The objective of the visit was to explore informality within the context of Nairobi to see what lessons we could learn that could be applied to our local South African context.
The city of Nairobi, though quite urbanized, has a large population living in informal settlements in the edges of the inner city (similar to Johannesburg). This population seems to play an important role in the economy of the city. and there's quite a major and rapidly increasing need of housing.
What we got up to
Informality in Kenya and Slum Dwellers International
On various days of the trip we got to visit different informal contexts around the city, guided by members of Munganu (an organisation working on development in the slums of Nairobi and a part of the Slum Dwellers international group).
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| Discussion with Munganu reps on mapping informal settlements |
The organisation works with a few of the slums/informal settlements within Nairobi, the 2 that we visited were named Kiberu and Makhuru. Through a long process of mapping and gaining the trust of the local slum dwellers, the group has somewhat seemed to become a mediator between the slum dwellers and the local authorities/"higher level structures.
I found this role played by Munganu (made up of designers, law practitioners and some others) to be quite crucial in engaging the various parties involved in the major need of housing in the city.
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| Kiberu Informal Market, a crucial economic factor for the locals |
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| Sketch Drawn at an informal market in Kibera Slum |
Kiberu Railway Housing project
How to meet the rapid demand of housing, with limited space and resources is a real challenge that needed to be responded to in Kenya.
A "project" we got to see was the Kiberu Railway housing project. This is a large low-cost housing development provided for a number of residents who had settled along the rail tracks of the Kenya Railway company.
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| Retail components of the housing development, detached from the residential component. |
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| Kibera Housing development adjacent to the Kenya Railway rails |
The housing development was being built on the property of the Railway company. Although the design arguably could have been more considered, the fact that the housing was provided was a major milestone after a long, complicated process of negotiations, conflict, collaboration and engagement between the slum dwellers (a major asset to the local economy but in need of housing), the Railway Company (who owned the property), the local government as well as the Munganu/Slum Dwellers international group.
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| Illustration of the process that resulted in the Kiberu Railway Housing development. |
We also got to a chance to receive a few presentations at the UN habitat headquarters. The presentations included pilot projects done by the UN both at an urban scale and at an architecture/built scale of a community centre in the heart of one of the local slums (Kiberu Soweto Slub).
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| UJ_Unit2 Students at UN Habitat Headquarters. |
Something that stood out in particular was the changing approach that the UN took, that looked at on site solutions to addressing the informality and housing needs. The approaches included the Participatory Slum Upgrading Program, which offered an online platform for locals to give their inputs.
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| Kiberu Soweto Slum, in view of new housing development |
I'm told that the move in this direction, as opposed to a mass, top-down supply of housing, is a growing paradigm shift.
Lessons learnt
Nairobi and Johannesburg
The city of Nairobi has some similarities to Johannesburg which I think could be learnt from when responding to local challenges on an urban and architectural scale.
Some similarities to Johannesburg included the patterns of informal settlements on the edges of the city, with transport networks connecting them to the city.
Lessons from informality.
In considering Johannesburg and Kenya, from the 2 contexts, informality seems to be a reality that will be around for some time. This is where the majority of (both) the cities' residents find themselves.
How people make, use and inhabit their own spaces in such contexts is something that I think can be learnt from. Though the conditions in the informal settlements should be addressed, there's much opportunity in the patterns and systems that residents create for themselves in order to function in the difficult environments.
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| Informal housing in Kibera. Home above and retail/ Work below. |
Another of the interesting observations from looking at informal settlements is the "unconventionality" of how the slums developed and exist. Because of how complex and how unpredictable they are, designing for such contexts would require a slightly different approach than one has conventionally taught: responding to dense sites, multiple "clients"/stakeholder, considering a systemic approach.
Where would I fit in
A growing question in my mind has been what the role of the architect is as a spatial designer in scenarios such as Kibera: Where there are various role players, each with their own needs, and rights. Informal settlements are also a spatial challenge, and responding to them also considers the various stakeholders, agency/control and how space contributes to bettering the conditions found in the informal contexts.
I'm coming to realize that the answer to this question is one that I will be making for myself.
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| Architecture exists within a complex system which considers the built form as well as the control of space with the social impacts thereof. |
The issues surrounding informality and informal settlements are far deeper than just spatial limitations. There are also economic factors, land ownership, politics and various other connected issues. Approaching matters of informality involves considering those factors too.
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