Fast growing cities, like Nairobi, face serious challenges in developing into an inclusive and prosperous environment. The Making Cities Together project aims to develop a sustainable, viable and long-term agenda for Nairobi’s public spaces as an entry point to urban development.
The project started in 2014 with the Nairobi placemaking inventory. In May 2015, the Placemaking Design Lab took place to develop new strategies for public spaces in the City centre, Dandora and Korogocho. The 'Must Seed' strategy in Dandora was selected for implementation.
The Model Street, a 'place to be' in Dandora with the Dandora Transformation League which was finished in 14 April 2018. This inspiring showcase of a well designed and used public space and other cases, tools and strategies we are sharing on our platform and at many conferences and is top 10 finalist for the World Habitat Awards.
ROADMAP TOWARDS BETTER PUBLIC SPACE
#1a Placemaking inventory
#1b Location research
#2a Placemaking Design Lab
#2b Placemaking Design Intervention
#2b Minecraft Community Design
#3 Building Party!
#4a Knowledge sharing
#4b Platform
Placemaking Inventory
The inventory identified 17 socio-spatial initiatives across the city. The initiatives result into a higher quality of life and impact livelihoods, still they continue to face challenges including inadequate funding, land ownership, community engagement, expertise and politics.
Location Research
The use and physical aspects of public spaces were research at 6 of the initiatives in the city centre, neighbourhoods and informal settelements.
Placemaking Design Lab
3 New Placemaking Design Strategies were developed by international and local design teams in collaboration with local initiatives. In a public presentation at Naipolitans' platform in Memorial Park the strategies were shared and discussed.
Placemaking Design Strategy
In Dandora the first step towards the 'Must Seed' strategy will be implemented: a model street to show an example of a well designed and used public space.
Minecraft Community Design
Together with the community we created design ideas for the model street in dandora through the computer game tool 'minecraft' in collaboration with UN-Habitat.
Building Party!
Together with Dandora transformation league we are implementing a model street in neighbourhood in Nairobi, Dandora. based on the strategy from the lab and the minecraft community workshop we are planting trees, painting the facades, placing bins and constructing welcoming gateways.
Knowledge sharing
- Exhibition at N-Aerus 15th conference, Brussels, NOV 2014,
- Public debate Naipolitans, Nairobi, NOV 2014.
- Exhibition at Prepcom2 & GC25, Nairobi APR 2015.- PUblic space biennalE, Rome, May 2015
-IFHP Summit, BERLIN, Nov 2015
- HABITATIII, QUITO, OCT 2016
- PLACEMAKING WEEK Nairobi, DEC 2016,
- UTC, Nairobi, 3-4 May 2017
Platform
To create sustainable public spaces, drivers for a better city, we collaborate with stakeholders: local initiatives, government, private sector, academia, NGO's, bilateral organisations and above all citizens. Join us!
Gallery
Making Cities Together with...
Project initiators, Organizers, Advisors, Community organisation and the Design Team.
Thanks to the financial support of UN-Habitat, Nairobi City County, Stichting DOEN, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Rendeavour.And great thanks to the in-kind support of University of Nairobi, Technical University of Kenya, Naipolitans, Kounkuey Design Initiative, GoDownArtCentre, Placemaking Initiatives in Nairobi, Projects for Public spaces, Architects without Borders, Kilimani Project Foundation, Centre for Creative and Cultural Industries, Community Media House, Media Head Quarters, House of Manji, Wire products ltd., Village Market, Jotun, Anka consultants, Gamma Delta, Metrix Integrated and Hormigon Holdings.
IFHP
Project initiator
A world-wide network in the broad fields of housing, urban development and planning - Denmark
INTI
Project initiator
Think and do tank for young cities - The Netherlands
Placemakers
Project initiator / local organiser
Placemaking, Research and design Studio - The Netherlands
KUWA
Project advisor
Works in urban planning issues facing Kenya & initiating a students network that closes the gap between education and reality - Kenya
DTL
Community based organisation
Dandora Transformation League: impacting low income urban communities based in Dandora to live a life of health, security, dignity and well-being - Kenya
CAVE
Local design team
Design bureau, creative services in architecture, interior and landscape - Kenya
LCC
International design team and crowd funding initiator
Works and collaborates on issues related to built form, with a scope from research to design - The Netherlands
Citilinks
Local design team
Consultancy and design partnership dedicated to urbanism, architecture, urban transport and research with a holistic and visionary approach - Kenya
Rodeo Architects
International design team
Interdisciplinary architectural practice that has established itself in the overlap between design, strategy, and research - Norway
Avanti Architecture
Local design team
International design studio operating within the fields of architecture, urbanism, research and development. AVANTI’s architecture emerges out of a careful analysis of how contemporary life constantly evolves and changes - Kenya
DASUDA
Project partner
Dutch Alliance for Sustainable Urban Development in Africa - The Netherlands
DOEN
Sponsor
Supports committed entrepeneurs with sustainable, cultural and socially-engaged initiatives towards a green, socially-inclusive and creative society. DOEN offers these people financial support and brings them together to connect them - The Netherlands
UN-Habitat
Sponsor
Together we organised a community Minecraft workshop. The created designs are being implemented with support of UN-Habitat.
