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For town and country: A new approach to urban planning in Kenya
Posted on: 6 December 2013
By: mackene
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Filed under: News
In the post-independence era, urban planning was deployed as a tool for “modernisation” in Kenya. But in the 1980s and 1990s modernisation was supplanted by autocracy and straitened economic circumstances. In turn, planning became a means for securing control, exclusion and further enrichment of political and economic elites redolent of the colonial era. Legislation based on outdated and inappropriate models such as the UK’s 1947 Town and Country Planning Act was routinely used to carry out mass evictions and demolitions in informal settlements in Kenya. By the end of the 20th century, the planning profession had become irrelevant or discredited to all but its few beneficiaries. In this document, Professor Peter Ngau describes in detail how he and colleagues at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP) at the University of Nairobi, and other institutions, have sought to revitalise the education and training that planners receive and encourage the adoption of more progressive approaches among planning professionals. Curricula reform, research and innovation, close links with other planning schools in Africa, and working partnerships with civil society organisations in informal settlements are the bedrock of the effort to ensure that Kenya’s future urban planners are equipped to manage rapid urban transformation.
The favela speaks to the world
Posted on: 2 December 2013
By: mackene
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This article considers the impact of community-based media on communities in Rio de Janeiro.
Inside Housing international edition
Posted on: 29 November 2013
By: mackene
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The international edition of the journal Inside Housing explores the global struggle to provide decent homes. Articles cover housing issues in Brazil, the USA, France, Tanzania, South Korea and Australia.
So….you want to build in China
Posted on: 28 November 2013
By: mackene
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Unsurprisingly, with an increasing number of architects and designers wanting to take advantage of China’s emerging construction, many UK architects are looking east to find streets paved with gold. This programme seeks to give them the basics of how, or whether, to take the leap. The programme speaks to a number of architects about their anecdotes and advice about dealing with or moving to China.
Patterns of early Asian urbanism. Leiden, Netherlands, 11-13 November 2013
Posted on: 28 November 2013
By: mackene
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This conference brought together leading scholars from around the world to explore the theme of ‘Early Urbanism’ of pre-modern Asian cities within the much broader context of urban studies, ancient and modern. A book of abstracts is available online.
Local Climate Solutions for Africa Congress 2013. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 30 October – 1 November 2013
Posted on: 27 November 2013
By: mackene
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This event provided an opportunity to share global good practice and locally appropriate solutions and technologies towards accelerated climate action on the ground. A report and presentations are available online.
How to make planning law work for Africa
Posted on: 26 November 2013
By: mackene
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This paper argues that more progressive, realistic urban planning in Africa will require a radically different approach to planning law reform. This is essential for sustainable and equitable urban development in Africa.
Imagine society, build democracy. Rabat, 1-4 October 2013
Posted on: 22 November 2013
By: mackene
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This was the second World Summit of local and regional leaders, providing an opportunity for sharing and exchange between Africa and the rest of the world. Owing to the high tension of the current global context, marked by the economic crisis and the reduced resources at our disposal, we are pushed to imagine new ways to promote the development of our territories and ensure solidarity and sustainability. With this aim in mind, the Congress held debates on fostering wellbeing, managing diversity, solidarity between territories, and shaping the urban future. Documentation is available online.
Housing as a foundation for breaking the poverty cycle in Asia Pacific. Manila, 2-4 October 2013
Posted on: 22 November 2013
By: mackene
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The Asia-Pacific Housing Forum is a biennial conference organized by Habitat for Humanity International. The forum gathers public, private and people sector stakeholders engaged in seeking solutions to poverty housing issues. The Fourth Asia Pacific Housing Forum seeks to achieve the following objectives: Raise awareness in Asia-Pacific about the benefits and outcomes of providing housing to underprivileged families (housing is not just a roof, it breaks the poverty cycle); Collaborate with other likeminded partners to advance the cause of adequate, affordable housing; Showcase creative market approaches and innovative solutions that increase products, services & financing for affordable housing; Promote policies & systems that advance access to adequate, affordable housing. Presentations are available online. Click on link for “Speakers”.
Flood management and governance structure in Lagos, Nigeria
Posted on: 12 November 2013
By: mackene
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A new paper on flood risk management for Lagos, Nigeria recommends a significant push towards decentralised governance in order to respond to more frequent and extreme flood events. The paper, divided into seven parts recognises that strengthening urban governance structures is important in order to build the resilience of a city to environmental risk. It highlights the major flood occurrences around the world in the past 13 years, summarises the potential risks for countries in Sub Saharan Africa and gives specific examples from Lagos, Nigeria. It details the peculiarity of Lagos as a coastal city vulnerable to climate change and other environmental factors.
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