INDEGREE PROJECT ARCHITECTURE,SECOND CYCLE, 30 CREDITS

, STOCKHOLM SWEDEN 2019

Women's Voices

SOFIA ENQVIST

ANNA LARSSON

KTH ROYAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYSCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENTwww.kth.se

An investigation how architecture can be a tool for working with the public space in relation to social issues and human rights, focusing on equality, accessibility and democracy.

The thesis is set in the informal settlement Korogocho in Nairobi, Kenya. The thesis is divided into two parts;

The Voices : Part One ResearchThe Dreams: Part Two Design

Sofia Enqvist & Anna Larsson

Diploma StudioSupervisors Weronica Ronnefalk, Ori Merom

Thordis Arrhenius, Frida Rosenberg

The VoicesPart One: Research

Sofia Enqvist & Anna Larsson

Diploma Project 2019KTH School of Architecture

Content

OBSERVE

- Actors 2 - Occupations 3 - Typologies 4

ANALYSE

- UN Habitat - Global Program of Public Space 6 - Public Spaces Network 9 - Komb Green Solutions 10 - Umoja, Women’s Village 12 - KDI, Konunkuey Design Initiative 16 - KDI Participatory Design 21 - Bega Kwa Bega 22

INTERACT

- Queen 26 - Karo 28 - Faith 30 - MaryAnn 32 - Lucy 34 - Dadas Connect Workshop 36

Thank you Hope Raisers and Dan for taking care of us during our stay in Nairobi and introducing us to all the inspiring women.

A special thank you Patricia and Lucy for welcoming us into your lives,

you made our eight weeks in Nairobi unforgettable.

Thank you Mark at UN Habitat for all your knowledge. Thank you Jack, Ibra, Sumba and the rest of the team at KDI for letting us take part of your amazing work, week after week. Thank you Pia and Swedish Architects

Without Borders for your work in these questions in Korogocho.

Thank you Ori for always looking out for us, for your incredible engagement and for always pushing us.

A huge thanks to Weronica, we could not have done this without your support. Your amazing and admirable way of tutoring has both taken us through the first year of architecture and now our very last project.

Thanks for making us always design with our hearts.

Thank you all the women we met, in Umoja and Korogocho, for taking part of this project, for our endless discussions and for letting us into your dreams.

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OBSERVE - analyse - interact The observing part of the research was done through being on site as much as we possibly could. Through walking, sketching, discussing, drawing, photographing etc. we have create the basic understanding of the context, that has been necessary for the further research.

Even though this part was the initial part, it has been under constant development throughout the entire stay, constant-ly adding other layers as our understanding grew. Many of our observations ended up in a catalogue - a collection of observations both about the built structures, the actors in the spaces, details and possible design elements. An extract from this catalogue is shown on the following pages. Map-ping of relevant elements and systems has also been done, both as a first step of a site analysis but also to create a basis for finding our possible sites later in the process.

Our observations has constantly been discussed, analysed and nuanced by our contacts on site, something that has been extremely helpful since our impression as “outsiders” sometimes made understanding difficult.

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Mkokoteni - HandcartUsed for transport throughout the city, but mainly for transport of food to markets. They are operated by one or two men, often running, carrying heavy loads.

Bike Used as a way of transporting goods rather than a personal vehicle, due to lack of proper infrastructure. Visible throughout all parts of the city.

WheelbarrowEither used in the same way as the mkokoteni - as a way of transporting food - or as a portable marketplace, selling for example fruit or sugar canes on the streets. Often used for transportation on the narrow, unpaved streets.

Pika pika / Boda Boda - MotorbikeA way of avoiding the traffic jam. Often driving carelessly, crossing between traffic. Are run both as private vehicles as well as taxis for shorter distances. Sometimes decorated and playing music.

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Actors

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Street food and marketStreet food is sold from small booths, built next to (or in) the street. While groceries are mainly sold at the market, prepared food is sold and cooked along the streets. The preparation often starts early in the morning.

Occupations

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Piki - piki washersWashing stations for piki-pikis are common and often found close to water stations. The motorbikes are washed by high pressured water and the wastewater is poured into the ditches. This is a very common business for young men.

Vendor - booth or walkingGoods and food (mainly snacks, nuts, fruits, cakes) are sold both from booths along the streets, and by walking vendors - carrying their products in plastic buckets. A walking vendor can walk from sunrise to sunset, covering huge areas.

LaundryLaundry is made by hand, in small buckets on the streets. It is a activity that is performed in groups. The laundry is only done by women, since it is considered a task connected to the keeping of the household. Water from tanks are used and the wastewater is poured into the ditches.

mf

m f

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One story house of adobe This structure is the second most common. The foundation is made of stones or bricks and the walls are adobe - a mix of stones, earth and occasionally also cement. The exterior can be cladded in cement to protect the structure from rain. This structure can be rental or own and the size is about 15-25 m².

Two story house of metal sheets This structure occurs occasionally along the larger roads. The ground floor is often commercial and the top floor dwellings. The foundations and/or the ground floor is constructed of stones or bricks, with a wooden structure on top. This structure can be rent or owned. The average house is about 30 m².

Two story brick housesSpread over the area different groups and organizations have constructed brick houses. These houses are rarely used for dwellings and are varying in size depending on program. Façades are often painted in bright colours with messages on the walls.

One story house of metal sheetsThis is the most common structure in Korogocho, used for both dwellings and commercial purposes. The houses have a foundation of stones or bricks. A wooden structure supports the metal sheets. The inside is decorated with large plastic sheets. This structure can be rentals or owned, and the size is about 15-25 m².

Three story house of metal sheets There are very few structures that are more than three floors. If there is, they always have a commercial area on the bottom floor and two floors of living area, constructed in the same way as the two-story buildings. This structure can be rent or owned and is about 50 m².

Three to five story brick houses These buildings are most common in the northern parts of Korogocho, built by the government in different upgrading programs. The ground floor can be used for commercial with apartments above. Staircases are exterior. The apartments are rentals.

Typologies

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observe - ANALYSE - interactThe analyse-part of the research consists of a number of case studies. We have been meeting, interviewing and ob-serving different organizations that all are working with public space and gender issues in one way or another. Pre-sented on the next pages are a selection of the case studies.

The organisations that we have been studying are ranging from KDI Architects where we took part of their method of participatory design of productive public spaces, to inter-viewing representatives at UN Habitat for their top down approach and guidelines for public spaces.

It is important to notice that a public space in this context, is not to be compared with our western perception of a public space. In general, there is a lack of well functioning public spaces, in the informal settlements as well as in the central city. It is hard to argue for the need of a public space, if it has no clear profits and economical motivations. The few public spaces that are existing are used by men, mainly due to traditional values:

“a man is not a man if he is at home”

“Streets are undoubtedly the most important elements in a city’s public realm, the network of spaces and corners where the public are free to go, to meet and gather, and simply to watch one and other. In fact, the public realm in the city performs many functions, not only by providing meeting

places but also in (...) representing meaning and identity.”

John Montgomery Making a city: Urbanity, vitality and urban design

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UN Habitat - Global Public Space Programmemeeting with Mark Ojal - urban designer and placemaking expert at UN Habitat

“Launched in 2011, the Global Public Space Programme aims to improve the quality of public spaces worldwide. Public spaces have historically often been overlooked and undervalued by urban authorities but is increasingly being considered the backbone of cities. Public spaces are sites which are accessible and enjoyable by all without a profit motive and take on various spatial forms, including parks, streets, sidewalks, markets and playgrounds. Good public spaces enhance community cohesion and promote health, happiness, and well-being for all citizens.”1

We met with Mark Ojal at UN Habitat’s head office, situated in Nairobi. Mark is a urban designer and planner, working with placemaking and public space at UN Habitat. Before working at UN, he used to work with public space for the city of Nairobi.

”public spaces are innovation places”

Mark’s thoughts on...

... design in informal settlementsNairobi has been planned in an informal way, to a great extent. It is not like many cities in Europe, who had an urban plan for development. In the informal settlements, this lack of planning is of course even more extreme. But in order to improve the infrastructure and the planning of these areas, a combination of informal design and formal regulations is needed. “There is no need to reinvent the wheel, we just need to add value where its needed”

... public spaceThe concept of public space, or place, is based on the activities taking place, the conceptions about the place itself and the attributes. It can be read as being build up by three pillars:

spatial elements - social structures - physical attributes

When UN are working with public space they are working on three fronts: the capacity building, the advocacy (the why) and the direct technical support. They are supporting and cooperating with NGO:s, as well as managing own projects.

...livelihoodLivelihood is a key factor when designing public space in these areas. Much of the day is spend providing for the family. “If the public space is not going to contribute to ones livelihood – it is a non space” There has to be an economical value, or a way of making daily activities much more simple, otherwise a public space is facing a big risk of failure. Circular economy and synergies are important.

1. https://unhabitat.org/urban-initiatives/initiatives-programmes/global-public-space-programme/

“when a public space is designed for women and girls

- it is designed for everyone”

...inclusiveness in public space Inclusiveness is a key factor to make a well functioning public space. “It is the definition of public”.

... waste and foodWaste is a huge problem in these areas, and the garbage collection is almost non existing in many cases. In Dandora, they managed to create a system that works, where people pay 1 USD/month to get their trash removed. It works because with the street upgrading the inhabitants realised the value of their neighbourhood. The garbage collection is also a source of income for the youth groups.

... temporarily public spacesTemporarily public spaces are a way of experimenting and highlighting the possibilities of the public space. It can be a generator, to start movements and to make people understand the value of the public room. “We have to appreciate the possibility” Placemaking weeks are one way of doing this, transforming places in the city, such as busy roads, into public spaces.

A Swedish reference is the summer streets, where certain streets in central Stockholm is blocked for traffic during the summer months, turning them into small public spaces.

”streets are the most important public space”

... the project in DandoraThe project in Dandora was made as a participatory design. It started with a workshop where different groups - both inhabitants in the area and planners and designers - made a number of drafts where one was chosen to be implemented. The project, which is about the upgrading of streets, includes plantation of trees, pavement, implementation of a trash collection system etc. The interesting thing is, that when these interventions were made, people who owned the adjacent structures started to spontaneously upgrade their own houses, as they felt that the property had gained value, and therefore was worth taking care of.

... KENSUP KENSUP is considered to be more about infrastructure, big interventions and the issue of ownership. “They are doing a lot of good things, but they are also not thinking about the whole picture, about connectivity and networks.” They work with single interventions, where one project solves one issue. There is often more that can be done.

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Public space in Nairobi Nairobi has a rich diversity of public spaces, but UN Habitat clearly states that the distribution of open public spaces in Nairobi City reinforces the social and economic inequalities regarding access. UN Habitat also states the public space is one of the keys to achieve a sustainable urban development.

“Urban open spaces are the fronts for the interaction between man, land and built form. They are melting points for

human life in the city. They are the stage upon which

city life is played out.”1

Nairobi has recently put public space at the core of urban development, creating guidelines that includes:

- Secure, protect and revitalise open public spaces, protecting them from turning to private spaces or change of use. - Upgrade riparian areas, landfills, disused quarries, open fields etc. Using an approach of placemaking in order to create a sense of ownership among city residents. - Develop a framework for managing & protecting public spaces- Meet the new demands of the growing population, by creating open space when expanding and densifying the city. - Establish partnerships and relations both between stakeholders and the academic development. Inviting a number of actors. - Facilitating accessibility, inclusiveness & safety of open spaces. - Exploring innovative funding mechanisms to protect, secure, revitalize and manage public space.

While these goals are for the city of Nairobi, Kenya does not have an agreed national definition for public space.

Nairobi - previously “Green City in the Sun”The dramatic and rapid growth of the city, increased population and urbanization is endangering the public space, as in-fills and new developments are taking over. This can be seen today, with a overcrowding of the existing spaces and parks.

Nairobi used to have a network of green, blue and open spaces. Today, these connections are lost. For example, the riparian reserves has been build on, both by informal settlements and commercial actors. The lack of continuity in the green and blue spaces is also bad, looking from an ecological perspective, since it is interrupting ecosystems.

1. Kiruma, J. M., 2014. Quality of Urban Open Spaces in the CBD of Nairobi, Nairobi: University of Nairobi.

Accessibility and inclusivenessUN Habitat are stating that paved sidewalks and pedestrian walkways are an important urban element, as they are creating possibilities for economical exchange, social interaction and cultural expression.

67 % of the open public spaces are without any fees or restrictions, and therefore lack both maintenance and control, which can make these spaces feel insecure, especially for children and women. A new trend is therefore to take a (relatively small) fee to enter. These places tends to have a higher quality, but are also limiting the “poor man’s living room”. The conclusion is that there must be a balance, between service/sustainability and accessibility/inclusivity. The amount of time it takes to access the public space, is a key to how active the spaces are. A 5-10 minutes (approximately 400 meter) walk from ones home, tends to be more active. Only 30% of Nairobi’s homes have this opportunity.

“accessible, safe and inclusive public spaces are important ingredients for bridging the inequalities

in public space and the urban divide”2

Comfort in the public space A successful public space is a space where one have the perception of safety and comfort. The feeling comfort is including cleanness, general environmental qualities and seating possibilities. A unmaintained public space, with uncollected garbage etc. is generally perceived as dangerous places avoided by the public, creating a vicious circle. 39 % of the open public spaces in Nairobi are facing these issues.

Key physical attributes in successful public spaces- clear sightlines- sufficient street lighting- flexible seating- adequate shade and greenery- good landscaping- adequately distributed & functional waste bins - vegetation

In Nairobi only 15% of the public space have street lightning in good condition, 6 % have public furniture, 13 % have signage and only 12 % have public toilets.

Activities and uses of the space A successful public space should be diverse in function, flexible over time and have the possibility to host both organized and spontaneous activities. 29 % of the open public spaces in Nairobi are mono-functional.

2. Nairobi Community Led, City Wide Open Public Space: Inventory and Assessment, UN-Habitat, 2014, Nairobi, p 85

UN Habitat - Open spaceurban strategy for understanding and designing public spaces in Nairobi

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Public Spaces Networka meeting with the Nairobi-based organisation

BackgroundPublic Space Network (PSN) is a collective of public and private stakeholders working together with urban experts to develop public spaces in Nairobi, focusing on making Nairobi cleaner, greener, safer and more inclusive. They are mainly working with poor neighbourhoods and informal settlements to improve the quality of life, creating a clean, safe, healthy, inclusive environment of connected public spaces. The official name of the organisation is “Society for Promotion of Clean, Green and Safe Cities” working under the brand name Public Space Network.

Goals and ambitionsPSN’s ambition is to create an enabling environment for community-led transformation. The association is not active in the design process, the group is mainly working with networking and empowerment. PSN has created a tool called 4P (Public-Private-People Partnership). The idea is to involve and bring together the stakeholders to ensure a sustainable city. “Adopt a Place” is one example of this, an operation PSN created to connect the different stakeholders, so the community group can transform the space together.

PSN’s goals for environment for community-led transformation - Promote public-private-people partnerships in managing public spaces- Raise awareness about the benefits of public spaces- Lobby for policies that prioritize public spaces and promote community engagement- Develop tools and resources to help key stakeholders in better public space management- Create jobs for youth through regeneration and management of public spaces- Celebrate success stories, share the best practices and ignite a city-wide movement of community placemakers.

OutcomesThe expected impact of a PSN transformed public space is to appealing aesthetics and ambiance as well as improve safety and security in public spaces. PSN also require the public space transformations to create a better health outcome and well-being, increased job opportunities for youth as well as creating a vibrant outdoor social life. The over all goal is enhancement of quality of life and dignity for the people in Nairobi.

To organize a transformation of a public space PSN is working closely with the Nairobi County Government and other key authorities to reduce the bureaucracies that makes it difficult to implement public benefit spaces for communities.

PSN also facilitate partnerships between authorities and the community. PSN also establish a conversation with the Nairobi County about prioritizing pedestrians and maintaining the public space.

“a good public space is a space where the human is the

centre of the design”

What is a good public space?PSN describes a good public space as a transformation when the human is the centre in the design. The inventions should also be low cost, easy to implement and have quick turnaround. Pedestrians should be prioritized and for safety reasons the visibility should be increased. A good public space also requires maintenance. In the process of upgrading and transforming a public space PSN also work with the youth by introducing mentorships and focusing on youth employment.

Background - Changing Faces CompetitionStarted by the Public Space Network (PSN) as a competition for community groups in Dandora to improve public spaces in 2014, the competition has grown over the years. The 2018-edition is the first one to span over the entire Nairobi, still focusing on lower income areas. The goal is to mobilize citizens and encourage them to transform open public spaces, into green, clean and safe spaces. The competition and PSN is not facilitating any economical funds, except from the prices. The prices are slip into two different categories - monetary prices and mentor ship programmes.

The monetary prices are awarded for the best project (100 000 KES), best child friendly space (50 000 KES) and best newcomer (20 000 KES). The mentorship programmes are about urban agriculture, management or leadership.

“CFC is about mobilizing citizens in all parts of Nairobi to present and implement creative concepts to

transform the city’s public spaces into clean, green and safe places

- through a fun competition”1

1. https://www.publicspacenetwork.org/about-cfc 9

Changing Faces Competition 2018This year’s edition of CFC has grown to also include other areas than Dandora. In total 114 teams applied, and 61 sites got shortlisted. These sites then got visited by judges, coming from different fields - both architects, urban planners, sociologists etc. The judges were assigned a certain area, and evaluated the sites based on an form, including parameters such as physical state, innovation and governance. The areas included were Dandora, Korogocho, Kibera/Langata, Kariobangi and Mathare/Ngara.

During a plenary session, the judges then presented their evaluations and in groups based on the area and were coming up with the candidates to the prices. The candidates were then discussed in the larger group, projects were evaluated and compared in order to finalize the winner in all categories. The discussions were many! Apart from only judging the quality of the spaces, other parameters such as if the teams had been in the competition before, if they have had any other financial support, how much they managed to transform the space within the given timeframe, leadership, future plans for development, inclusivity etc. etc. was taken into consideration.

The winnersAfter many long discussions the judges agreed on winners in all categories. The winner of the best public space was Komb Green, from Korogocho. They had transformed a riparian area next to the highly polluted Nairobi River into a urban garden, a park and a playground. Their solutions were preventing flooding, providing knowledge about farming to the neighbourhood, creating a safe, inclusive space, cleaning the river as well as creating a general beautification of the site. Runner up was a project in Dandora. The judges concluded that this is a very nice transformation with a sustainable model that could very well work as a pilot project and be developed on other sites in the city. As one of the judges put it “if we could get this done everywhere, I would get hope for this country again”

Other sites

Kibera/LangataThe project was about urban agriculture, reclaiming a smaller dumpsite. The project consists of a number of greenhouses, a plantage, some benches and a hall that is used as a combination of gathering space and poultry farming. They also worked with containers, renting them out to artists or vendors. In two containers they also created a small library for the kids.

Even though this site is nicely constructed, the judges were sceptical about the financing, and how much of the developments that actually were made during the competition. We also discussed the pros and cons about working with a NGO. The obvious good thing is the financial support, the negative aspect is that you become dependant, and they often limit what you can do.

Dandora, phase two Believers in Dandora is a quite young group who transformed their left-out space into a very interesting public space. The new space contains a café, an urban garden, a child friendly playground and a library. The group thought it was important not only to change the space but also the mind of the people in the public room - therefore they made a library. The urban garden has fruit and avocado trees, passion fruit and oranges. The area is colourful and well maintained, a couple of bins are placed within the space. Belivers are using recycled and up-cycled material in very creative ways: the furniture in the café is for example made of tires. The group thinks outside the box and have a playful design strategy.

KariobangiThe programme was mainly focused on urban farming. The group had transformed a small space into a educational centre, where people could come and learn about small scale agriculture, plants and how to build their own structures for urban farming. They also recycled - and up-cycled - trash in a very creative way, creating fences and trash bins out of plastic bottles for example. The judges were very impressed, and thought that the educational aspect was the most impressive, “we need to implement this thought into our kids, here they can play and learn at the same time!”

Mathare/NgaraThis site consists of two buildings and a yard with a playground. The group is made of reformed criminals, and only men. They are working a lot with income generating activities, to create a sustainable public space, even in the future. For example they have a room for a TV where they charge people to watch. They also have created a library and a place for the kids to do their homework. It is painted by murals that are targeting the children, both with cartoons and educational messages. The jury thought this place was very nice, and very child friendly, but the space outside the buildings wasn’t too elaborated.

Dandora, other phases The nominee from the other phases of Dandora was a bigger space, consisting of a series of spaces. The main space was a courtyard, with beautiful murals, place for a projector, grass, newly planted trees, games for the kids as well as a youth-corner. They also transformed the roads, making small terraces to avoid erosion. Since this created small steps, they also created ramps, in order to make the space accessible for everyone. They also had a very intelligent system, where grey water was collected in a well, and released once a day, flushing the drainages and preventing blockage. The perhaps most interesting thing was the economical solution. In the beginning, they charged the visitors and the people living in the area. But when the space became more appreciated, the land value was rising, making the landlords very happy. The group therefore decided to charge the landlords instead, which turned out to be much more efficient.

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Komb Green Solutionspark in Korogocho made by reformed criminals

Development of the group Komb Green’s story started in 2017 when the Slum Upgrading Programme in Korogocho constructed a new bridge between Korogocho and Dandora. A group of young men, reformed criminals, were hired to be the security guards for the construction site. The group were responsible to for keeping the material secure during evenings and night. The group, consisting of 10 women and 14 men, started to develop an idea what to do with the surrounding of the bridge. Supported by the Slum Upgrading program, they formed Komb Green Solutions and started to construct the park. Today Komb Green Solutions has 69 members. Komb refers to comb, the deeper meaning is to get the reformed criminals are back into the society, all shaped up.

The parkTo construct the park the group started to level the ground and put large stone blocks along the riverside to prevent erosion. With help from an excavator they also moved the larger stones in the river to create a better flow and to prevent garbage to get stacked. Komb Green also clean the river manually on a daily basis. The large stones were placed as a second wall to support the levelled ground. The park has a walking path in stones, to prevent mud during the rainy season and to prevent from flooding. The rest of the park is green, covered in grass. There are also some small trees, planted in white-painted tires, to protect the plants from children. The vegetation is for recreational purpose, but last year the group also planted papaya and passion-fruit along the structures. They have also tried planting watermelon, but the kids destroyed the plants. The park is framed by structures on one side and the river on the other but it has potential to develop further along the river. The group also has a couple of pigs in a small urban farm next to the park.

Maintenance The grass and the trees need to be watered three times every day; morning, afternoon and evening. The water is tap water connected to the waterline. The security is also an issue, important for the maintenance and upkeeping of the park. Last week one of the guards were attacked by two thieves with machetes. The neighbourhood is still very rough, and the park is not secure during the evenings.

Plans for the future Komb Green are planning to extend the park along the river and connect it the adjacent playground, a distance of approximately 200 meters. The group are today in charge of the playground and the sanitation block next to it. They are planning to build a small kindergarten on top of the sanitation block, hosting 10 children. The idea is to have a small business to earn some money – today the park is free and doesn’t make any profit. In order to do so, and to get more visitors the group are planning to have a WiFi - hotspot, and charge a small sum for the use.

“We try to get children in Korogocho involved in the park,

instead of end up in crime - just like us before we started this ”

Komb Green are constantly cleaning the river outside the site to avoid garbage to stop the water flow, a work that will continues and develop over a larger area over time. There is a large issue with mothers throwing their newborns in the river. The group have found three dead babies in the river, only this last two months. They have created a graveyard for the babies along the river. Komb Green also is social engaged in the community, teaching the community about issues like this as well as general hygienic issues. The group is trying to get children away from the river, engaging them in the park instead. It is common for kids to walk in the river and search for garbage to sell. Komb Green wants to change this by informing about hygiene and host different event in the park.

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The park along the river, with Dandora dump site visible in the back. The next goal is to connect the park with the playground around the corner to create a nice walking path along the river. The purpose is to show the government what actually can be

done in the slums;

“Imaging what we could do if we got the 800 million KES that is the government planned budget for cleaning the river…!”

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Umoja, Women’s Villagea village ruled by women, built up by their needs

Umoja means unity in Swahili. The village is located just next to the entrance to the Samburu district, Samburu Uaso Gate of National Reserve, Achers Post. It is a six hour’s drive from Nairobi, approximately 300 km. The village was founded in the 1990s by Rebecca Lolosoli and a few other Samburu women who all left their husbands for different reasons, all tracing back to the patriarchal society. We are told stories of women who were raped by the British army and then beaten and rejected by their husbands for the shame they brought to the family. Children who had fathers from the British army got turned away everywhere they went, always carrying a sign - their brighter skin colour. There are stories about physical abuse, forced early marriage and living without human rights.

“Many of Umoja’s members have suffered abuse at the hands of their husbands, and for this reason fled them. By living together in a self-declared gender-based violence-free village, women are

collectively safer...” 1

Together the women formed a society where no men are allowed. Today, 38 women stays in the village, all sharing the 18 dwellings. Two more women belongs to the village, but they are currently staying in the mountains with the goats because of the dry season. Every year one or two new women join the village, but occasionally they also loose members. There are several children living in the village. The sons are allowed to stay in the village until they are 17 years old. A young woman who showed us around in the village states that she hopes her daughter will stay in the village when she grows up. She also clarifies that the women sometimes meets boyfriends outside the village, but her children rarely see their father.

We meet Lucy, who is 19 years old. She carries her 2-year-old boy on her back. She speaks perfect English. Education is very important for the women in Umoja. Rebecca tells us that when she was invited to a conference in Germany a few years ago, a man in the audience walked up to her after her speech and asked “Rebecca, what can I do for you?” Rebecca came back to Umoja with founding for building a school. She wanted to give the children in the surrounding villages a good education, something many Samburu women lacks due to early marriage. The school is free and hosts around 400 children today. “Most of them are from rural areas around here. We would never refuse any children, even if their parents have rejected us. We never blame the children.”

Rebecca also hosts events for other Samburu women from the surrounding villages to teach them about human rights.

1. Umoja Women, Spousal abuse, 20 Dec 2013, http://www.umojawomen.or.ke/index.php/about-us/4.html

“Most women in the Samburu district have experienced some form of spousal abuse. Many of these experiences occur within relationships, due to the woman’s vastly subordinate role in society. In particular, since a man pays a dowry for his wife, many men view and treat women as a form of property to treat as they please. For many women, beatings and abuse are a part of everyday life. As the majority of women lack knowledge of their rights, such abuse is accepted as the norm and is unreported. In addition, local police do not always take reported cases seriously because they also view such behaviour as routine.” 2

When the village was founded, the name “Women’s Village” were given to by them men in the area, as a condescending action. Rebecca explains for us that “woman” was considered a bad word, but the women in Umoja now have reclaimed it.

“It was a bad thing. But we said, okay, we take the name and we are proud of it instead.

Being called women should not be a bad thing”

But the village is not always a safe area for the women. Rebecca explained that the women in the village take turns guarding the ground during the night. It was now two years ago the army came and tried to rape the younger girls. “If you want them, you have to go through us first” the older women said. By protecting each other, the women could together force the army out of the village, no physical harm done this time.

From time to time ex-husbands tries to enter the village to abuse the woman who left them. Rebecca’s husband once came to the village with a gun trying to kill her. She explains that the other women were screaming that she should run away and hide but she stayed, thinking; “Why should I run? What have I ever done to him?”. Together the women report the incidents to the police, as a group it is less shameful. Rebecca believes that since some of the women bought phones, with cameras, to Umoja the violence has decreased.

Rebecca did her first interview 2004 without her knowledge. An American reporter, presented as a visitor, listen to the women’s stories and wrote an article. She explains for us that she first got to know about this in a community meeting. One of the men was very angry at her because he had heard of the article on internet. “He told me; ‘Rebecca you need to go out from internet!’ I didn’t know what internet was, and I had no idea how to get out of it” Today, Rebecca is grateful for the reportage, it brought the village both founding and understanding. In May Rebecca’s in invited to speak at International Woman’s Day in Italy.

2. Umoja Women, Spousal abuse, 20 Dec 2013, http://www.umojawomen.or.ke/index.php/about-us/4.html13

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Siteplan 1:1500

“It was a bad thing. But we said, okay, we take the name and we are proud of it instead.

Being called women should not be a bad thing”

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KDI, Konunkuey Design InitiativeArchitectural office in Kibera

Konunkuey Design Initiative Konunkuey is a Thai word meaning “to know something intimately”. The company was founded by a group of Harvard design students in 2006, all aiming at working with the issues of poverty, social isolation and environmental degradation in the informal settlement Kibera. Today the office has grew, now employing almost 40 people in Nairobi, Los Angeles and Stockholm. The team includes architects, landscape architects, planners, researchers, engineers and community associates. They are working both as designers of built structures, as well as planners of neighbourhoods, masterplans and they program the spaces in order to create a capacity within the community itself. They are focusing on designing public spaces on sites that are currently unused (or under-used might be a better word in the dense context of Kibera).

“KDI is a non-profit design and community development organisation. We partner with under-resourced communities to advance

equity and activate unrealised potential in their neighbourhoods and cities.

We accomplish this mission through advocacy, research, planning, and built works”1

Method: ask - listen - collaborate - repeatKDI:s working method is based on the idea of participatory design as a way of making sustainable projects, with the guiding theme of ask - listen - collaborate - repeat. They work with the already existing community groups in Kibera, in order to empower them and make designs that answer directly to their demands. The projects are initiated by the community themselves. Every project starts with KDI gathering “briefs”, made by the communities themselves. Then follows a discussion about funding, achievability and what the collaboration between the community and KDI will look like. When this is done, the design process begins. KDI:s role here is to facilitate the discussion, help to develop the ideas and provide professional knowledge, both architectural and structural.

The inclusion of the community members is a key in KDI’s work and they believe that “those experiencing the complexities of poverty and inequity not only deserve a say in decisions that affect them, but also have the most sophisticated understanding of what they need and why”.

The community is included from the very first idea until the last stage of building. This is also creates a sense of ownership and pride - prerequisites for creating well-functioning spaces that are used and maintained for many years.

1. KDI Kenya Brochure, September 2018, Nairobi, page 3

The projects are implemented using local knowledge, complemented with the knowledge of KDI. The builders often comes from within the community itself, and their knowledge is passed on to future generations.

Many of the employees at KDI are so-called community associates - people with local knowledge and knowledge in community mobilization & engagement. They are active in the field, facilitating the community engagement processes, checking on the existing sites and make sure that KDI remains accountable and approachable during the planning and implementation of new urban developments and upgrades.

KDI is also working with establishing a cooperation between the different community groups, sharing experiences and thoughts between the different projects and sites. This is done through community group meetings, held every Sunday and attended by representatives from the communities and KDI.

Fields of workKDI is focusing their work on the design and use of public spaces, but doing this they also touch upon other different typologies and programs. Infrastructural interventions , green (infra)structure , community buildings recreational spaces and facilities for water and sanitation are examples of programmes that often are included in the schemes.

“We believe in the power of public space to create healthy, vibrant and prosperous communities”

Apart from the social aspect, environmental issues are often also a theme in the KDI’s designs. Sanitation, trash and flooding are all major issues that are affecting all inhabitants in Kibera. All the projects touch upon these subjects in some way.

KPSP - Kibera Public Space ProjectAll of KDI’s work is framed under the Kibera Public Space Project - KSPS. This includes all of their work made in Kibera, and is term for describing the network that is created though all of their sites - all of their community hubs or PPS.

PPS - Productive Public SpacesPPS is a term that is used by KDI in order to explain their approach to public space. They define the term as being “more than just a built structure or a top-down design solution, a Productive Public Space (PPS) is a community-driven, sustainable urban system that functions collectively to mitigate environmental hazards, provide needed community amenities, build social networks, and increase income opportunities”

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KDI have established a “checklist” to ensure that, no matter which specific enquires the community has or which conditions that are available on site, the social, economic, and environmental sustainability is achieved in all of their projects.The goal for KDI is that the PPS’s should be completely self-sufficient and maintained by the communities themselves. The therefore provide management training on all sites. During one of our visits, we are told by Jack Campbell (Senior Design Coordinator) that, in some cases, the system is not entirely working yet, mostly because of conflicts within the community. KDI also checks on the sites on daily basis and take care of some of the more long-term maintenance, such as repainting for example.

A PPS:- transforms an environmental liability into usable public space- is authored & operated by the end-users, in collaboration with outside groups- integrates income-generating and socially empowering uses- adds value to a space without alienating the original community- meets community priorities and links to larger programmes- uses strong design concepts to create beautiful places

Own reflectionsWe have been visiting Kibera, guided by two employees at KDI; Jack Campbell (Senior Design Coordinator and Landscape architect) and Somba Evans (community associate). We spend more than 4 hours, walking more than 15000 steps and visiting the majority of KDI’s sites in the area, but haven’t covered more than just tiny parts of Kibera. The scale of the settlement is impossible to understand, and combined with a varying topology it is hard to get an overview. We are guided by Somba, who has been living in Kibera for the majority of his life, and is working at KDI since three years. His role of checking on all the sites every day, making sure they run smoothly, make him an important figure in establishing, and maintaining good relations between the community and KDI. When walking around in Kibera, it is impossible not to compare it with Korogocho. We have the feeling that Kibera, even though being much bigger, feels more organized. Jack is sharing this thought, telling us that Kibera is getting more and more formal with every year. “it is a huge difference, just from when I first came here seven years ago, it is going very fast” Being the biggest slum, Kibera is also more recognized and accepted - we have a feeling that the prejudices towards the inhabitants in Korogocho are worse.

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Somba takes us on one of his “adventurous routes” along one of the highly polluted rivers. Kibera lacks a proper system for sanitation. Even though there are sewage lines, far from every building is connected. Trash is thrown in the river and flushed away with the rains. Due to the dry season, the trash is now piled up, forming “trash islands”. They are used by kids (or Somba) to play on or as a substitute for bridges.

The water supply is also an issue in Kibera, as much of the water is going through the small pipes visible in the picture above. The are often exposed or sunken into the rivers, because that is the only non-built place. As long as the pressure is on and the pipes are whole, there are no big issues, but once the pressure drops or a there is a small leak - dirty water or earth enters the system, bringing dangerous bacteria in to the water. Many waterlines are also run by cartels, earning a lot of money.

Sanitation blocks are a reoccurring theme in KDI’s designs. This one next to site 01 - the community centre and school. The roof is collecting rainwater, and the faeces is taken away to wooden boxes next to the building, where it decomposes.

After a couple weeks it has turned into perfectly fine soil, that is sold to flower plantations. Jack explains; “it could technically be use in greenhouse that we placed next to the site, for the tomatoes, but people don’t really want this soil for their food”

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The sites we visit, apart from side 07, are very active, with many people using the facilities. Jack explains that it is up to the community chiefs to decide over the spaces, “they have the keys”. Site 02 - seen at the picture above - hosts the programmes of a sanitation centre, a number of shops and a playground. The line to the water tank is long. “there is a water shortage in Kibera right now - the government shut down some waterlines because they were used illegally” Sumba explains, continuing “we passed a man and a women arguing earlier, she refused to sell water to the man because he was not from the community and she suspected that he would sell the water, she only sold water to women - because she believed that they were more trustworthy”.

Site 07, which is a laundry facility, and an open gathering space, is currently suffering from water shortage, the pipes were cut off when they made way for the new highway. We meet with one of the chiefs of the community and he explains that they will probably have it back soon, but its unclear exactly when. Jack later explains that they’ve had issues with this specific community group ”they want everything but they don’t really have the necessary commitment”.

He continues explaining the gathering place, a open space with a small roof: “they wanted a closed structure here, where they could hold their community group meetings, but the budget was not enough, so it ended with just the roof”.

The government have had plans for building a highway going through Kibera, connecting the two main roads that borders the settlement. When we arrive, the construction has just started after a period of demolition. On this site, a huge are right in the middle of the settlement, 30 000 (counted in grown-ups) had their homes just until recently. They were given three years notice, but nobody really believed that the government actually were going to destroy so many dwellings. Many did therefore not have a backup when the excavators came, and were left nothing. This highway is going to split Kibera in two parts, possibly (depending if the highway will be elevated or not) creating a huge barrier. Some inhabitants are still positive, believing that the highway will connect Kibera with the city and bring in more business.

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“there are two types of places we have found out always works; laundry facilities

and playgrounds”

Jack

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Step 1 - RFP - Request For Proposals The first step of KDI’s process is to send out a RFP to the whole of Kibera. This is done manually; by word of mouth, posters or door-to-door communication. The communities can then fill in this form, introducing themselves, what they do, their interests and their ideas for future developments. This is the key feature in all of KDI’s designs, that the initiative and the ideas should come from the inhabitants and the community themselves. They are the ones that have the knowledge, KDI is simply facilitating their ideas and turning them into designs.

Step 2 - choosing community and projectKDI is then going through all the received proposals, and choosing one that they want to develop further. The selection is based on the strength of the proposal and the ideas, how well functioning, organized and enthusiastic the community group is and the budget. Initial discussions and workshops are made. In the development of KPSP11, this process started in 2017 and the Vuma-community was chosen.

Step 3 - workshopsSince there is often a gap in time between the RFP and the start of a project, the initial workshops are mostly about understanding the community, the site, the leadership, the stakeholders etc. KDI also need to make sure that the community understands their way of working, setting the roles clear from the beginning, minimizing the risks for future difficulties.

They want to make it clear that the design and the initiative needs to come from the group themselves. KDI then helps facilitating the design process, and of course makes the final design proposal and supervises the construction. The maintenance and the running of the site is then handed over to the community, and KDI is more or less out of the picture. Explaining this is a crucial step in the process, making sure nobody is expecting something that is not going to be.

The initial workshops are also about explaining what a Productive Public Space is, and what it would mean for the specific community. They are also about understanding the identity of the group, the people and the place. Mapping of resources and risks/hazards are made, as a kind of SWOT. In later workshops, the visions, goals and dreams are collected, and ranked - all with the goal of creating a common understanding of the framework of the project.

KDI Participatory Designworking methods & processes, participating in community meeting

KDI community

proposal

facilitate

The site is defined, with clear borders. Stakeholders and structure owners that are bordering the site signs an agreement that they are accepting the boundaries of their site vs. the public space. When this is done, the workshops about the design starts, with a high level of participatory design, combined with the local knowledge - both from KDI and the community.

“if ten people can make the same work as one machine - it is always better

to choose the ten people”

Jack Campbell, KDI

During a couple of weeks, we have been following and taken part of KDI:s process of designing their 11th Productive Public Space. They have a very elaborated method which they have developed over the years of practice in Kibera.

Step 4 - ImplementationTo the greatest extent, local workforce and local materials are used. If not from the exact community, at least from Kibera. This is done both for economical reasons - keep the money within the area and provide work - but also to pass on the knowledge from the older generation to the youth. This also creates a sense of awareness and care - essential for the maintenance of the place, ensuring that the PPS will be sustainable and running for many years.

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Bega Kwa Begacultural center, just outside Korogocho

Bega Kwa BegaMeaning shoulder-to-shoulder, Bega Kwa Bega - or Bega for short - is situated just outside Korogocho. The building, a former learning centre, is facilitating three organisations; a hairdresser (with complementary hairdresser-school), a sewing-organisation and Hope Raisers - a sport and culture organisation for children. The old classrooms are kept and are currently not in use. A urban farming initiative is hosted in one of the corners, experimenting and teaching children how organic farming is possible, in the context of the informal settlement.

Started in 1992 as a social programme for single mothers1, Bega has developed into a cultural centre. A space that is active from early in the morning, when the hairdressers arrive until late in the afternoon, with children are dropping by after school.

Apart from the building, there is also a courtyard, used for event, workshops and all kinds of gatherings, as well as a place for the inside activities to leak out. The entire building is decorated with graffiti - referring to their project Talking Walls.

1. http://www.wiego.org/wee/bega-kwa-bega-shoulder-shoulder-achieving-their-goals

Hope RaisersFounded as a music group in 2005 by the four local musicians, Daniel Onyango, Robert Kassim, Simon Karioki and Isaiah Kimani, the band Hope Raisers used music to try to change the perception about Korogocho. Later the group developed into the social community organization that it is today.

Focusing on sport and art, Hope Raisers has now grown to a large organisation, with their home at Bega Kwa Bega. The site is located just outside Korogocho, where most of the children that are part of the activities lives. At Bega Hope Raisers have their office, their meeting space/living room, rehearsal room, art studio, dance room, gallery etc. The organisation is focused on youth, so when schools are out - Bega is full of activity.

Hope Raisers believe in empowering children as way of achieving a positive social change in the area. With project as Talking Walls (graffiti murals), Koch Fest (a local music festival) and of course the skating team and football team, Hope Raisers are giving the local children knowledge, confidence and occupation, away from the everyday life in the slum.

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“Hope Raisers Roller Skating and Skateboarding program provides an opportunity for youths

and children within the informal settlements to acquire skills in the discipline of skating /.../

our members are representing our club and nation in various competitions”

Empowerment Working with the creation of role models is a part of Hope Raisers work. Many of the coaches and members of the team are young persons, started in Hope Raisers themselves. Through workshops, training, writing sessions, dance classes, music lessons etc. their knowledge is passed on. The children are getting role models - something very important in a culture and area where children sometimes need to take care of themselves to a great extent. By empowering the youth, Hope Raisers believes that they can achieve a effective, positive social change.

Sunday skatingEvery Sunday, a group of children and youth are walking from Korogocho to meet up outside Kasarani Stadium, on the outskirts of the city. On a piece of asphalt between two of the main gates they are meeting with Lucy - the African champion of speed skating and also coach of Hope Raisers. She started skating, with Hope Raisers, on the streets of Korogocho, and now she is coaching others, after her own training with the national team in the morning. The training on Sundays are for everyone, from first-timers to professionals.

The youngest are two years old, and the average age is not high. Lucy herself is only 21 years old, but a natural leader and role model for this big group of skating children.

Everyone is welcome to try, but of you want to join Hope Raisers and continue to skate every Sunday, a fee 1000 KES (10 USD) is required. The level of enthusiasm is very high, and the kids are skating non-stop, from midday until early evening when it is time to go home before it gets dark.Hope Raisers

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“Our mission: empowering the youths and children through arts and sports to become agents for

positive social change.”

Hope Raisers

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observe - analyse - INTERACTTo get a deeper understanding of the daily lives, the issues and the dreams that are faced by the women in Korogocho, we have made a number of interviews and a workshop. The information gathered here will act as the narrative for our strategy and design.

The main finding, and the subject that is connecting all the concerns, is the issue about isolation. Women are restrict-ed to the home, tightly connected to the running of the household and the family. Many inhabitants in the slum also lack employment, which is making this issue even worse. We realize that women need public, inclusive and secure spaces where they can gather and become a part of a social context. A context that is not connected to the home.

In our workshop we focused on creating such a program, discussing which already existing, female coded activities that could be used in order to activate the streets, bring women out of the home into the public realm. By listing existing activities, dreams and discussing them through an gender perspective, we landed in a number of programmes or activities that would help women claim the public space.

“I’m not waiting for a big thing to happen, no I’m just waiting for a small chance. Then I start building from there. If you are going to build a house you can’t start from the top. You first have to dig, then have the foundation, construct small things. Then you need some cement, some stones, everything

is needed in order to build.

Mary Ann 2019-02-08

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QUEEN“it’s really something going on, and it is going very fast”

We are meeting Queen, or Cleopatra/Whitney as she also is called, at Bega Kwa Bega just before one of her script-writing sessions. She is living in a part of town outside Korogocho but she comes to the area often. Queen is right now mentoring a group of young adults in how to write a manuscript, and she explains; “We are currently writing a movie that we are supposed to shoot in March or April, not sure when. So we sit down for like one hour everyday. All ages, all genders, all backgrounds” She tells us that she recently got elected into the Kenyan Filmmaker Producer Association, and that she has a deal with a group of producers “we decided to actually produce two or three movies a year. That’s why I have those writers I’m still mentoring right now, writing a few stories for that”.

Even though she doesn’t live in the area, she meets a lot of people through the film-making, her stories are often set in the environment of the informal settlements, or ghettos, as she calls them; “my actors they mostly come from here, they haven’t had a really good past, but they have been collecting themselves. Most of them are women. They told me their stories, and asked me if I was interested to write about it. They have been involved in crime, at a young age, as young as 5 years old. And you know, there have been rape cases, along those streets, in those corridors.”

She continues explaining, now leaving the movies; “the thing is, that the officials in those areas, the chiefs, they usually don’t do much about it, they just blame the victim. Like, what were you dressed in, were you wearing shorts, where you doing something to provoke somebody to rape you? Its not quite a safe place for women, mostly. And I would say also not for guys cause I have some of them here, they tell me stories like ‘oh Queen, I’m going to stop getting involved in crime but you know, in the end of the day I don’t have anything else to do, I don’t have a job, so when I come here I want you to mentor me, but in the end of the day – I need to eat!’ So they fall back to square one, getting back to crime again…” Apart from her work with movies, and at Bega she is also involved in other similar initiatives in the surrounding area, at St John’s for example. “I helped where I could, to facilitate some of them. I’ve been in the music industry so I understand a few things, so that’s what I usually do – go teach people the few things that I know about music. , I want to get other people involved, teach them what I can, it’s been very appreciated.”

We ask further about those gathering spaces, like Bega and St Johns, and Queen explains “Right now in Kenya, people are getting to embrace more music, its not still not there cause its not taken as something that you could do as a carrier. Especially in these places you know, ghettos. You are expected to go to school, get a white-collar job and that’s it. There is a lot of talent, a lot of creativity. Its being appreciated in a way that we actually have places like this.” We conclude that music or arts, just as much as the social interaction and the creation of role models, is important and much appreciated in the area.

How are you feeling when moving in the streets of Korogocho? Are there any places where you feel more comfortable, recognized, private? And are there places you prefer not to go?

“On my first day at St Johns, when it was time to leave - I had like five people coming with me. ‘We will take you to the station’ and I thought ‘is it that risky?’ ‘Well we don’t know what will happen, today this happened to that person there, it could happen to you’. And I’ve had experiences walking there, yes, but have never felt unsafe. Once we where here shooting and all of a sudden guys came with motorbikes, and they were telling us ‘what are you doing in our streets’ I actually saw them coming, I was terrified. Their faces, they were not welcoming at all. But again, there is a stereotyping. Apart from that event, there is nothing else that has actually worried me. I’ve felt like ‘I’m scared’ but, you know, just having that notation because you’ve heard stories. Such ghettos are ghettos - certain things happen frequently. But I haven’t been in that position that I’ve felt threatened. Yes, sometimes it’s scary, but at the same time you can stop going there.”

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If you were a man, do you think your day would look any different?

“I’ve thought about that. I don’t think my day would be the same as now. I would have a white collar job probably. You know, being a man in these streets, it’s not easy at all, it’s very hard. And then there is a lot of empowering of women. It’s not a bad thing, I would say, but in this case… it has become a lot to take in for the men. They have been forgotten in a way. It’s easier now for a man to get a job, but it’s still hard. You must have credentials, and if you don’t have credentials, then it means you will be amongst the people that are unemployed, and right now, being in Africa, being a man, and being without a job - then you’re not a man. And if I was a guy, most of them that I usually see around, they usually don’t have time for art, music. It takes time to actually get income, so I would prefer to get a job, even if it’s one of the old, boring jobs, just to get money and go home”

Would you say that there are more women in your field of work? “Yes, I would say so. But then I would say that there are a lot of women, but no as committed as the few men I have. I think that’s because, most of them would won’t make it, they have kids, a household on the side that they need to do. So when it comes to commitment, women are not as committed as the guys. I’ve been seeing this many times. Sometimes I fail to understand why though”

If you were a designer, an architect, or a planner, what would you add on to this area, what would you change, if you could dream? Is there anything you miss?

“Naturally I’m more of an observing person. I like walking in the street, getting a few perspectives. It helps me, when I’m writing stories. I miss interacting with a few of them, with the people I meet, so that’s something I miss in the public. If I was a designer, I think I would have more spaces like this one (Bega Kwa Bega). I would have a lot of them, all around. Cause at this point we are trying to go away with the idea of music as not a serious thing to do. I’ve seen the talent. I would try to get the young parents together. Have seminars, on how to change the mentality. Because it is one of the biggest problems, apart from us getting involved in crime and all that. The parent’s perspective on the world should change. There are other things you can do, not only wake up, go to an office and get a job.

Right now, Kenya is actually promoting a lot of art, the president is actually putting a lot of impact on the younger people right now. So, I would actually like to change the mentality. Get a lot of people involved. There are a lot of women right now in the government, that are trying so hard to support art. Getting women together, talking to younger people, showing them what they can actually do. A few years from now we will be at a good point. It’s really something going on, and it’s going very fast”

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KARO“the one thing you can give a kid in a ghetto area is education,

making that change - it starts with the kids”

Karo is born and raised in Korogocho and currently living in the district Grogan, which is considered as one of the most dangerous districts in the area. She is living alone, with her three kids, aged 5-15.

We are introduced to Karo through Queen, they work together and Karo is one of the actors in Queens movies. She explains that since she met Queen she started to really aiming for a more straight future. “I used to do almost all the drugs you can think of, weed and all that” and continues “this is one of the reasons that I’m avoiding people nowadays, I don’t say hi to people on the street, because I know when I’m going to say hi, it will not end there. It will be ‘Let’s have a little weed’ and then I’m back in it again” She is explaining that everything she do now, she does for her kids. “Right now in my life I’m fighting for my kids. They are my priority. Everything I’m doing, I do for them. I’m making sure it doesn’t have the consequences of my kids getting the life I previously had. There is a saying in Swahili - that the one thing you can actually give a kid in a ghetto area is education. I make sure my kids get a proper education, so they don’t end up having the same life as me. Making that change, it starts with the kids” We continue to speak about the kids and she keeps on emphasizing that “No matter what, they must be in school. I make sure they go. That is the priority”

Karo is spending most of her day at home. She doesn’t have any regular work, but she is sometimes getting calls from people that want her help with something, “for example someone can call me to come and wash their clothes, and I will get 500 KES (5 USD). But its not every day, its maybe once a week. After that I need to wait for something else again” This is a situation that is quite common in this area, and people are living day by day without any secure way of providing for their families and lives. “There is a phrase “Ghetto life is not a life”. It is actually a hard life. And I have kids. Sometime when I wake up in the morning, I don’t have anything to do, not like a job. The kids demand to eat, they want to go to school. Those basic needs I need to provide, but I can’t.”

The issue of isolation, that we have seen in other cases in the area, is also a problem for Karo. “I avoid company, and meeting people because of a bad habits. I used to drink frequently but then, in the end of the day I couldn’t provide for my kids. So, I avoid keeping such company, by just staying home instead if I don’t have anything else to do. I do a lot of thinking, when I am at home. It is usually not healthy. You know, I have to provide in the end of the day, but I don’t know how. So, in this situation it’s very hard to be alone”.

When walking in Korogocho with Karo, we quickly realise that even though she spend her days isolated, she still has a huge social network. She explains; “I know everyone because I was once a street kid. So since living in the streets I know everyone in this area”

How are you feeling when moving in the streets of Korogocho? Are there any places where you feel more comfortable, recognized and private? And are there places you prefer not to go?

“Since I grew up here, and especially since I was a street kid, I know every street in the entire area. I would feel at home everywhere, even in Dandora and Kariobangi. There are no places in Kogorocho where I wouldn’t go, I feel safe everywhere, I’m never scared”

“I do a lot of thinking, when I am at home. It is usually not

healthy /.../ in this situation it’s very hard to be alone”

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If you were a man, do you think your day would look any different?

If I was a man… The situation would be the same. Because most people in the ghetto are looked down upon, because we are not educated. And when you try so hard to get education, and you still don’t get job, and you don’t get cash - then you start doing something else. And that is often crime.

Also a guy who lives in ghetto, will not marry a ghetto girl. He would want to marry someone who can actually bring something in - an educated girl from another class, so that he gets a chance to escape, a short cut, a way out. A woman in a ghetto area on the other hand would not want to marry a guy in the same ghetto area. This is because she feels like she needs to get out of this. That’s way people end up “I don’t want to get married to you and you don’t want to get married to me. We all want cash in the end of the day, let’s do crimes.” If we don’t get an easy way out, this (crime) is the other easy way out.

If you were a designer, an architect, or a planner, what would you add on to this area, what would you change, if you could dream?

If I needed to build something... Right now, I am more concern about the lives that the guys in my neighbourhood are living, mostly the women but also the men. Because they get into crimes. So, I would build places where we could hold courses or classes. You know, hair dressing, weaving, and make sure I have a marketplace for this thing, make sure to keep them busy, they can sell and get the money they need to their daily use to get them off crime. Tailoring, these sorts of things.

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FAITH “I go everywhere. It is only me, and me alone. So, I have to work hard”

Faith is a mother of three children and has lived in Korogocho her whole life. Faith makes her livelihood from selling cakes. The profit is bad, but she needs to provide for her children. Every morning Faith wakes up at 04 am to walk one hour by foot to the bakery. “It is so hard for me to walk in the morning, every morning. But I have to do it because I can’t afford to pay the Matatu. I have to do it because I have kids, they look up to me, I need to do it.”

The rest of the day she spends along the roads in the surrounding areas selling the cakes for 20 KES each. “I sell along the streets, the dumpsite and the river. There are no spots that are better for selling. You just go and meet anybody who wants to take the cake. When business is low, I go everywhere. I have to get the money, I have to provide for my children. I have no one else to help me. It is only me, and me alone. So, I have to work hard.”

Faith started selling cakes for seven years ago. She would prefer to sell tomatoes and potatoes at the market, it would make more profit. “Is better business, people need to eat. Cakes are luxury. It would free up a lot of time and bring in more profit.” But getting a place at the market is too expensive, the monthly rent is 25 000 KES (250 US) and a deposit. If she could, she would by a stall for 100 000 KES. “I would own it forever. But it is a lot of money if you have nothing”.

Earlier, when she lived with her parents, she used work at the airport and at a hotel in the city centre. But now when she lives by herself it is impossible due to the late working hours. She need to take care of her kids. “I have to be a role model to them.”

Faith dreams about another life. “There is no privacy here, because it is crowded. I don’t get the space I want to myself. I have to share it, I have to interact so much, which I don’t like. I just live here because of the situation. Not that I like it”. She is also concerned about her kids growing up in Korogocho. One day, Faith saw her daughter running home from school. She explained that they were boys along the road that were frightening her. The next day Faith walked with her daughter back and forth to school, to let the boys know that her daughter had someone who looked after her. Another girl, the same aged as Faiths daughter was raped by boys from the same neighbourhood. The girl’s family was threatened if they pressed charges, so no one dared.

Faith lives with a fear every day. She always make sure her kids always are home before dark and she worries that her son will end up in crimes, like many other boys growing up in Korocohgo. Outside her house there is loud music and some children that are collecting money for funeral for a teenager boy. Faith tells us the boy were shot by the police for stealing.

How are you feeling when moving in the streets of Korogocho? Are there any places where you feel more comfortable, recognized and private? And are there places you prefer not to go?

“I am always comfortable when walking on the streets. I am never afraid in any parts. I am also social to everybody, I make friends everywhere. I know the area - and a lot of people know me. Not all of them of course, but a many. I feel free walking in the streets, I was born and raised here. In the areas I go, I am comfortable with all the streets. Sometimes, there are people who are difficult to tackle, but then I just keep quiet and go.”

“I don’t feel anonymous anywhere I go, no I don’t think so... Or when I meet with the city consul officers, only then. Because they always need money. I meet with them along the road. They don’t come here in Korogocho, but I meet them in the other markets for example Kariobangi.”

“ I just want change. Just like that.”

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If you were a man, do you think your day would look any different?

“I don’t think so. If I were a man…. I don’t know… I wouldn’t have the same job. Not a lot of men are doing this business, more women are doing it then men. If you find any man running this business, he is in town in CBD, Central Business District.

No, but if I were a man, I could work and come back at around eight or ten at night. I wouldn’t have the same responsibility. Men are privileged cause they are strong, masculine and they can do anything they want”

If you were a designer, an architect, or a planner, what would you add on to this area, what would you change, if you could dream?

I would change everything! I want everything to be better than the way it is! I don’t like the way it is now. If I had that wish, I would change the buildings, the structures. Everything. The planning of the place and the houses. They are a lot of challenges here. I just sit in my house, I don’t go out. No. I don’t. I only go to the shop, and then I come back here.

I just want change. Just like that.

There is no privacy here, because it is so crowded. I don’t like sharing. I don’t like it. Now we share the bathrooms and the toilets, and I don’t used them, because I don’t like sharing. The private is to public. I am to much in the public. I don’t like it. I spend all my day talking to people, I don’t mind interfering with someone’s life when I am working. But when I stay here, at home, it’s hard.

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MARY ANN“I’m not waiting for a big thing to happen, no I’m really just waiting for a small chance.

Then I’ll start building from there”

Mary Ann is 19 years old and currently staying in Korogocho 2, one of the more central districts. She lives in a small house together with her mother and one of her younger brothers. The family moved to Korogocho from a rural area east of Nairobi 10 years ago. Due to Mary Ann’s disability, that is making walking impossible, the rural setting with long distances became an issue. “We could not afford a wheelchair so my mother used to carry me everywhere, and she couldn’t go to work because of me. Then we came here, with a school nearby. My mother could take me early in the morning and in the afternoon I came back with my friends, so that was a bit easier”

Mary Ann just finished secondary school and is waiting for a collage to get back to her. Her dream is a carrier as a caterer. “I love cooking, I love arranging the table, it is like art, and I love to help out with the cooking” she continues “in school, if someone needed something cooked, they didn’t need to call me – I was there! I used to give myself these small challenges every day”. Nowadays, a normal day in Mary Ann’s life is looking much different. Almost the entire day is spend inside the house, in the bed or in the sofa. It is a struggle to move in a wheelchair with the deep ditches and the uneven streets. The speed bumps that have been created by the inhabitants to reduce the speeding of the vehicles are creating difficulties for Mary Ann. “I need two people to carry me or pull, it’s very tricky. That’s why I don’t like going. Because if I go somewhere I might think that I’m disturbing someone. And I can’s just go alone, for me it is very delicate, because if someone would leave me somewhere – how will I move?”

Being so dependant on other has led to a state of almost complete isolation. All of the daily activities takes place inside the house or in the adjacent small courtyard. As with many other residents in the slum, Mary Ann is facing the challenges of depression. “there is nothing important that I do actually, I’m just waiting. I just come back here, and start thinking a lot of bad stuff” Her mother is telling us that she is really worried for Mary Ann, to the extent that she sometimes can’t go to work because she is afraid to leave her alone. Every time we go by the house, she is coming to great us; she seems to always be in the area to be close to her daughter.

We are also discussing the life as a young woman in the slum. Mary Ann is describing a living with a lot of crime, violence, rape, diseases and insecurities “this is a slum, there are a lot of things that happens here, a lot of people take advantage of girls for example” She talks about a training centre where she and other girls went for education about sex, STI:s and human rights, but she also explains that when the girls was no longer paid 100 KES (1 USD) a day to go - they started to drop out. “The girls says that it’s a waste of time if there is no money, they’ll just sit there doing nothing, they don’t see the value of getting information”

How are you feeling when moving in the streets of Korogocho? Are there any places where you feel more comfortable, recognized, private? And are there places you prefer not to go?

“So for me, the area where I feel safe and comfortable- it’s a very short distance. It is the way from my house to church or school. Along those ways, all people know me. But further away, people don’t. They are like “who is that?”. And honestly speaking, if I go to church, I only look at the road. I’m focusing. I don’t look at people, I don’t say hi to them. I concentrate until I arrive. Same on the way back. I concentrate until I reach home. My self-esteem is very low, so I usually don’t go to places I don’t know. Sometimes my mother, or my friends or family, wants to take me somewhere and then I’m going. But to move out of the house, just to go somewhere – I don’t do that…. I can not.

Is there any place that you absolutely wouldn’t go? Oh, everywhere! Apart from our house, and church and the organisation – the rest: no, no, no, NO!”

“There is nothing important that I do actually, I’m just waiting,

I just come back here and start thinking a lot of bad stuff.”

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If you were a man, do you think your day would look any different?

Yes there would have been a difference - girls and boys are different. A girl, she cant just go somewhere, just like that. A boy can go around, just talking to people. A girl can’t do that! If I was I boy, I thing right now I could have a lot of friends, I could interact with a lot of people. It would be easier. But because I’m a girl, they would think I’m crazy, they would take advantage of me. So if I was a boy…. It would be very nice. But because I am a girl, there are a lot of challenges, this is a slum area – alto of people take advantage of girls.

I would not feel as insecure walking around if I where a man. There is a difference, a separation. Men they believe they are strong! Women are more insecure. They fear a lot. Even in afternoon and evenings. If you are a girl, you should be home by 7 pm when it gets dark. Imagine that you are a girl, and you are out in the dark, interacting with people – what do you think will happen to that girl? The earlier the better it’s good to be home. 6pm, helping your mother with the house.

Actually no one is safe; boys are facing the risk of getting involved in crime. But they are still more privileged than girls. It’s like in old times: girls were told to stay in the house, clean the house. The boys were taught how to secure the family. So the boy-child is high, the girl-child is low.

If you were a designer, an architect, or a planner, what would you add on to this area, what would you change, if you could dream?

I would like to do a school for children with disabilities. I could build a house, or a building, that has an accessible place of movement. So if there is someone that wants to enter the building, there is no stress. She or he can move herself. I would like to give the girls work, so they get more empowered. Because some of them, there are just in the house doing nothing – like me! I could build them a house, I could empower them, counselling them, tell them that there is a future for them, that they should not stay in the house. There are so many hidden talents, so many people that are so talented but there is no one to come and enlighten them. If I was able, I could have done that. To tell them there is future, something that they can do. If I have a talent, and it’s no one approaching, there is no one lifting me up. Sometimes you need someone to tell you “you are really good at this”. I pray to God, I’m not waiting for a big thing to happen, no I’m just waiting for a small chance. Then I start building from there. If you are going to build a house you can’t start from the top. You have the foundation, you have to dig, construct small things, and then you need some cement, some stones, everything is needed to build up.

You can talk and talk and talk, and then you find out that there is action and there is talking. So I hope I had a lot of action, I don’t want the talking. You have to know that small things help.

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LUCY“I saw her with something. At that time, I didn’t know what skates were. She was wearing shoes with wheels! And I told her; I want to do this!”

Lucy lives in Kisumu Ndogo in Korogocho in a dwelling with her two younger brothers. She is 21 years old and has an incredible story. As a young girl she started roller-skating in the streets in Korogocho - and today, she is the best lady in Africa. Last year she was in Egypt with the national team and in May she will travel to Spain to compete in the World Championship.

It all started in primary school when Lucy’s best friend began to disappear every Saturday. “I didn’t know where she was going, but one day I just followed her. I saw her with something, at that time, I didn’t know what skates were. She was wearing shoes with wheels!” The next week, Lucy confronted her friend and were told about Hope Raisers roller skating team and that there was a registration fee of 200 KES (2 USD) for one year if she wanted to participate. “I said, I am going to do this. I came back home, and I asked my older brother for 200 KES. He said: What do you like to do with 200 KES? I didn’t have that courage to tell him that I wanted to go skating. I know he was going to say no. I just said, “I have girls thing to buy…” He told me that I could go with his wife. He gave my sister in law the money, to go and buy the stuff. I begged my sister in law, please just give me that money”.

In the beginning when Lucy started skating she were told that by the other women that she was going to break every single bone in her body. And she did. “It is a part of training, I cried, but I still just went back.” The first competition came up just a month after Lucy started skating, but she set up in the competition despite that – and finished last “It went like that until 2011. We went for a race again. I said to all the girls: Today is the day you are not going to win! And imagine - I was the best from 2011 till now. 2011, that was the first day thing changed for me. I lost my friend, cause of competition. She stopped skating the same year. Nowadays, she has two kids. She lives just around here”.

Lucy rarely socialize with other girls her own age anymore. She rather spends time with her older friends, who are all married and have kids, or with younger girls “I can maybe show them how to skate, those who want to skate” Lucy started to teach kids skating for free at the evenings on the streets in Korogocho, with a borrowed pair of roller-skaters. The kids were sharing a pair of skaters for ten minutes each, practising late in the evenings when there was less traffic at the streets. Lucy also used to practise at the streets in Korogocho “Everyone was looking at me. What is she doing? I wanted to show them what I could do. Some said; “wow can you teach my kids?” And I said, yes go to Bega Kwa Bega”

Today Lucy helps Hope Raisers, teaching roller skating. She explains that the streets in Korogocho are too small and dirty for roller skating nowadays, so they train in Kasarani every Saturday. “With the kids, when we go for a race, I end up smiling. Lucy’s team has made it! I feel proud.”

How are you feeling when moving in the streets of Korogocho? Are there any places where you feel more comfortable, recognized and private? And are there places you prefer not to go?

Lucy thinks... (Her friend) “She is known everywhere!” “Oh, stop it! I am familiar with all these places, even outside here, people recognized me. This is because I am born here, and also because I am famous for skating, television they watch it.”

Is there anywhere you wouldn’t go?

“There is a very dangerous place. An abandoned place, with trees. People live on the upper side, but the other side, the lower side, it is a bridge and a dump place. One day, I was gathering money for the skating team form kids for a trip, it was around 40 000 KES. I just took the money and I kept it here in my pocket. The people there they chased us, they had a very big knife. I don’t even know how they could know that I had the money. Everyone was running! I needed to remove my shoes. Luckily, they didn’t take the money. It is very bad. My friend told me that when he was coming back from school, he saw a guy raping a girl there. He couldn’t do anything, you know, the guy raping the lady is not the only guy that is there, no... My friend walked away, because if he were to shout, maybe they would do something to him. If I am going to pass there, I don’t put on sexy clothes, I can put on something big, so those boys will see that ‘see she is not even beautiful, let her go’”

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If you were a man, do you think your day would look any different?

“I wouldn’t be a skater. Maybe I would be a thief, a gangster. If you want to survive here, and you don’t go to school, the best thing for you to do is to steal.

We lost someone, the person that were with me when we started skating. He was a very good skater, but the day that he interacted with his age-mates he were told to stop wasting time with skating. They told him ‘You see what we are doing now, we don’t live in Korogocho anymore, we live in Kariobangi, and it is better’ He was very young when he passed away. He went with them the first day, he succeeded and came back with a huge amount of money. The second day he went, he did not come back. Those who introduced him to crime, they came back, but not him. Poor guy, he was killed. They change your life today, tomorrow, but the third day - you are not there anymore.

If you were a designer, an architect, or a planner, what would you add on to this area, what would you change, if you could dream?

“There is a field that is free... I would build a ramp there - for skating, a big one. So people have something else to do than crime. People love skating. The problem is where we are skate, it is far away. A lot of people, even ladies here, they ask, can I come with you? But when I say that we are going to Kasarani … It is a long walk. One hour! It can take two hours. People hate to go there. But if there is a place here, where we can skate, and people can see us. Skating and football is very precious here.”

Would both girls and boy come you think?

I know yes, both. If it is close, they could come.

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Dadas Connect: Dream spacesworkshop about dreams in Korogocho

“shade were we can run businesses”

“stalls, with storages where things can be left”

“board games, games for adults”

“library, stocked with books and study places with light”

“maternity support”

“better roads, paved”

“small doctors office”

“places for skating, host the championship”

“training for youth without occupation”

“big play field for basketball”

“urban farm with chickens”

“free public school”

“fields for kids to play”

“a park with trees for relaxation”

“a supermarket that has everything”

“land to rent out”

“something to do for youth during weekends”

“free hospital”

“public toilets that are open 24 hours”

“meeting space for women’s groups (Chamas) that are free”

“better drainage”

“places where we could hold courses or classes”

“change”

“youth occupation”

“spaces where activities that are done home today,

can be performed together”

“give girls work, so they get more empowered”

“a space for laundry, both for private use and for businesses”

“a safe place where women can meet and discuss”

“zebra-crossing and proper pedestrian walk”

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workshop about dreams in Korogocho

Sofia Enqvist & Anna Larsson

Diploma Project 2019KTH School of Architecture

The DreamsPart Two: Design

Content

DESIGN STRATEGY 1

- Issue 2 - Vision 3 - Strategy 4 - Interventions 5

DESIGN PRINCIPLES 6

- Principles 8 - The Street 10

THE NETWORK 12

- Synergy Effects 14 - Generators 15

POTENTIAL NODES 17

- Entrance Node 19 - Kitchen Node 23 - Laundry Node 31

Thank you Hope Raisers and Dan for taking care of us during our stay in Nairobi and introducing us to all the inspiring women.

A special thank you Patricia and Lucy for welcoming us into your lives,

you made our eight weeks in Nairobi unforgettable.

Thank you Mark at UN Habitat for all your knowledge. Thank you Jack, Ibra, Sumba and the rest of your colleagues at KDI for letting us take part of your amazing work, week after week. Thank you Pia and Swedish

Architects Without Borders for your work in these questions in Korogocho.

Thank you Ori for always looking out for us, for your incredible engagement and for always pushing us.

A huge thanks to Weronica, we could not have done this without your support. Your amazing and admirable way of tutoring has both taken us through the first year of architecture and our very last project.

Thanks for making us always design with our hearts.

Thank you all the women we met, in Umoja and Korogocho, for taking part of this project, for our endless discussions and for letting us into your dreams.

1

DESIGN STRATEGYThe strategy is a conclusion of our observations, analyses, case studies and interactions combined with the dream spaces that the women have shared with us. Using their dream spaces as a vision we have formulate a strategy on how to design these spaces.

Creating as many synnergy effects as possible, the dream spaces can help to solve more of the issues that we have found during the research. It is a combination of social and more concrete issues - often connected to each other.

The programmes were created through a number of inter-views and a workshop with a group of women called Dada’s connect, a small sisterhood organisation in Korochogo. We discussed the issues and dreams. How the streets could be reclaimed, how they can become an inclusive public space,

through the eyes of a woman

“it is about creativity and empowerment, with the intention

to show and highlight the woman’s perspective of the society”

Dadas connect

2

Issueswhy?

isolation

Isolation is one of the biggest issues in Korogocho. Lack of working possibilities, no public meeting spaces and a traditional culture where the woman is tightly connected to the running of the home and the family, leads to the fact that many women are not leaving their houses. Men, on the other hand, are not affected by this to the same degree. Even though they might lack work or occupation, they are still claiming the public space

as their living room, getting out of the house.

Due to the high density there are almost no public spaces apart from the streets. Private actors are claiming almost every possible open space - and due to the informality there are no

regulations to prevent this.

Many of the inhabitants in Korogocho are living below the poverty line, and the living conditions are very poor. The unemployment rates are high and many people are struggling

from one day to another to provide for their families.

Proper systems for water and sanitation is lacking, which leads to the spreading of diseases. The ditches are clogged, trash is dumped on the streets or in the already highly contaminated river and smoke from Dandora dump site is polluting the air.

There is a sense of hopelessness in Korogocho and a sense of short term thinking, which leads to a lack of care for the surroundings. The value of taking care of the commons is not seen, and if there is no economical incentive there is a high risk

of people not doing anything at all.

Korogocho is divided into seven villages, all with different characteristics. Different tribes tends to stay together. There is also a hierarchy amongst the villages, where some are considered more safe and organised while others are dangerous

and even more informal.

poverty

trash & pollution

lack of care

lack of public space

territories

3

Visionwhat?

create network of public spaces

create a social network with role models

improve security, all day

create livelihood opportunities

improve environmental conditions

establish a sense of inclusiveness and care

create physical connections and social interaction

$

4

Strategyhow?

utilize the grey infrastructureimproving the blue infrastructure

several public space nodes, connected in a network

additions in different scales, developing over time

using already functioning systems as generators for new public spaces

synergies, circularity

give trash a value

local knowledgelocal resources

local labour

Ensuring that the public spaces are connected, they all become part of a new social infrastructure that creates security, continuity and inclusivity. This forms new relationships between people and creates new possibilities to link communities. Taking advantage of the female coded activities to create public

female networks.

Take advantage of well-functioning activities, such as water stations and dumps, to ensure productive spaces and instant

development.

All parts in a network are crucial and needs to be respected from the personal level to community level. Setting a framework that allows this interventions to develop organically over time is the

key to sustainable public spaces.

Use the streets and the grey infrastructure as base to extend the public space. By adding another layer of the blue infrastructure, these spaces have a higher probability to improve living conditions, add value, and create a reason for everyone to claim

the public space.

Create a program with economic interests will ensure the sustainability and maintenance of the space. Creating a circular system with possible synergy effects will make the interventions

more efficient.

Giving trash a value and recognize it as a resource benefits the environment and increase the sense of care for the area. The collection and the upcycling of trash creates a possible income.

The upcycled trash can later be used as design elements.

Using local work force and local resources will benefit the economy of the community as well as creating a sense of ownership. It also becomes a possibility for knowledge to be

passed on within the area.

5

Interventionshow?

ENTRANCE

LAUNDRY

KITCHEN

The entry point from Kariobangi is connecting Korogocho to the larger context. This node aims at creating an exchange between the areas, as well as creating a meeting point, accessible and welcoming for everyone. The program includes flexible gathering spaces and a speakers corner. By adding activities for children, the place is more inclusive both for kids and women. The connection to the dump sites is providing a possibility to work with upcycling, recycling and compost. This could be a way of creating a cleaner environment and at the same time providing livelihood, materials for construction and creating a

sense of care for the surroundings.

Using the activities connected to laundry to activate streets that are currently male dominated. By adding more people (women) on the street, the areas will be safer and can used for bigger part of the day, as well as in the evening. The laundry facilities can be used for both private purposes and for business. The build environment is going to include structures for shade, seating and flexible divisions of the space, making the space sustainable and multifunctional. A well, collecting the waste water is working as

engine for the cleaning of the drainage system.

By creating outdoor kitchens, a unnecessarily private activity is put in the public room, creating a female network. The kitchens are placed in active spots, maximizing the number of possible users. The trash is used as fuel for cooking, the food waste is used as animal food or decomposed. The earth from the compost is sold to flower farms. Waste water is collected and used as an engine for the cleaning of the drainage system. The new blue infrastructure creates a link between the different sites, that now all becomes parts in the network. The build environment includes structures for shade, protection from

rain, kitchen facilities, counters and seating.

6 7

DESIGN PRINCIPLESHow can the local materials available and the traditional techniques be used to suit the specific needs in this con-text? These design principles are showing possible ways to use the material, respecting the vernacular as well as add-ing another layer. The principles can be used as a tool for designing, but are not to be read as parts of a puzzle, they need to be altered considering the existing context and the builders own knowledge.

The design principles are all constructed with the thought of security and permanence, both very important in the context of open spaces in informal settlements. Our build-ing technology is based on case studies of local architects, such as KDI that we have been meeting with and taken part of their work.

“if ten people can make the same work as one machine

- it is always better to choose the ten people”

Jack Campbell, KDI Architects

8

ventilated brick wall solid brick wall with bench climbing brick wall

extrovert bench

introvert bench

roof for higher structuresroof for lower structures

platform with brick floorplatform with recycled tiles

9

Permanence & Security A platform, an elevated surface, defines the boundary and cre-ates a feeling of importance. Furniture is fixed, with the impres-sion that it is extruded from the surface, making it lasting and not be stolen. Permanence is important in this context. Safety is also important to consider; walls are constructed in differ-ent heights and transparency in order to create more open or closed spaces. A back wall helps to define a boundary, securing the open space of the node. Walls can double as climbing walls, storage or art walls.

Smaller Additions Permanent areas for seating is completely lacking today, and is highly requested. Finding double use and double programs for these areas is important to make the most of the additions. Con-tinuing on the thought of safety and socialisation the elements should be design to be both introvert and extrovert, to provide possibilities to choose if one wants to interact or not, or if one wants to face other people or not.

Materials - Machine cut stone & bricks - the stones are 30x24x24 cm and cut from the local quarry, the bricks are sun-dried and made in the area. Both are sold at the market in Korogocho. - Pillars- can be constructed both of wood (if it is available) or with steel for a more permanent solutions, depending on cost and availability. - Roof - made of sheets of corrugated steel, cheap, available and durable.

The machine cut stones are cladded, with different mixes de-pending on the use of the structure. On larger surfaces, such as the floors, the local sand is mixed with concrete and cladded on the stones. On smaller surfaces with high use, for example some of the benches and the counters, a traditional technique is used. A mix of lime plaster, sand and water is applied and polished with soap to make a hard, durable surface.

1. adding roofing corrugated steel2. adding structure for roof steel or wood, (availability)3. adding furniture stones cladded with clay

4. elevation of slab stones cladded with clay5. ground treatment stones mixed with concrete

10 11

12

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13

THE NETWORKThrough case studies on similar areas in Nairobi we have realized that designing isolated sites would not be enough. By creating a network, with multiply nodes, we have the opportunity to solve more than one issue. Identifying trash and grey water as resources, and using them as generators in a new network will create upgraded streets and a sus-tainable system. To achieve our vision about the inclusive public these nodes needs to be designed for the ones that currently lacks a voice in the public – women & children. The nodes should all be spaces for this group to leave the home, to take part of the public realm.

“We need to think about the whole picture, about connectivity. There is often more than one thing that can be done at the same time”

Mark OjalUrban Designer, UN Habitat

14

Synergy Effects The need for creating synergy effects also gives an opportunity to work with some of the other issues such as poor drainage and the lack of trash collection. Referring to Tom Avermaeten’s thoughts about unlocking the common pool resources, trash is identified as a resource, giving it a value through using it as a generator in the new network.

Avermaeten also states that the unlocking of the common resources can’t be done by one individual, that it needs to grow from a cooperation of many individuals, that projects needs to be initiated and driven from the local

community rather than the single individual or state, also arguing for the idea of a network grown from the community. Identifying trash and grey water as resources, and using them as generators in a new network will create upgraded streets and a sustainable system.

To achieve our vision about the inclusive public, these nodes needs to be designed for the ones that currently lacks a voice in the public – the women and children. The nodes should create opportunity for this group leave the home, to take part of the public realm.

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Hub - Generator trashTrash hubs are evenly spread out over the area, collecting the trash that ends up on the streets and in the ditches. The hubs both acts as collectors, filtering the water and the trash, and as small drying rooms. The brick structure that make up the walls is perforated and the roof is elevated, in order to ventilate the room as much as possible. The unit is placed to let as much of the wind, that is mostly northern, pass through the structure.

The trash is picked up from the ditch, and put on drying nets in the hub, where it is left for 7 days to dry before transported to the kitchen nodes. Half of the hub is emptied every third day, always having one side that is drier than the other. Maintaining the hubs provides occupation to a number of the residents.

Well - generator waterThe system of ditches is upgraded, making it continuous and well constructed. In at least 16 spots through out the network there are wider parts of the ditch, called wells. They are collecting the water - and the trash that flows in the water. The water is released by removing the blockage every day, or when necessary. This more concentrated flow of water creates a flush-ing effect, preventing the trash to clog the water. Something that is an issue today when the water is flowing to slow for it to be able to flush the ditches.

The wells are situated in between the hubs, flushing the wa-ter to the hubs where the trash is removed. The wells are also placed in connection to other water-related activities, such as piki-piki washing stations for example. When these activities aren’t happening at the same side of the road as the ditch, a concrete pipe is put down, connecting the two sides of the road. This pipe is later cladded with asphalt and painted - acting both as a zebra crossing and a speed bump.

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POTENTIAL NODES

The potential nodes are places along the streets, in the edge zone, places we identified as spots where public spaces possibly could be situated. They could become nodes in the new network of Korogocho and are places where the edge zone is not used, or not used in the best possible way. They often have a connection to already ex-isting infrastructural systems, such as water tanks, large street lights, schools or shops.

Some are situated on busy streets taking advantage of the flow of people. Others are on calmer streets, and therefore more suited for programs that are attracting many people, aiming at activating the street.

“We need to think about the whole picture, about connectivity”

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THE NODE The entrance node is situated on the border to the surrounding lower income area Kariobangi, and is acting as a connector be-tween the areas and a generator for the network in Korogocho. The scale and the place of this zone is allows this node to host a large program.

THE BUILT PROGRAMME- a big hall, with flexible divisions- a central speakers corner, with small stages - a clearly visible art wall- stage and a platform- a small playground- an open reception for trash collection- a ventilated drying room for drying the trash- an open reception for laundry collection

THE SOCIAL PROGRAMME- gathering spaces for groups, study spaces- chance to make ones voice heard, in an informal way- communication of messages or information- spontaneously events and more organized productions- child friendly spaces- interaction, both internal and between different areas

THE COLLECTOR FOR THE NETWORKSome of the buildings on the site - the trash & laundry recep-tion and the drying room acts as generators for the network. The are all the starting points for the systems of water and trash fuelling the network.

KITCHEN AND TRASHOne of the main synergy effects in the network strategy is to give trash a value. This is done by firstly setting up a system for how to collect the trash. One way of doing this is to let the inhabitants collect their own waste and bring it to the trash -reception in exchange for a token. The token can later be used in the kitchen. Trash that have a possibility to be up-cycled is sorted out and taken care of and sold in the existing shops across the street. The remaining trash will be dried in the venti-lated drying room for a week and later transported to the kitch-en where it is burned, providing heat for the stove.

LAUNDRY AND WATERAt the laundry reception people can leave their dirty clothes, providing the inhabitants with a chance for an income, as well as creating interaction between the areas. Washing is later done at the laundry nodes.

ENTRANCE

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DRYING ROOMdrying the trash in order to burn it

A ventilated structure where 50% of the trash is dried for 7 days before being transported to the kitchens, where it is burned in the stoves, turning the trash

into a resource.

TRASH RECEPTIONexchange trash for tokens

Where the inhabitants can ex-change their trash for tokens, to be used for time at the stove in the kitchens. Trash that have a possibility to be up-cycled is

sorted out and taken care of.

COMPOSTtake care of the organic waste

One of many composts in the area, a showcase for the system. The organic waste is turned to

soil, that is later sold to flower farms in the city.

PLAYGROUNDsafe, child friendly spaces

Creating a child-friendly space and provides an area for play that is secure. Children are tra-ditionally the responsibility of the women, and where you find women you will find children.

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STAGEculture and democracy

An outdoor stage under the cantilever roof, can be used both for spontaneously events and for the more organized productions. The platform is providing a overview over this part of the settlement, a perspective that is missing in the homogeneous environment.

ENTRANCE HALLmulti-purpose gathering space

One big space that can be divid-ed in smaller rooms, in order to provide spaces for all kinds of gatherings. The smaller, more open rooms can also be used for classes, study places etc. The middle part can be com-pletely closed off, creating a

safe and private place.

SPEAKERS CORNERinformal speeches

A group of seating furniture, that doubles as small stages, provides everyone with the possibility to make their voice

heard, in a informal way.

TALKING WALLSculture and communication

Using the cultural expression of graffiti to communicate dif-ferent messages. The artists and the paintings are changed on a regular basis, changing the responsibility for the main-

tenance of the small area.

LAUNDRY RECEPTIONinteraction and livelihood

The laundry reception is situated on the opposite side of the road, creating an entrance to the area. Inhabitants, both from Korogocho and the sur-rounding areas can leave their laundry to be washed. This is both creating a social interaction between the areas, as well as a chance to earn money for

the women in Korogocho.

skala 1.300 (A3)

skala 1.300 (A3)

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transport of dry trash storage fill stove exchange token for pot

peeling preparing/waiting waiting socializing

compost washing return pot exit platform

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THE NODE The kitchen node is situated between the villages Kisumu Ndogo and Korogocho A, on a site surrounded by dwellings, a church and a school.

THE BUILT PROGRAMME- stove and oven- places for peeling, cutting and preparing the food- seating areas for preparing the food, and waiting- facilities for dish washing - seating areas and furniture- weather protected- storage for the trash that is fuelling the stove- storage for the pots

THE SOCIAL PROGRAMME- bring a private female coded activity in to the public- work against the isolation of women- provide women with the opportunity to meet & discuss- create social networks- create a possible income, if one sell the food- create a safe space, a possibility to choose the level of exposure

KITCHEN - TRASH AND HEAT The kitchen nodes are centred around the cycle of the trash. Dried trash, both from the hubs and from the drying room are brought to the kitchen. It is stored and later burned in the stove at a such a high temperature eliminating toxic substances. A token can be exchanged for time at the stove and a pot.

This node is using the height difference to the road to create places for seating, preparing the food, selling the food and cre-ating social interaction between the users. The platform itself is also higher, making it possible to use the edge as seating as well. Counters can double as benches, and can be designed both as extrovert and introvert, to provide different levels of protection.

The floor is given different treatments depending on the pro-gram, areas with lots of wear are here given a surface treatment where the concrete is mixed with recycled crushed tiles. The beams in the roof can be used as storage for the utensils and the gap created by the different height of the pillars is creating a natural ventilation. As one of the design principles, the site has a solid back wall, that is framing the place, defining and protecting the boundary of the node.

KITCHEN

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BURNING TRASHburning trash environmentally correct

Burning the trash at 880 – 1200 degrees in the stove will generate heat energy for

cooking and baking.

EXCHANGE TOKENexchanged token for a pot

The tokens that one gets from the trash collection at the entrance node, can be exchanged for a pot, that is fitting the special stove. 2 tokens are used - one as “payment” and one as deposit for the pot.

COLLECTED TRASHtrash as a generator

The trash that has been collected and dried at the entrance node is brought to the kitchen where it is stored in a locked

cabinet. This is done twice a day.

COOKING & WAITINGexchanged token for a pot

The stove and the oven can be used by up to 4 persons at the same time. When waiting for the food to be ready there is a

bench, close to the stove.

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PREPARING FOODpeeling, cutting etc.

All the necessary preparations can be done either on the kitchen platform or at the surrounding benches, depending on which level of exposition and socialisation

one wants.

WASH UP cleaning the borrowed pot

The pots and utensils used needs to be cleaned before being returned, in order to get the deposit back. The degradable food waste is put in the compost, and later

transported back to the entrance node.

EAT OR SELL a chance for making ones livelihood

The closeness to the market makes it pos-sible to sell the food that has been cooked,

if it wasn’t for personal purposes.

skala 1.100 (A3)

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skala 1.100 (A3)

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1. Brick 215x105x65 mm 2. Stone 300x230x230 mm 3. Concrete cladding using local Nairobi red sand 4. Footplate, 60° angle 5. Steel pillar 40x40 mm 6. I-beam 7. Z-beam 8. Corrugated steel sheets connected with a L-bolt

9. Community cooker, Nairobi based product 10. Steal cooking plate frame11. Iron frame for stove 12. Insulation to combustion chamber13. 2 mm metal sheet welted into frame14. Oven 15. Combustion camber 16. Brick insulating the cooker17. Steel tube as chimney, 10 meter

18. Concrete floor with crashed recycled tiles for on surfaces with wear19. Gutter made of bricks20. Concrete cylinder Ø600 mm21. Tilting prefab concrete pipe

Built Heat Water

skala 1.50 (A3)

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Extrovert & Introvert

Movements and Interaction

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entering platform fill water in bucket carry water pour water in basin

washing round 1 empty old waterfill with filtered water

washing round 2 wring out water

pour out dirty water hang clothes wait and socialize collect dry laundry

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THE NODE The laundry node is situated between the villages Grogan B and Gitathuru. This place is a very calm, almost a backstreet and the node is aiming at creating more activity.

THE BUILT PROGRAMME- water tank- laundry benches - drying racks- seating areas and furniture- reuse of the water- playground- structures for shadow and partial separation

THE SOCIAL PROGRAMME- bring a private female coded activity in to the public- work against the isolation of women- provide women with the opportunity to meet & discuss- create social networks- create a possible income, by washing clothes- a safe space, possibility to choose the level of exposure - a child-friendly space- activate a calm area, making it safer

LAUNDRY - WATER This laundry node is in the narrow edge zone of one of the less active streets. Therefore this node has a closer and a clearer relationship to the street. The platform is lower, using the laun-dry benches to divide the platform into smaller, more intimate spaces, while the keeping the visual connection. When hanging the wet clothes, the drying racks act as temporary walls creating shadow, needed when waiting for the laundry to dry.

The laundry benches designed to suit the needs of he common way of doing laundry by hand. They are build up by three clay basins, two that are used for washing and one that is used for wringing out the water. The basins are connected to a large con-crete tube with a bio-sand filter system, cleaning the water to give the users the possibility to use the water more than once. The water can be bought from the water tank in the centre of the site, costing approximately 1 KES (0,1 SEK) per litre.

The entire platform is surrounded by a brick gutter, leading the overflowing water back to the floor around the water tank. Here it is pouring down between the separated bricks into a well, that is later is transporting the water to a hub.

LAUNDRY

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LAUNDRY laundry benches with fixed clay buckets

The laundry is done in clay buckets, that are fixed in raised benches. The buckets

are connected to a filtration system, making reuse of the water possible.

DRYING RACKS drying racks that are providing shadow

The roof consists of metal bars, that are used as drying racks. When the clothes are drying, they are casting a shadow over the

laundry benches and the seating area.

WATER TANK water tank and seating area

The water that are used are collected at the water tank, costing 20 KES (2 SEK) per 20 litre. The water can be reused mul-tiply times due to the filtration system in the benches, lowering the cost for each

laundry occasion.

WAITING AREAseating, for interaction during drying time

The process of laundry create a long wait-ing time, when the clothes are drying.

For this purpose, there are big areas ded-icated to seating, providing possibility for the women to interact and create social

networks.

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PLAYGROUNDspaces for women needs child friendly spaces

At a site for women there will be children, because the traditional values that still puts the woman in full responsibility for

the children.

RELATION TO EXISTINGan expandable system

Because the scheme consist of multi-ple, disconnected parts, the plan can be stretched and altered depending on the current situation. In this specific case the playgrounds have been separated in order create a small place in front of a existing

shop.

THE BRICK WALLclimbing wall and shelves

Some of the stones in the brick wall are turned, making it possible to either use them as shelves or drying places (laundry)

or as a climbing wall (playground).

skala 1.100 (A3)

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skala 1.100 (A3)

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1. Brick 215x105x65 mm 2. Stone 300x230x230 mm 3. Concrete cladding using local Nairobi red sand 4. Footplate, 60° angle 5. Steel pillar 40x40 mm 6. Z-beam 7. I-beam

8. Clay basin 9. Concrete cylinder Ø600 mm 10. Reservoi11. Standing water12. Biolayer13. Filter Container 14. Filtration Sand15. Separation Gravel16. Outlet Tube

17. Gutter made of bricks18. Brick without a mortal19. Tilting pre-fab concrete pipe 20. Well, water container

21. Curbstones22. Speed bump

Built Washing Water

By exclude the mortal the brick flooracts as a well

Bricks can be used as hangers for clothes or small shelf

The bench is constructed by prefab cylin-ders framed by bricks, filled with concrete

skala 1.50 (A3)

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Extrovert & Introvert

Movements and Interaction

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The Kitchen Node

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The Laundry Node