Re-establishing the links - heritage at risk, community on the margins

Lamu Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, is one of the most enduring Swahili settlements on the East African coast. Rich in architectural, cultural, and maritime traditions, Lamu’s urban morphology has been shaped by centuries of co-existence with its natural and social environment. However, over the past two decades, Lamu has faced escalating pressures from unplanned urban growth, loss of public spaces, climate vulnerabilities, and dwindling local participation in heritage governance. 

At its core, the project posed the research question of how community participation can be strengthened through the critical adaptation of traditional Swahili building and craft practices—such as lime production, coconut fibre processing, and indigenous design motifs—to address contemporary socio-economic and environmental challenges, and what this reveals about the role of intangible heritage in shaping sustainable livelihoods and urban resilience in African contexts. 

The expansion of urban sprawl has led to the encroachment of open spaces once used for communal gatherings, trade, and cultural expression. Meanwhile, top-down planning processes have reinforced the perception that heritage belongs to institutions rather than the people. 

Many residents, particularly youth and women, have been marginalized from decisions affecting the spaces they inhabit and their cultural identity. As a result, a disconnect has emerged between the preservation of built heritage and the lived experiences of Lamu’s communities. 

These challenges have been compounded by limited tools for participatory planning and a lack of institutional capacity to integrate heritage into inclusive urban development frameworks. While numerous heritage safeguarding projects have been initiated in Lamu over the years, many failed to establish long-term community ownership or deliver tangible socio-economic benefits. 

In this context, the project Amu Fakhri Yangu– Kawanda la Ustawi (Swahili for “Lamu, My Pride – The Public Open Space of Wellbeing”) was conceived as a collaborative response to re-center local communities within the processes of heritage-based regeneration. The initiative brought together African Architecture Matters (AAMatters), the National Museums of Kenya (NMK), Lamu Museums, and the Lamu Heritage Site Community Organisation (LAHESCO), combining deep local knowledge with international support from the Creative Industries Fund NL. 

The project was directly inspired by UNESCO’s Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) Approach, which promotes an integrated and people-centered methodology for managing urban heritage in the context of broader development. It also built on AAMatters’ previous experiences in historic urban conservation across Swahili coastal settlements, applying lessons learned in similar socio-cultural and environmental contexts to Lamu’s unique challenges. 

The project set out to foster greater community awareness and active involvement in the socio-economic and cultural dimensions of Lamu’s heritage. Through a series of community workshops, skills training, public space upgrades, and knowledge-sharing exchanges between Kenya and the Netherlands, the initiative aimed to shift the narrative of heritage from static preservation to dynamic participation. Specifically, the project pursued four key objectives: To increase community awareness and engagement in the socio-economic benefits of heritage through inclusive and participatory approaches. 

To empower local stakeholders to explore methods, strategies, and technologies for building capacity in resilient heritage-led urban development. To enhance public spaces notably Mkunguni Square through community-driven interventions that improve quality of life. To develop a practical manual for the (re)activation of public open spaces using heritage as a driver, offering tools for community groups, educators, and urban planners. 

Participatory heritage for urban wellbeing

The Amu Fakhri Yangu project employed a community-centered methodology to promote urban heritage preservation in Lamu, focusing its activities on Mkunguni Square, a key public space accessible to all and which serves as the epicenter of the towns socio-cultural life.  This strategic approach, informed by the UNESCO Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach, used the Square as a lens through which to investigate Lamu’s urban heritage and the importance of public spaces. 

The Square functioned as both a case study for understanding urban heritage and as a ground for tangible improvements, realized through community consultations and the expertise of local craftsmen. Initial planning involved extensive online meetings and community consultations to identify local needs and opportunities. 

The consultations underscored a critical finding: crafts once central to local livelihoods—such as lime production and coconut rope making, formerly thriving along the Usita wa Kamba thoroughfare and other specialized town spaces—have largely disappeared since the 2000s, exemplifying the broader structural decline of Lamu’s traditional crafts industry and its socio-economic foundations.  The project leveraged key partnerships with local authorities, NGOs and business owners to maximize its impact and reach. 

A critical element was reviewing existing planning materials and previous heritage projects in Lamu to ensure alignment with ongoing initiatives. 

The implementation phase featured a mix of hands-on workshops, participatory heritage activities, and knowledge-sharing events, all designed to empower local communities and foster sustainable urban development.  These activities engaged a diverse group of men and women and included: 

• A Heritage Walk: Participants photographed elements of their surroundings they considered important, selected key images, and shared their perspectives in group discussions. Conservation Skills Workshops: A young men’s workshop focused on traditional shell-lime production, while a women’s workshop focused on coconut rope making. Both emphasized the socio-economic benefits of these traditional crafts and provided opportunities to collect valuable knowledge from experienced craftsmen. 

• Professional Workshops: Local authorities and professionals participated in workshops that shared case studies from heritage-related projects in Zanzibar and mapped opportunities and challenges for urban development in Lamu. These sessions also aimed to identify ongoing initiatives, stakeholders, and potential cross-activities, promoting collaboration and awareness. 

Throughout the project, the team developed a storyline for an exhibition on the Historic Urban Landscape of Mkunguni Square, and a manual for Activation of Public Open Spaces in Heritage Settings. 

Data and feedback gathered through participatory consultations, oral testimonies with local elders, and direct observation of traditional practices, which were then thematically analyzed to identify both the technical processes and their socio-economic implications. 

While this approach offered valuable qualitative insights and privileged community voices, its methodological limitations include a relatively small sample size, reliance on memory-based accounts, and the short-term nature of project activities, which may not fully capture the diversity or long-term dynamics of Lamu’s craft traditions.

Empowering communities through heritage-led urban transformation

Empowering Communities through Heritage-led Urban Transformation The project has had a tangible and lasting impact on Lamu Old Town, demonstrating how heritage can serve as a driver for inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban development.  By linking participatory heritage activities with local knowledge and cultural identity, the project significantly improved public space use, enhanced institutional capacity, and fostered a renewed sense of ownership and pride among Lamu residents. One of the project’s most visible achievements was the upgrading of Mkunguni Square, a central public space historically used for communal gatherings and civic expression.

Originally rehabilitated in 1986, the square had gradually deteriorated over time its stone benches were broken in places, worn out, and no longer inviting. Through the project, these previously neglected and degraded elements were restored using locally sourced materials, serving as a live demonstration for local artisans and youth to apply traditional techniques.

Through hands-on workshops and collaborative activities, the project improved technical and participatory skills among local stakeholders.  At least 150 residents, including artisans, youth, and women’s groups, took part in the workshops and low-tech heritage conservation techniques. 

This capacity-building helped bridge the gap between formal urban planning systems and local knowledge, enabling more effective community input into ongoing planning efforts such as the Lamu Island Urban Development Plan and the envisioned Urban Regeneration Accelerator project. 

Shifting perceptions: Heritage as a living resource

Perhaps one of the most profound shifts brought by the project was in the community’s perception of heritage. Traditionally seen as the domain of institutions like the National Museums of Kenya (NMK), heritage is now increasingly recognized by locals as a shared resource with social, cultural, and economic value. Participants in the community sessions expressed a growing belief in the potential of cultural spaces to foster livelihood opportunities and strengthen identity. In focus group discussions, youth and women described the initiative as “a turning point in feeling included” in how their town is shaped.

Institutional strengthening and professional exchange 

Beyond community engagement, the project also strengthened institutional capacity. Local institutions now have access to a manual for activating public spaces through heritage, a tool co-produced with community input and inspired by the UNESCO HUL Approach. 

This resource is already guiding similar initiatives in other parts of the town. Complementing the manual, the exhibition developed over the course of the project showcases the historic development, tangible and intangible elements of the Mkunguni Square.

Displayed at Lamu Fort, it continues to educate visitors and local schoolchildren about Lamu’s heritage. Together, the manual and the exhibition offer valuable learning materials about urban heritage and open spaces for a wide range of people. The Lamu experience demonstrates that urban well-being and heritage preservation can be strengthened when communities are actively engaged in innovative ways that build on their own traditions and cultural practices, offering a model that other African towns can replicate to foster inclusive participation, protect identity, and enhance the livability of their urban centers.

Participatory urban development and craft training foster heritage conservation in Lamu

The Amu Fakhri Yangu - Kawanda la Ustawi project successfully engaged the community in heritage preservation in Lamu through participatory urban development and capacity building in traditional crafts. 

Key outcomes included the creation of the Manual for the Activation of Public Spaces and a curated exhibition, both of which serve as lasting resources for future community involvement and heritage management. 

Continued support from the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) and the Lamu Heritage Site Community Organization (LAHESCO) suggests the project’s potential for long-term impact. Drawing from African Architecture Matters (AAM) extensive community mapping work in historic Swahili settlements like Zanzibar, the project incorporated participatory planning and inclusive design approaches. 

These methodologies proved valuable in Lamu and are relevant to similar conservation efforts in Bagamoyo (Tanzania) and Ilha de Moçambique. However, some limitations were noted. Despite the central location of Mkunguni Square, the project involved a limited number of participants.

The short-term nature of activities also highlighted the need for continued programming to maintain community interest and engagement. Additionally, while craftsmanship training provided valuable skills, it did not directly address the broader challenge of limited employment opportunities. For future initiatives, it is essential to prioritize ongoing engagement, continued skill development, and strategies that connect heritage preservation with broader economic empowerment in the community to build on the project’s success.

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