Architecture for The Urban Poor

A Case of a Participatory Slum Upgrading in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Architecture in its broad perspective denotes both a process and a product. In the formal built environment, there are distinct mechanisms for engaging with the two dimensions unlike with the informal where the mode of ‘architecture without architects’ prevails. Extreme informality is typified by slums that constitute a sizeable portion of the urban formation in the global South. Past upgrading initiatives have experienced gentrification and displacement of beneficiaries ostensibly due to mismatches between the residents’ real needs and the state of the upgrading; an apparent implication for architecture. Contextually, the current Kenya government’s big four agenda for development cites slum upgrading as a focus area in the affordable housing pillar. It is thus imperative to examine better ways of structuring architecture to appropriately respond to the specific needs of the urban poor and avoid the pitfalls experienced with previous initiatives. The paper adopts a practice research approach that espouses ‘writing from practice’. While a myriad of other disciplinary accounts could be derived from the referenced case, this study focuses only on the state of architecture in the upgrading based on the author’s practical experiences as a community architect for the project. The study of Kambi Moto upgrading depicts a participatory approach that promotes close interactions between the community and the technical design team. A feedback loop remains open; constantly linking the community’s reactions on the emerging upgrading to the design solutions for subsequent upgrading phases. The community’s involvement obviates the gaps that conventionally exist between the user, the developer and the designer and enhances resonance between user needs and design solutions. The incremental construction approach enables the owners to scale up the architecture in tandem with improvements in their financial capacity. While the specific experiences herein may not wholesomely be generalized for other contexts, it is the principles behind the architecture that would be of adaptive replication in the upgrading of other slums.