New Planning Paradigms

Transcription

1 New Planning Paradigms Exploring innovative methodologies that are more responsive and effective in addressing challenges in contemporary and future urban settlements in Africa

2 The Urban Innovations Project is based at the Department of Urban Goals and Regional Planning, University of Nairobi and facilitated with funding from the Rockefeller Foundation To promote capacity building through empowerment of urban communities for effective community participation; linking and networking with NGOS, government ministries and parastatals working within informal settlements and municipalities through provision of technical assistance. To promote revitalization of planning education and practice through curriculum review and Continuous Professional Development of Planners. To contribute to research and innovation and promote local knowledge production needed to enable African governments to better understand and manage current anf future urban challenges. Applied Urban Research UIP undertakes research on thematic areas and issues to foster linkages of informed research knowledge with inclusive public policy making and collaborative urban planning processes. Recent research examples include settlement profiling in Mukuru and Mathare slums, civic engagement and planning in Ruiru Municipality, and research on flexible uses of urban spaces in Nairobi and community policing to reduce urban crime.

3 Core Activities/Components In collaboration with stakeholders; Communities, NGOs, Government Ministries and Planning Schools, to create and formulate sustainable and achievable urban planning Policies. To reach out and widely disseminate urban planning related information/share best practices and lessons through seminars, workshops, electronic media, training, exchange programs Collaborative Urban Planning This component of UIP s seeks to articulate how urban planning as a technique and profession can be a medium for dialogue, inclusiveness, sharing, synergy, resulting in a stronger and just socio-spatial environment. By engaging in partnerships and collaborations, UIP serves as a point of contact for people with a shared understanding. UIP has pursued collaborative work across a broad spectrum of actors who include the public, private sector, and civil society. In the public sector UIP has been in active collaboration with the City Council of Nairobi and the Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan exploring opportunities that will fast-track initiatives in improvement of informal settlements. UIP has also collaborated with the Municipal Council of Ruiru on service provision and development control improvements. UIP meets its objectives through 4 interlinked activities or components: Applied Urban Research and City Lab Collaborative Urban Planning and Design Studios Urban Policy & Dialogue Revitalization of Planning Education and CPD UIP has endeavoured to reduce the gap between theory and practice by taking keen interest in the activities of firms undertaking work of relevance to planning. In this regard UIP hosted a three day modelling exhibition with Planning Systems Limited of contemporary works in urban design and architectural. The other event was a Google Mapping Party to induct students to emerging online mapping techniques. UIP has also partnered with Muungano Support Trust (MuSt) and Pamoja Trust in promoting community-led informal settlement upgrading for Kosovo in Mathare, Nairobi. The upgrading of Kosovo saw improvement in service delivery, such as better water reticulation by the Athi Water Services Board. The partnership is currently preparing a zonal plan for the upgrading of the entire Mathare Valley informal settlements.

4 Urban Policy & Dialogue Revitalization of Planning Education & CPD Urban policy component seeks to facilitate critical planning dialogue and policy discourses amongst key stakeholders through holding regular planning briefs, seminars, workshops, and roundtables that encourage active public participation. The aim of curricula reform in Africa is to develop teaching content and methodologies that respond to current and future urbanization challenges in Africa. Engagement with the many dimensions of cities on the continent has implications for the training of planners, the legislative environment within which planners practice as well as research capacity of planning educators. UIP promotes development and testing of more responsive planning and design methodologies for urban planners and designers. The lessons learnt are disseminated through the AAPS network of planning schools, public media, journals, newsletters, networks and professional associations. The overall goal of CPD is to achieve a skilled and modern planning workforce that meets the needs of the 21st Century. UIP seeks to foster human capacity development for practitioners in urban development through the initiation of relevant training and skills development modules for planners and designers, city managers. Officers, ALGAK and civic leaders.

5 GOOD SCHOOL, GOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD INITIATIVE The Good School Good Neighbourhood participatory planning and design initiative that started in March 2011 came to a fruitful conclusion this month, August The initiative was conceived in the context of UN-HABITAT s technical support to the City Council of Nairobi on the Safer Cities Programme and Slum Upgrading Programme, and particularly under the auspices of the City Department of Education. The initiative s objective was the upgrading of two schools, namely, Ngunyumu Primary (public) school and St. John s Primary (informal) school into integrated Multi-purpose Educational Facilities that will trigger community revitalization and serve as acupuncture points in the larger Slum Upgrading Project of the wider Korogocho area. The initiative had two broad operational components, namely, action planning and participatory design. A team of young planners and architects sponsored by UIP, University of Nairobi, successfully completed a Training of Trainers (T.o.T) component of the above initiative that was facilitated by two consultants, Barbara Holtman (South Africa) and Dr. Dina K. Shehayeb of Shehayeb Consult (Cairo, Egypt). The aim of the ToT was to train a group of local design team on incorporating user needs and wants as well as the underlying social, cultural, and economic values perceived by the community in design and planning. The ToT was conducted through a series of workshops and design charrettes spanning from March to August Three key outputs came out of the initiative: A set of action plans touching on different aspects of the community; a design narrative translating the action plans into design concepts; and spatial designs (Master Plans) for the two schools. An added output was the capacity acquired by the UIP team that will complement efforts by the City Council and UN-HABITAT to ensure continuity in disseminating and upscaling of the approach based on local expertise.

6 Outcomes Gallery Community Led Slum Upgrading in Mabatini The Mabatini informal Settlement Upgrading Plan is a collaboration between UIP/University of Nairobi, Muungano Support Trust (MUST), Pamoja Trust, University of California, Berkeley, and Slum Dwellers International (SDI). Slum upgrading aims to provide improved living conditions for a total of 300 families. Ruiru Physical Development Plan A draft local physical development plan (LPDP) was prepared in It requires updating and full approval. Current activities towards this include detailed analysis and information on the following: profiling of wards for in-depth situation analysis, boundaries mapping, use of up to date census data (2009), parcel data, stakeholder forums, planning workshops and household survey. Google WebGIS Short Courses for Planners A WebGIS & Mapping for participatory planning and governance course was held at the Chiromo Campus of the University of Nairobi from the 16th to 19th March Twenty scholarships were awarded to participants drawn from local authorities, government line ministries, nongovernmental organizations, faculty members and post planning students. Mathioya Regional Physical Development Plan A strategic development plan prepared with fourth year students, Mathioya CDF committee and community residents aimed at addressing key development concerns in Mathioya constituency/district for a medium term period ( ). ModelExpo A modelling exhibition was held at the department in collaboration with Planning Systems Limited, an architectural and planning firm to showcase the works done as well as equip the students and faculty with modern modelling and visualization technologies. Curriculum Review Since 2009, UIP has been at the centre of facilitating a review of the curriculum for the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. The review aims at strengthening career progression and professional improvement by injecting curricular relevance anchored on philosophy, analysis, design and practice.

7 P JOSEPHINE KEZIAH CHARLES PETER UIP Staff and Associates Prof. Peter M. Ngau Urban Planner, Project Director, UIP Mr. Charles Dadu Karisa, Arch/Planner Project Co-leader Ms Keziah Mwelu Mwang a Planner, Project Administrative Manager Prof. Peter M. Ngau is an urban planner and Associate Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Nairobi. He has over twenty years of teaching and research experience. He served for six years National Expert United Nations Centre for Regional Planning (UNCRD) Africa Office. He has PhD in Urban Planning from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He was chairman Department of Urban and Regional Planning ( ). His publications include: Informal Settlements in Nairobi: A Baseline Survey of Informal Settlements and Inventory of NGOs and CBO Activities (1995); Urban Poverty and the Survival Strategies of the Urban Poor in Nairobi (1996), University/ City Partnerships: Creating Policy Networks for Urban Transformation in Nairobi, (with Jackie Klopp, Elliot Sclar, 2009); Challenges in Urban and Peri-Urban Land Governance in Nairobi: Dynamics, Tactics and Issues, a World Bank Report, (with Jackie Klopp, Jeremiah Ayonga and Rose Musyoka). He is managing editor, Regional Development Studies Journal. Mr. Charles D. Karisa is an architect-planner and lecturer in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Nairobi. He holds a Bachelors degree in Architecture and a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning. Mr. Karisa is registered and licensed to practise in various fields, namely Architecture (BORAQS), Physical Planning (PPRB), and Environmental Management (NEMA). He is a member of the Architectural Association of Kenya (MAAK) and Kenya Institute of Planners (MKIP). He brings on board a decade s experience in urbanism spanning the fields of architecture, urban and regional planning, urban design, site planning, and housing and human settlements planning. Other than teaching and professional practice, Mr... Karisa engages in research in urban built heritage, space identity, negotiated production of space, and participatory planning and design. He is currently undertaking his PhD on Identity discourses and the production of urban space. His publications include: A Negotiated Approach to Management of Riparian Areas in Nairobi, and Situating Rural Communities in Nairobi Metropolitan Area. He serves as the UIP project Co-Leader. Ms. Keziah M. Mwang a is an Urban Planner. She serves as the Project Administrative Manager in UIP and is also the Assistant Editor to the Regional Development Studies Journal. She holds a degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Nairobi. Ms Josephine Karimi Maina Planner, Project Research Assistant Ms Josephine Karimi Maina is an urban planner and a research assistant at UIP-University of Nairobi. She holds a degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Nairobi. She has one year planning and research experience. Ms. Miriam Maina Planner, Project Outreach Ms Miriam Maina is an Urban Planner and is currently the Project Outreach Coordinator in UIP. She has served before as a Project Manager in UIP and also as an Assistant Editor to the Regional Development Studies Journal. She is currently undertaking her MSC in Town Planning in the University of Witwatersrand. She also has a Diploma in Project Management. Associates Henry Miheso - 2D & 3D Design Visualization, Urban Design & Planner Dr Rose Musyoka Urban Policy, Land Policy Planner, Lecturer UoN Joshua Ndoli - Architect, Arthur Mwaura Architect/ Planner, PhD Candidate, Lecturer UoN Margaret Ng ayu Planner/ Sociologist, PhD Candidate, Lecturer UoN Musyimi Mbathi Planner/GIS Expert, PhD Candidate, Lecturer UoN Edwin Wamukaya GIS Expert Franklin Mwango Urban Designer/ Architect, Lecturer Maseno University

8 UIP Upgrading to CURI Urban Innovations Project (UIP) based in the University of Nairobi is set to upgrade to a Centre thanks to a new grant provided by The Rockefeller Foundation. The new grant 2011 SRC 111 for a 30 month period was announced end of last month (August) to support the on-going consolidation of UIP into a vibrant Centre for Urban Research and Innovations within the School of the Built Environment, University of Nairobi by strengthening interdisciplinary urban research, collaborative planning processes and policy dialogue with the public, private and civil society. The objective of the new centre is, in line with a larger goal shared by the Association of African Planning Schools (AAPS), to create momentum for a larger change in Africa through the revitalization of planning education and practice and development of a critical number of centres of excellence for addressing core urban challenges through innovative urban research and practice. The support to strengthen urban research and innovation on the African continent is critical for promoting local knowledge production which is needed to enable African governments to better understand and manage the dramatic urbanization wave that is unfolding across the continent. The University of Nairobi aims, through the Centre for Urban Research and Innovations (CURI) to strengthen its position as a regional hub for innovative urban research, teaching and practice and to work in partnership with Slum Dwellers International (SDI) and other partners to promote more equitable urban planning and management in East Africa. UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI Department of Urban & Regional Planning School of the Built Environment P. O. Box Nairobi, Kenya Tel: , Mobile: uip@uonbi.ac.ke Printing: UNON, Publishing Services Section, Nairobi, ISO 14001:2004-certified