Namibia has been home to some of the world’s oldest ethnic groups since the dawn of civilization. One of these cultures is the Himba, often referred to as ‘the last true pastoral nomads’ of Africa. They are known for inhabiting the water scarce desert region of Kunene in Namibia for centuries. Now, various factors, including climate change and the absence of governmental support, are forcing the Himba population to decide which aspects of ‘modern’ culture to incorporate into their everyday lives.

After decades of declining rainfall and rising temperatures, drought and omakururukiro yokuti (over-utilized land and vegetation) are the reality. The Himba is therefore forced to rely on their nomadic origins for survival, and to travel southwards, ‘following the water’, to Windhoek which is the capital of Namibia. On arrival, they are confronted with inequality apparent in the African urban built environment and take part in the rapid urbanization of Windhoek. They settle in townships, in shacks, located on the outskirts of the city, where access to water and sanitation is limited. Due to landscape topology, climate change and other factors, the high possibility of flooding poses a new risk. Indeed a life-threatening choice: surviving drought in Kunene or surviving floods in Windhoek. ... Read more

This thesis project studies the possibilities of designing a new space for migrants to construct their diasporic identity in a post-colonial language. The thesis is situated in the context of the mass migration from Hong Kong from 2019, specifically looking at Reading in the UK as a key arrival location. The thesis explores the design hypothesis of the alimentary-spatio-identity triangle and proposes an "open kitchen" based on intervening into an abandoned English pub in Reading to afford a new space for strange encounters for the HK migrants to construct their new belonging. ... Read more

This project deals with the event of disaster; more specifically, the contamination and destruction by a wave of sediment of towns in the Iron Quadrangle and the Rio Doce valley after the rupture of a tailings dam on November 5, 2015, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Through the manipulation and questioning of concepts such as hauntology, ongoingness, contamination, co-constitution, purity and complexity drawn from several theoretical sources, this work proposes a life-affirming site for the circulation of materials, people and knowledge, against the threat of premature death posed by the extractive economy. ... Read more

Mumbai is one of India’s most heavily populated cities, ranking as the biggest metropolitan region in the country. As a result, a design for a new city called Navi Mumbai was presented in 1964. It was originally planned to further extend the urbanization of Mumbai to the mainland instead of any further northwards. This satellite town needed to decongest the population, absorb the migration from the countryside, reduce the concentration of economic activity on Bombay Island and lower the traffic congestions. Navi Mumbai was a city planned for the common man; with jobs and housing in different sectors.
But instead of becoming a city for the common man, Navi-Mumbai today is, as many cities of the so-called Global South, a place where social inequality is growing and housing becomes a commodity.
Housing is a primary human right, but for the urban poor it is a prerequisite of political and social citizenship. For them a house is not only for life alone, but a house is also a production and marketplace. So the project focuses on a better integration of the people from the lower income groups into the city’s urban fabric. So they have fuller access to wider social networks, a more dignified social role and a deeper source for accumulating information, credibility and dignity for the urban poor in public life as well.
Two World Merge is about two different scales. One being the unit scale, by combining economic and domestic activities within one housing unit to create healthier working and living conditions. The other is at the scale of the neighbourhood or city, by integrating the lower income groups with their home-based enterprises and businesses into the city. This economic integration of the lower-income groups will lead to an empowerment of their livelihood.
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The exponential population growth of Navi Mumbai and the Global South results in urgency for housing, quality of life and resources. Maker Housing proposes through architectural design and spatial organization an alternative mode of living in these unique urban contexts. Gaothans is a Marathi word which is derived from the words ‘Gaon’ (which means ‘village’). Many of these villages have become under threat from urbanization to cater to the over demand in population. The project aims to use vernacular construction materials and methods to promote sustainable architecture and traditional craftsmanship to reignite to usage of original techniques. Due to India’s colonial past many artisans abandoned their ancestral trade to find a more sustainable and stable income. This damaged the self-sufficient village economy and integrated poor infrastructure into village and slum communities in Navi Mumbai.

Maker Housing proposes a design toolkit aimed to accommodate all urban conditions of the village and surrounding area. By investigating craftsmanship in every scale from brick to urban the project allows for identity and collective memory of the village to not only thrive but also protect its future survival.
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India has a cultural acceptance of gender-based violence which leads to unsafe situations for women. The cycle of violence is an ongoing phenomenon that has not given much room for improvement or prevention. But when a woman does get a chance to escape, the possibilities of a better life are minimal. Navi Mumbai’s development has a tendency for social inequality, spatial injustice, and environmental degradation. The project provides solutions to the negative consequences of the social and historical background of the issue. Building New Cycles will be able to be used as a toolbox to repeat at multiple places in the city. The main goal is to change behavior through neighborhood designs as a social catalyst. A neighborhood development has been designed to provide safety and reintegration to mistreated women. Developing an understanding of a well-integrated urban neighborhood from the viewpoint of diverse income groups. It offers the possibility to navigate between shelter and contact, group activities, and exploration in its intricate urban environments. ... Read more

Ethiopia is a flourishing country with a rapidly growing economy and population. This is one of the reasons why the capital Addis Ababa is increasingly urbanizing. Due to the free market only providing housing for high incomes, many households live in poor conditions. In addition, these private developments are often built as gated communities out of fear of insecurity and resulting in segregation. This segregation is further enhanced by the government's Integrated Housing Development Program (IHDP), which realizes subsidized housing for middle and low incomes, but by doing so it also segregates these groups. While Addis Ababa has traditionally been an integrated city with an inclusive society, which is still of great importance for the living standard of especially low-income people. This research offers an alternative design for the current scheme of the IHDP and proposes a mixed-income neighborhood whereby stimulating mutual trust between residents through the built environment is central to the project. ... Read more

The prevailing matter of need for affordable housing in the time of rapid urbanisation and additionally, during the peak of the Anthropocene era, calls for new social, economic and environmental solutions to accommodate the rural-urban migration in Addis Ababa. As the city boundary of Addis Ababa is constantly expanding in the phase of its urbanisation, the farmland is compromised and taken over by new building developments. As a result, the local farmers are losing their livelihoods and are forced to move further out of the city. On the other hand, are the people residing in, often informal, neighbourhoods in the central parts being re-located to the condominium schemes in the outskirts of the city, which often results in interruptions and loss of social contexts and connections. In the time of a global extensive urbanisation and rapid rural-urban migration both around the world and within Ethiopia, the question is if we can re-connect people to their place and engage people with their environment as well as create space for traditional livelihoods and rural practices to take place in an urban environment. ... Read more

The research project deals with the negative results of the current affordable housing scheme (IHDP) in Addis Ababa, combining urban upgrading and densification strategies to re-imagine the future of these neighbourhoods. ... Read more

The following design hypothesis addresses the spatial dilemma between city development and lack of tenure security of informal housing dwellers with a special emphasis on improving the economy of both of the individual households as well as supporting the development of the city.

The goal of the research and the main goal for the design was to create a new urban paradigm of city development proving that resettlement of the informal households can be avoided and that maintaining the bond with the center is crucial for the livelihood of the communities.

The main challenge was to spatially combine both functions keeping in mind the inherent differences between them and exploring all the social implications, challenges and opportunities of the resulting mix. Important for the project was maintaining current income-generating activities (especially the close relation to the ground) and maintaining the social bonds between the slum dwellers.

The area of intervention is located in the Kazanchis area around the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa, which in recent years has gone through rapid urban development resulting in resettling 730 households outside the city center to make space for expensive multi-story offices and mixed buildings. Because of its prime location and direct proximity to informal settlements, further development is predicted to ensue. ... Read more

Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, is challenged by the phenomenon of rapidly growing urbanization. The city is targeted at the risk that fast-tracked urbanization will cause loss of existing habitats and socioeconomic qualities (Tesfaye, 2012). The initiated condominiums have caused a mismatch between the Architectural approach and the anthropological features, lifestyle and aspirations of the inhabitants themselves. This highly influences the quality of life in the urban context of Addis Ababa. The objective of this design project is to redress this mismatch and reflect on striking findings of the research that have been made throughout Ethiopia. By following the striking needs of Ethiopians, the goal of this design project is to realize a well-integrated design, which allows Ethiopian variety and differences of their lifestyle, aspirations, and needs. The report will communicate my vision for this project. A combination of sketches, short writings, flashes of Ethiopian inspiration and common interests argue the choices that have been made. It will lead you through the rural- and urban living all the way until the new proposed urban design project for Addis Ababa, a systematic approach that can adapt to cultural and lifestyle differences on various scales. ... Read more

The goal of the Global Housing graduation studio is to research and design housing solutions to improve the livelihood of Addis Ababa’s urban dwellers. Combining analysis, planning and design, the participants in this graduation studio are challenged to use multidisciplinary research methods and tools to elaborate design proposals for mass housing as mass welfare. The research outcomes and analytical output compiled in this book have been instrumental to support several dozens of reflexive and critical design proposals for adequate housing in Addis Ababa. More than just a compilation of material, we believe the work included in this book is also a contribution to help students, educators, practitioners and policymakers exploring and developing new standards for housing that respond to contemporary ideals of sustainability and inclusivity. ... Read more