In August of 2015 UJ Unit 2 arranged a field trip to Nairobi Kenya in order to take the students through an immersive process of engaging with another African city’s complexity of Agency in Architecture.
Unit 2 exploring downtown Nairobi
Students spent the first the day getting to know Nairobi city, followed by several project site visits hosted by various organisations across Nairobi.
Jack Makau of Muungano Trust, alongside various community leaders welcomed us to Nairobi
Muungano welcoming unit 2 to Nairobi
Market Visit
Muungano invited Unit 2 to visit their current enumeration of an informal market trading space that is being conducted in order to support traders in their efforts to gain government support for the development of their trading stalls.
Muungano Intern, Michele Vianollo explaining the enumeration process
Nakuru Visit
Muungano then took the Unit to visit the Nakuru saving groups, and showed the students thow the various savings groups build their own neighborhoods and houses.
Railway Relocation Project Visit
Muungano has been overseeing the relocation of Kibera residents around the railway lines for the last 10 years, this project is nearing completion and students were shown around the recently completed houses.
Railway Relocation Project
Joe Addo Discussion
By chance, Joe Addo of ArchiAfrika was hosting a design charette with the Techical Universtiy of Kenya, and offered the Unit his time to discuss the role of Architecture in Africa.
Joe Addo discussing the future of African architects with Unit 2
UN Habitat Visit
The UN Habitat offered Unit 2 to visit it’s headquarters and presented various projects in regard to Agency and Architecture for the students.
Unit 2 students at the UN Habitat Headquarters
Kibera Soweto East Visit
Brian Osandwa of UN Habitat arranged for the Unit to visit the Kibera Soweto East Computer & Health Centre where the students were shown the advanced development and health programmes being employed in Kibera.
Kibera Soweto East health centre doctors explaining how the international diagnosis system works
Unit 2 students visiting the Kenyan government housing project in Kibera
Final Work Presentation
The Students were tasked with finding a way to communicate the intangible nature of agency in architecture of the visited projects and present this back to our Nairobi hosts for feedback.
Michele Vianello & Jack Makau of Muungano with Brian Osandwa critiquing the student work
Baraka Mwau discussing the nature of Nairobi spatial politics
The students managed to squeeze in a small adventure on their final day in Nairobi, and visited the Naivasha Lake district where they cycled around the Hells Gate National Park before heading home to South Africa.
Unit 2 departing from the airport for South Africa
