People: Co-creation of a sustainable system

People become co-creators with the city authorities of a safe, resilient, and sustainable community through their involvement in creating and maintaining these social spaces. The system takes into account people as custodians of the points and links and therefore ensures social inclusion since everyone is assigned a role to play. The system promotes the use of natural surveillance which keeps the neighbourhood safe and nurtures a sense of ownership within the community residents. The system provides a platform for collaboration between various stakeholders, the community, and authorities, hence empowering the residents. The improved transport and drainage infrastructure promote safe travel and mitigate flooding within the Informal settlement, hence building a more resilient community.

Place: Spatial quality and place making

The project seeks to redefine the identity of the neighbourhood. The bold and colorful designs of the pedestrian bridges, food market and train-stop which are a gateway into this neighbourhood greatly improve its aesthetics. The use of urban agriculture to transform streets from grey/cold spaces into green-social spaces and the addition of improved pedestrian walkways, jogging trails and seating areas enhance the pedestrians experience and create a unique sense of place. The project encourages the transformation of undeveloped land into open public spaces that accommodate informal economic activity. The cultural aspects of the neighbourhood are celebrated through the creation of the commercial street that hosts the popular bi-weekly market, capturing the character of the place.

Progress: A multiscalar system and a circular economy

The project concept is applicable on the neighbourhood planning scale and can be transferred to the metropolitan, regional and global scale. The links and points in the system can be scaled up from pedestrian walkways connecting community public spaces, to railway lines connecting public institutions in different cities. The concept is applicable both horizontally; in the physical spatial planning, and vertically; in the formulation of political and economic policies by the governing authorities. The system stimulates the creation of a circular economy and encourages innovation; for example, the Kasanvu Art Gallery where waste from the area is recycled into art. The improved transport infrastructure eases trade and the generation of synergies across sectors in different parts of the city.