifty years and especially after the revolution of January 2011. These illegal extensions are taking shape around all the major cities of Tunisia, despite all attempts to counter and slow them down by moving from demolition actions to recent integration operations which remain partial and insufficient. It is for this reason that they require a careful study aimed at demonstrating their complexity and providing new elements to integrate into future interventions. This work is part of this perspective, following research work carried out as part of a doctorate in Architecture. This study is based on the analysis of the spatial configurations of an informal neighborhood located in the northern suburbs of Tunis, more precisely in Bhar Lazreg which was previously vast agricultural land and which has continued to be eaten away by this type of land. housing since the 1980s. The method chosen for the analysis of this neighborhood is based on the application of the principles of space syntax, developed by Bill HIILIER. This method makes it possible to model and analyze spatial relationships revealing social behavior. Thus, it does not dissociate the form from the behavior which is already inscribed in it. It is therefore a question of studying the relationships between the components of the urban system through a manual variation. The results found revealed an organizational structure of these spaces and a specific way of living which cannot be excluded from the process of designing solutions for this category of the population. These findings highlight the importance of a nuanced approach to urban planning, which recognizes and integrates the complex realities of informal settlements. Thus, this research provides contributions to urban planning and architecture ensuring that proposed solutions are not only technically viable, but also socially inclusive and reflect the lived experiences of residents, thereby fostering more resilient and adaptive urban environments.