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Where is it?

Nanjing, China

What is it?

The so-called ‘Shed houses’ by the government which has the characteristic of having blue sheds on the top of the structure.

Who did it?

People who were from regions nearby and coming to find a job in Nanjing. Some of them are cousins of the residents of the existing buildings whereas some of them did not know anyone in the city. Most of the occupiers are non-residents.

What purpose does it fulfil?

It fulfils the purpose of a shelter which provides the most basic need for living.

What rules does it break (if any)?

They did not fulfil the construction codes with improper installation and building materials. Some of them occupy the street space which is for public use.

Can it/should it be integrated into the formal framework?

I do not think it should be integrated into the formal framework since it is dangerous on its own and may cause damage to the surrounding environment.

How can the city accommodate informal initiatives?

The city tried to demolish some of the structures and people were moved out to concentrated residential buildings with 10-20 floors high.

Does it belong to any "family" of informalities?

It belongs to Informality on formal structures, structured materials.

Are there any examples of similar informal interventions in different contexts?

Yes, this informal intervention appeared a lot in many cities in China, especially in big and growing cities where huge amount of people moves in within a short period of time.  

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