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African Cities Magazine is a publication focused on urban innovation, culture, and development across African cities, showcasing architecture, sustainability, and social trends shaping the continent's rapidly growing urban landscapes. African Cities Magazine Welcome to our magazine, dedicated to addressing the critical issues related to the development of cities in Africa. It spotlights the dynamic evolution of urban spaces across Africa, highlighting innovations in sustainable development. The magazine serves as a platform for showcasing transformative projects and cultural narratives that shape the continent’s rapidly growing cities. It covers topics like smart city initiatives, environmental sustainability, urban planning, and economic development, providing insights into the challenges and opportunities unique to African urbanism. African Cities Magazine 6 This sixth edition explore how endogenous approaches can shape the future of African cities by reconciling forms, functions, and everyday uses. Dedicated to public spaces, it brings together reflections, research, and creative experiments that reveal how African urbanism thrives through local knowledge, collective practices, and cultural vitality. From Douala to Dakar, Cape Town, Bukavu, and Antananarivo, contributors explore how communities, planners, and artists co-create inclusive, resilient, and identity-driven spaces. By showcasing projects rooted in experience and innovation, this edition challenges presents African cities, as dynamic, inventive, and deeply human territories of transformation. Read more African Cities Magazine 5 The fifth edition explores the power of digital innovation, community engagement, and sustainable design in Africa's urban development. The Special Feature highlights AI’s potential to address urban challenges. Urban Planning Innovation emphasizes community-driven projects, including Senegal’s Urban Renewal Fund and Nigeria’s Abuja Urban Lab, promoting collaborative waste solutions. Architecture Innovation showcases eco-friendly designs using local materials, while African Architecture and Urban Heritage spotlights heritage preservation, emphasizing Africa’s cultural richness and historical depth. The Cities, Pixels, and Colors section highlights the unique challenges and roles of intermediate cities in West Africa. Read more African Cities Magazine 4 This Edition 4 focuses on urban mobility, an essential aspect of Africa's rapidly evolving cities. It examines electric mobility, digital public transport planning, and infrastructure for cycling and walking, presenting them as pillars of sustainable urban mobility. Interviews with experts reveal the potential for electric transport and digital tools in creating accessible, environmentally friendly transit systems. This edition also highlights Madagascar's innovations in urban mobility and profiles artists contributing to Africa’s urban aesthetic through murals and public art. Featuring reflections on African architecture and heritage, this edition illustrates how technological advancements and cultural identity converge in modern African cities Read more African Cities Magazine 3 In this Edition 3, the African Cities Magazine explores financing sustainable urban development, with insights from Jean-François Habeau of the Global Fund for Cities Development (FMDV). This edition spotlights innovative projects emphasizing participation and collective action, demonstrating how collaboration can enhance urban resilience. Through profiles of key figures like Aziza Chaouni, the magazine highlights how professionals are pushing boundaries in urban design. The issue also covers significant urban planning events across Africa, shedding light on best practices and inspiring young Africans to engage in sustainable urbanism. This edition aims to connect funding strategies with impactful urban projects that promote inclusive growth and sustainability. Read more African Cities Magazine 2 This issue centers on architecture education, urban resilience, and smart city initiatives, offering a deep dive into the educational approaches driving urban transformation in Africa. It opens with a special feature on the role of architecture and urban planning in fostering inclusive development. In-depth interviews with leading architects and urban planners reveal visions for the future of African cities, where public spaces, resilient infrastructure, and socio-economic inclusion are prioritized. This edition also examines how cultural and religious heritage influence architecture and urban planning, aiming to balance modern needs with traditional values. By incorporating diverse perspectives, this edition underscores Africa’s innovative potential in redefining urban landscapes. Read more African Cities Magazine 1 The first issue of African Cities Magazine dives into how innovative solutions are shaping resilient, sustainable cities across Africa. This edition covers a range of projects focused on urban planning, architecture, and design, introducing practitioners and innovators making strides in African urban development. A special emphasis is placed on the adaptability and resourcefulness of African cities, showcasing efforts to meet local challenges while promoting inclusivity and environmental stewardship. The edition also celebrates Africa’s cultural richness, highlighting urban diversity and envisioning a future of vibrant, adaptable cities that reflect the unique identity of the continent. Read more

Discover a diverse range of talks and events on cities in Africa. Stay informed about the latest happenings and engage with thought-provoking content. Talks and events World cities day talk 2024 Rethinking urban development through transport and inclusive mobility Read More World cities day talk 2022 Exploring New Approaches for Inclusive African Cities Read More African Cities Lab Summit 2023 Deployment of digital technologies in African cities: emerging issues and policy recommendations for local governments Read More

This is a series of video podcasts that address the main key themes in building more inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities in Africa. Videos Podcast This is a series of video podcasts that address the main key themes in building more inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities in Africa. The themes addressed are various and include the place of secondary cities, economic models for more sustainable and resilient cities, the place of education and cultural identities, the role of technology and innovation, etc. The format is a short video published each month. Les enjeux de la promotion immobilière au Cameroun Financement, Foncier et Fiscalité sont pour lui au cœur de la production de logement au Cameroun Read More Comment combler le déficit de logement au Cameroun Résorber l'habitat informel par la restructuration-rénovation urbaine et création de nouvelles zones d’habitation Read More Vers une Modernisation Participative: Défis et Aspirations de la Commune de Bakel El Hadji Diouf de Bakel évoque la participation citoyenne, défis en eau et assainissement, et vise la modernisation de sa ville. Read More Les approches gouvernementales de résorption de l’habitat précaire au Cameroun Stratégie nationale de prévention et d’amélioration des bidonvilles au Cameroun Read More Réinventer les villes Sénégalaises au carrefour de l'urbanisme inclusif et des opportunités économiques Alé Badara SY promeut l'urbanisation adaptative au Sénégal, intégrant la communauté pour transformer les défis climatiques en opportunités économiques et créer des villes inclusives et durables. Read More Décentralisation et gouvernance locle au centre du développement de la ville de Bakel Dr. Abdou Azis discute de la nécessité d'actualiser l'urbanisation et de renforcer l'autonomie économique des communes pour le développement local, en mettant l'accent sur l'intercommunalité. Read More La place des matériaux locaux dans la production de logements abordables Enjeu des matériaux locaux pour le logement abordable Read More Kaédi face aux défis : Entre inondations et développement durable" Découvrons les défis de Kaédi, ville intermédiaire de Mauritanie, en compagnie d'Abou Cisse, premier adjoint au Maire. Explorerons son artisanat textile, les enjeux climatiques des inondations, les initiatives de la Mairie et la participation citoyenne. Read More Innovation et Tradition : La Vision Africaine de Taman Mhoumadi pour le Climat Taman Mouhadi, consultante et artiste, souligne l'importance de solutions locales et l'engagement de la jeunesse africaine face aux enjeux climatiques urgents. Read More Défis urbains en Mauritanie : urbanisation rapide et adaptation au changement climatique Dr. Issagha Diaganaexpose les défis du développement urbain en Mauritanie et l'importance de solutions innovantes face aux contraintes de ressources. Read More Capitaliser sur l'économie informelle pour un développement urbain durable en Afrique Luc Gnacadja, expert en développement urbain, met en avant le potentiel de l'économie informelle dans les villes africaines pour favoriser leur développement durable. Read More Urbanisation en Afrique: Défis et solutions Philippe Heinrigs aborde les défis de l'urbanisation en Afrique et les solutions potentielles. Read More

Stay updated with the latest news and breaking stories. Discover a curated list of news articles covering a wide range of topics on our website. Latest News Jun 24, 2024 Nouvelle série de vidéos documentaires sur la question du logement au Cameroun Cette série aborde l'état actuel du marché, les défis de la pénurie de logements et les initiatives mises en place pour y remédier Read More Mar 6, 2024 Launch of the African Cities Magazine 5 Join us as we embark on this journey to uncover the transformative potential of digital technologies in shaping the future of African cities Read More Feb 26, 2024 Les lauréats du concours "visions urbaines africaines" de l'African Cities Lab sont connus Le webinaire, construire un nouveau paradigme autour des villes africaines, était l’occasion de révéler les grands gagnants du concours de photographie et de vidéo organisé par l'African Cities Lab. Read More Dec 18, 2023 Magazine des Villes Africaines éditions 4 La quatrième édition du African Cities Magazine est désormais en ligne en français et en anglais. Plongez dans l’univers de la mobilité urbaine, découvrez des idées inspirantes et terminez votre voyage avec une touche de couleurs. Read More Dec 18, 2023 "African Urban Visions" Contest Capture the best of urban innovation and transformation at the very heart of your city, through the prism of a photograph or short video. Read More Nov 24, 2023 AIN au forum, quelles trajectoires pour les villes du fleuve Sénégal ? Africa Innovation Network est ravi de participer au forum organisé par Le Grdr et ses partenaires sur les trajectoires des villes du fleuve Sénégal. Read More Nov 9, 2023 World Cities Day Talk edition 4 On November 9, 2023, the prestigious K Hotel in Douala was the vibrant scene of the fourth edition of the captivating World Cities Day Talk. Read More Read More

African Cities Insights is your go-to resource for understanding the latest trends and developments in urban studies in Africa. Our series features interviews with leading experts, innovative projects that are transforming cities, and thought-provoking think pieces that challenge conventional wisdom. We are committed to promoting inclusive and sustainable urban development across the continent. African Cities Insights African Cities Insights is your go-to resource for understanding the latest trends and developments in urban studies in Africa. Our series features interviews with leading experts, innovative projects that are transforming cities, and thought-provoking think pieces that challenge conventional wisdom. We are committed to promoting inclusive and sustainable urban development across the continent. Filter by Category Select Category African Architecture and Urban Heritage Revitalizing Heritage: Strengthening Community Engagement through the Amu Fakhri Yangu - Kawanda la Ustawi Project Participatory design and traditional knowledge for sustainable urban heritage development Urban Planning Innovation La Pépinière urbaine d’Antananarivo: concevoir des aménagements de proximité avec les habitant.e.s Des approches participatives et expérimentales pour transformer durablement la fabrique des villes Gearing Up & Mainstreaming Public Space: The City of Cape Town’s Quality Public Places Programme Promoting accessibility, support microeconomic opportunities and positive sense of place Architecture Innovation Habitat semi-durable pour personnes déplacées internes Construction en sac de terre et de pierre African Architecture and Urban Heritage The implication of post-colonial urban growth in the development process of Zaria Urban area-Nigeria Contemporary urban expansion with the structured foundation of modern town planning established during the colonial period Urban Planning Innovation Improving urban water services in Rundu, Namibia with the Digital Job Card Enhance service delivery and water loss management by enabling accurate data collection, streamlined database integration, and real-time performance monitoring Urban Planning Innovation In Cape Town, South Africa, road and pedestrian safety remains a critical urban challenge Vibrant, colourful artwork that draws attention to the pedestrian crossing and adds joy to space. Interview Pan-African Architecture Biennale 2026 Interview with Omar Degan the curator of this inaugural edition and the founder of the Pan African Biennale as organization Cities Pixels and Colors Bakel et Kaédi: Des villes intermédiaires en première ligne des enjeux du développement urbain Focus sur Bakel et Kaédi dans la moyenne vallée du fleuve Sénégal. Architecture Innovation La ventilation naturelle : une arme invisible, mais tellement efficace ! Une alternative aux climatiseurs énergivores et mal intégrés African Architecture and Urban Heritage Learning from green African building Exploring the richness of sustainable construction in sub-Saharan Africa and creating a network of engaged actors and institutions. Urban Planning Innovation Une confédération d’habitants pour renforcer le pouvoir d’agir dans les quartiers vulnérables en Afrique de l’Ouest Pour le droit au logement et à un cadre de vie décent résilient face au changement climatique African Architecture and Urban Heritage Digitizing Aguda/Afro Brazilian architecture heritage of Porto-Novo Benin through LIDAR scanning & social participation Digital tools and local engagement to document and preserve endangered heritage sites in Porto-Novo, Benin. Urban Planning Innovation Abuja Urban Lab: collective action as a catalyst for transforming waste governance The Urban Lab facilitates collaborative solutions that incorporate local knowledge and innovative practices. Architecture Innovation A New Shift In Affordable Housing In Africa Local solutions for for sustainable urban development Urban Planning Innovation L’utilisation de l’outil numérique, pour des projets de développement plus justes en Afrique Comment les outils digitaux mobiles et en ligne nous aident à produire des données et à déterminer des dédommagements plus justes Architecture Innovation Start Somewhere: Urban Upgrading Through Innovative Architecture And Community Empowerment This method significantly reduces both construction time and material costs, enabling even unskilled community members to participate in building projects. Urban Planning Innovation La cartographie sensible, un outil puissant de participation citoyenne - récit d'un cours à l'EAMAU La création de médias permettant de restituer l'expérience du territoire Urban Planning Innovation Leveraging digital technologies for mapping deprived areas in eThekwini, South Africa Building & Establishment Automated Mapper, a machine learning tool for mapping informal structures African Architecture and Urban Heritage African Pre-colonial City-States: Why we need to look back to move forward African urban centers were dynamic, complex, diverse, and adapted to each era with different socioeconomic features and governance models. Urban Planning Innovation Le fonds rotatif : un outil communautaire de cofinancement pour le développement des villes Un mécanisme qui permet aux populations vulnérables de bénéficier de prêts pour la réhabilitation de leurs logements et de co-financer des aménagements urbains Architecture Innovation Digital Tools In Architecture: Opportunities For Afrocentric Architecture Discover how Afrocentric architecture is redefining African cities by blending cultural heritage, sustainability, and cutting-edge technologies Interview Une nouvelle vision du développement urbain au Sénégal à travers la ville intelligente Entretien avec Diop Dieynaba, Directrice du programme Ville Intelligente de Diamniadio Urban Planning Innovation Geo Sanitation - INSTAMAP: A geoportal to facilitate decision-making on urban water management in Antananarivo, Madagascar The platform aims to improve coordination, streamline project development, and reduce costs by replacing physical documents with digital versions Interview Combler la fracture numérique et autonomiser les jeunes au Niger Entretien avec Issaka Maman Lourwana, fondateur de Digital Niger Urban Planning Innovation A Sustainable and Resilient Urban Transformation in Africa: The Dakar REVE Project, Leveraging IMM Diagnostics The IMM urban diagnosis as a promising tool to address African cities's challenges and improve the sustainability and resilience of urban systems Interview The potential of Artificial Intelligence for Africa Interview with Rachel Adams PhD, the Founder and CEO of the Global Center on AI Governance Urban Planning Innovation Exploiter l'Internet des objets pour améliorer la qualité de l'air urbain à Douala Cameroun Des opportunités uniques pour surveiller la qualité de l'air en temps réel et en détail à l'échelle d'une ville dense et étendue comme Douala Interview A vision built from earth Portrait of Nzinga Biegueng Mboup, Architect and cofounder of Worofila Cities Pixels and Colors CPDI Africa EXPO 2022: Workshop & Excursion Develop and preserve African architectural languages, that are culturally and environmentally sustainable Urban Planning Innovation Faire la ville ensemble : co-construire la ville africaine par l'apprentissage Soutenir les acteurs de la ville dans la prise de conscience des changements de paradigme nécessaires Urban Planning Innovation Repenser Conakry à travers le prisme de la mobilité urbaine durable Une approche holistique et centrée sur les personnes en matière de mobilité urbaine peut aider à déclencher un modèle de développement urbain agile et inclusif pour Conakry. Architecture Innovation Les jardins de Ben M'sik : construits par la communauté, pour la communauté Des logements sociaux à Casablanca alliant accessibilité, durabilité et intégration communautaire. Urban Planning Innovation La géopolitique de la gouvernance urbaine – une approche innovante pour coproduire des connaissances Un réseau dense et multi-échelle d'acteurs, d'initiatives, de relations et de compétitions qui constituent et caractérisent la gouvernance urbaine Urban Planning Innovation Urban-Rural linkages at the center of urban policy agenda in Africa Leaving no space behind: strengthening urban-rural Linkages Interview Portrait d'une des architectes les plus inspirantes du Maroc: Aziza CHAOUNI Architecte principale chez Aziza Chaouni Projects et Professeure associée à l'Université de Toronto African Architecture and Urban Heritage What would the architecture of African cities look like without western influence? Reimagine an Africa built with a strong sense of heritage, with the aim of evoking emotions and a sense of joy Urban Planning Innovation Un (re)développement urbain accéléré pour des lieux habitables the Urban Fabric Initiative Expérimenter, promouvoir et développer des approches et des outils inclusifs, participatifs et agiles pour améliorer la qualité et l'appropriation locale des projets urbains. African Architecture and Urban Heritage Cameroon museums: The language of symbols for cosmo-architecture Cultural and tourist development of the territory through buildings and places imbued with an «African» scenography Interview Interview with Hayatte Ndiaye, President of the national order of architects of Chad Financing the urbanization of cities is crucial, as it promotes local economies, supports industrialization, and creates jobs locally Architecture Innovation Startup lions campus Innovative architecture to respond to the challenge of youth unemployment Cities Pixels and Colors The heritage wall Benin Connect every African to their culture and identity, and promote the importance of connecting with their heritage. Architecture Innovation Rural lessons for the city of the future an architect’s perspective Combining the rural and urban can create more liveable modern cities and attractive rural communities for future generations African Architecture and Urban Heritage Influence of religion and beliefs in architecture Religion and beliefs have shaped African societies, influencing the construction of monuments Architecture Innovation Innovation at the service of community projects in Africa Africa's architecture blends ancient traditions with sustainable designs, addressing community needs. Interview Education in architecture, planning and design in Africa: Challenges and vision for more sustainable and resilient African cities Architectural education in Africa needs a paradigm shift, integrating local social, cultural, and environmental considerations. Urban Planning Innovation Comment les drones facilitent l’obtention de titres fonciers en RDC Kasangulu, en RDC, utilise des drones pour les droits fonciers, l'autonomisation des femmes et la modernisation de la gestion foncière. African Architecture and Urban Heritage Talensi traditional houses in Ghana Talensi traditional houses in Ghana exemplify indigenous culture, social cohesion, and sustainable, low-cost construction using local materials. Urban Planning Innovation Innovative partnerships for inclusive mobility UN-Habitat partners with startups to innovate in e-mobility, advancing sustainable cities and gender-inclusive employment. Urban Planning Innovation The Pedestrian's Plight: Walking as an inconvenient mobility option in Abuja Abuja's car-centric design and policies hinder pedestrian mobility, especially for marginalized groups, necessitating prioritized mixed land use, enhanced streetscapes, and pedestrian-friendly policies. Urban Planning Innovation Reaping the Urban Dividend: Sustainable and Safe Urban Mobility in Africa Reclaiming Streets for Pedestrians and Cyclists in Africa to reduce road fatalities among vulnerable road users. Cities Pixels and Colors Urbanisme tactique : les artefacts urbains comme vecteur de mobilité durable pour une meilleure qualité de l’air dans la ville de Yaoundé Les artefacts urbains inspirés des symboles locaux pour favoriser la mobilité douce au Cameroun African Architecture and Urban Heritage Le Burkina Faso, une référence en matière d'architecture africaine authentique L'architecture africaine inspirante du Burkina Faso entre préservation de l'identité et modernité African Architecture and Urban Heritage Les territoires post-miniers Marocains : L'héritage minier de Jerada comme outil de régénération urbaine Jerada, ville post-minière marocaine, lutte pour éviter le déclin en explorant des stratégies intégrées de reconversion urbaine. Urban Planning Innovation Projet de Développement Urbain Intégré et de Résilience du Grand Antananarivo : Des impacts durables sur la capitale de Madagascar Le PRODUIR vise à améliorer les conditions de vie des personnes les plus vulnérables des zones régulièrement inondées d’Antananarivo Interview On the Move: How Local Startups Are Redefining Urban Mobility in Africa Interview with Judith ADEM, consultant smart and electric mobility at UN-Habitat Urban Planning Innovation L’African Cities Lab : une plateforme de cours en ligne au service de la transformation urbaine en Afrique Une plateforme révolutionnaire en éducation numérique pour façonner un développement urbain durable en Afrique. Interview Pedaling for Change: Cycling as a Catalyst for Sustainable Urban Mobility in Africa Interview with Cyprine Odada, Executive Director of Critical Mass Nairobi Interview Abidjan: Repenser la mobilité par la planification, l’inclusion et le dialogue Entretien avec Charlène Kouassi Directrice de Movin’On LAB Afrique Interview Le numérique: un terreau fertile à labourer pour la transformation durable de la mobilité Interview avec Antoine Chèvre Spécialiste Senior en Transport Cities Pixels and Colors When art comes to town: The murals that cover African cities African cities are experiencing a mural renaissance, with large-scale artworks revitalizing urban spaces, depicting culture, addressing issues, and fostering pride and unity among communities. Interview Interview with Mariam Issoufou Kamara: Founder and principal Architect at atelier masōmī In this interview, Mariam Kamara discusses her journey from software engineering to architecture, emphasizing the multidimensional impact of architecture on our environment and perception. Interview Charging Ahead: Africa's Bright Future in Electric Mobility Interview with Ariadne Baskin Sustainable Mobility Project Manager

Africityshoot is a collection of photos of African cities to share the warmth, beauty, energy and vibrancy of cities on the continent. Discover the dynamics at work in African cities through unique shots of different cities taken by actors committed to the sustainable transformation of the continent's territories. Africityshoot Africityshoot is a collection of photos of African cities to share the warmth, beauty, energy and vibrancy of cities on the continent. Discover the dynamics at work in African cities through unique shots of different cities taken by actors committed to the sustainable transformation of the continent's territories. These images are to be used for non-commercial purposes.

< Back Education in architecture, planning and design in Africa: Challenges and vision for more sustainable and resilient African cities Architectural education in Africa needs a shift. This involves integrating local social, cultural, and environmental considerations. The current Western-centric curricula are critiqued and a more holistic approach is advocated. Interviews with academics and researchers highlight the gap between traditional grid-pattern city planning and the actual needs of African communities. The importance of community engagement and understanding local contexts is stressed. Students are encouraged to explore African architectural heritage, engage with diverse perspectives, and adopt bottom-up approaches. This will help graduates build sustainable and resilient cities that address the unique challenges and opportunities in African urban environments. MARK OLWENY, Architect, Educator, Senior Lecturer in Architecture, School of Architecture and the Built Environment, University of Lincoln, Research Associate Professor, Faculty of the Built Environment, Uganda Martyrs University. Experienced Senior Architect with a demonstrated history of working in developing countries. Skilled in Environmental Design, Sustainable Architecture, Urban Design and Architectural Education. Strong administrator, Doctorate in Philosophy (PhD) focused in Architecture from Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd. I believe a new direction for architecture and planning education should begin with a more holistic approach Unfortunately, architectural and planning curricula on the continent are still largely based on the western approach. Thus, much of what is taught and what is considered important in the curricula comes from outside rather than within the continent. Moreover, if you look at some of the old schools that came into being around independence in Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, and more recently in Zimbabwe, etc., their objectives have been to train people to produce buildings that celebrate the aspirations of these independent states. The result is seen in the architecture and layout of our cities where what is perceived to be a ‘good city’ is one that is planned in a grid pattern, with streets primarily for cars, which has absolutely nothing to do with how people actually use space in the African context. Consider the fact that most people don’t drive. For them, to get from A to B the distance should be as short as possible. I don’t need space for four or at times six cars, I need comfortable space for people to walk. So if we start thinking about people first, the way our spaces are designed and laid out will be very different. But a lot of the current approaches to architecture and planning are car oriented despite only 5% of people using cities actually drives. So once we adopt this idea of planning from a physical entity, we automatically exclude people. But when you look at it from a people’s perspective, one of the things you don’t do in planning is produce a map. In South Sudan, there have been a series of proposals for Juba that are in the shape of animals. Although these may seem appropriate on a plan, this ignores the reality that these are not visible or apparent for the users as people experience urban spaces when they are within them, and not from the sky. Some schools, and mainly the newer ones, manage to break away from this paradigm. But most of them still remain in this way of thinking where man is put aside in architectural and urban designs. This is also the case in private schools that do not find it lucrative to detach themselves from the classical teaching methods. Personally, I believe a new direction for architecture and planning education should begin with a more holistic approach, one that compels students to appreciate specific social, cultural and environmental issues. Here education could take a leaf from landscape architecture education. Landscape architecture education and the profession engage with social and cultural issues in ways that architecture and planning do not. Landscape architecture asks questions, like, what is the meaning of a place? Why do people do it this way? How can we make it work? Rather than saying, well, this looks horrible, let’s just tear it down or start from scratch. Juba city Southern Sudan, Photo source: Google earth “We need to adapt the teaching to the local context. It may not produce the high architecture that we see in the world, but it will meet the local needs..” I will focus on the case of Anglophone Africa, on architectural education specifically and address three aspects: how were the schools of architecture created, who teaches in them and what were their objectives? There are parallels with planning, which I will include when I can. As far as their creation is concerned, by far the majority of architecture schools came into existence just after independence (outside South Africa, these are Ahmadu Bello University, University of Nairobi and University of Khartoum). While the initial goal was to provide skilled labour to replace expatriate staff, the desire by the newly independent states to showcase their aspirations, and demonstrate their position internationally, it was not long before educational endeavours were steered toward fulfilling these objectives, geared toward national prestige through iconic - an ideological imperative. Now, for the teachers in these schools. Initially, it was necessary to rely on foreign staff, for a number of reasons, but primarily the schools were following an international curriculum that needed staff that could deliver it satisfactorily. These instructors largely came from Western Europe (generally former colonisers countries), as well as the Soviet Union, the United States and to a lesser extent India). . While this has served to allow the development of divergent currents of thought, there has been little in-depth interrogation of the appropriateness of these curricula and pedagogical approaches. The most obvious example I can cite here are many history and theory courses, which still rely heavily on a chronological approach heavily biased toward European architectural and planning endeavours. You have to ask yourself, is the knowledge content, and approaches to architecture and urbanism we teach fit for-purpose? and in many cases the answer is no. There is a need for us to scrutinise what we teach and how we teach it. What exactly are we doing? What is the purpose of architecture and planning education now? Do we want to produce replicas of cities and buildings in Europe and North America? Or do we want to help improve the conditions of people?The situation on the ground and the needs are completely different. We need to adapt the teaching to the local context. It may not produce the ‘high’ architecture, but it will meet the local needs. Uganda for example is a very hilly country. But many plans (both planning and architectural) ignore this fact. Why does this happen? In some aspects the training is not context specific; it seems to reinforce the notion that the site (and people) should adapt to suit the designs, and not the other way around. So we need to do better than that and think, how do we compel the next generation of urban planners and architects to be cognisant of and respond to the local situation, understanding that and work with it as a basis for developing appropriate spaces that work for people. When you look at, for example, the most common building typology in Uganda today, it is the same as that designed during colonial times for single men. These «boys’ quarters» because at that time in many parts of Africa, there was a need for workers, usually young men who came to town to work, and were granted temporary residency. To prevent them bringing their families, they were provided with minimal accommodation with small rooms that barely accommodated one person, with shared toilet facilities, and no kitchens... Now more than 60 years after independence, we still build the same way. So if after all these years and all the architects and urban planners trained, why is it that there has not been any change? I believe this is because as architects and planners we have failed to impact on the general population, and continue to train subsequent generations to ignore the needs of the majority. Uganda-Development Photo source: Wikimedio commons “Students are unfortunately taught to prepare to make the next tallest building, rather than getting them to understand the sense of the place…” The way architecture and urban planning training is delivered on the continent has indeed an impact on African cities. On the positive side it can create functional spaces where people have decent environments to live, work and recreate. But on the negative side, I think things are often done out of context. Take housing for example, this is often developed and planned in isolation of socio-economic realities, an approach that reduces the question of ‘low-income’ housing to the provision of the proverbial four walls and a roof. Consequently, we often see such housing developed far away from the centre of cities. These are a distance away from economic and employment opportunities - the reason people migrated to the cities’ areas in the first place. Oddly enough, this was a problem that was seen in the US, UK and Australia during the 1960s, so why are we building the same mistakes in 2020? We have to rethink our approach, taking note that some of what is still taught is obsolete, and in many cases was not actually based on the realities experienced within the context within which it is taught. Back to the housing question, the lack of housing and the burgeoning slums, squatter and informal settlements close to the city centres are a result of a larger question. It comes to human dignity and the value of humanity. By paying a salary that is barely enough to live on, workers are compelled to seek the most convenient accommodation as close to their place of work as is practically possible. No one wants to spend all their salary and time commuting. So as we can see, architecture and planning is not just about physical infrastructure, it is much wider. These are the links that are often not presented as part of the educational process, which often exists in silos. Many countries in Africa are characterized by their macrocephaly. In Uganda, for example, as soon as you leave Kampala, there is literally nothing going on in the small towns. Some time ago there was not even a supermarket outside Kampala. Everything happened in the capital. Now, with decentralization, things could be better, but it is important to provide the secondary towns and the countryside with adequate facilities and infrastructure to limit the pressure on the big urban centers and to strengthen the links between the cities and the countryside. Currently, getting a national identity card, or a driving licence requires a trip to the capital Kampala. This is not at all practical, neither is it contributing to the idea of decentralisation. Now, in terms of education, I prefer to use education, rather than training as I believe education is a core element of higher university education. While there are elements of training within architecture and planning education, it is important that students acknowledge that their role goes beyond merely fulfilling narrowly defined objectives of individual projects, to include an appreciation of the consequences of these actions. If you look at Zanzibar, the old city - Stone Town, is among the most visited places in Tanzania. This is not because it has new glass and steel clad buildings or wide multilane roads. It is because it is at a human scale in a number of ways. It is a pedestrian environment with narrow streets, but with spaces where people can sit and talk. The soul of the community keeps it alive. The street itself is a channel of information. And that information can travel long distances because every time you walk down the street, greet people, stop, talk to them they will tell you a story. So it’s strange that we assumed that cities should be so new and glitzy. And that’s what students are unfortunately taught, to prepare to make the next tallest building, rather than getting them to understand that the way people use spaces and how they engage with the environment, is what makes the difference. Photo by Javi Lorbada on Unsplash “Adapted curricula to build more inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities in Africa…” The starting point would be thinking about the people, their climatic, cultural, social context, etc. If you start from the climate for example, the solution in Botswana can certainly not be the same solution that you have in Uganda or, in South Sudan, because these are very different situations and climates. We teach students about what is happening in the rest of the world, but very little about what is happening in the local areas. There is limited literature on the architecture of African context, so we need to write and tell the stories of and from Africa, while criticizing the things that don’t work. We are often reluctant to criticize things, just because somebody put a lot of money into it, whether it works or not. Unless we start having deep, meaningful, frank discussions about our context, we’re going to continually go down a path that doesn’t help us to build sustainably and resiliently. When you look at many urban centers across much of sub-Saharan Africa, we find an informal sector that is actually larger than the formal sector. The people who work in this grey economy are rarely if ever included in design discourse, effectively marginalised from what is perceived to be a desired future. Without an appreciation of their needs, this marginalization is set to continue with these issues brought into the mainstream of teaching and practice. In the university I work with in Uganda, the Uganda Martyrs University, we are taking students out of the classroom, to talk to the communities. For example right now, a student is working to understand how people live and how they engage in their daily activities. This bottom up approach is critical in ensuring any proposals are embedded within the community, and not cosmetic. One of the things I think is also important is to take some of the architecture schools out of the major urban areas, figuratively and practically, to get a feel for the communities and their needs. When you look at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, the Copperbelt University in Zambia, and the University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe, these are all located in secondary cities, and where the first architecture schools in these three countries were situated. This deliberate move ensures that the link between education and the lived experiences of a large proportion of the population could be better addressed. This was also the rationale for the location of the architecture school at the Uganda Martyrs University at the university’s main campus at Nkozi.. This certainly has a big impact on the shape of the education and the students that go there. So, it’s about basic things like understanding what our needs are, beyond just shelter from the elements? How do we make our urban centers work better for people? How do we make them work better in the context? Should we continue building wider roads, yet the real need is for more and efficient public transport networks? Uganda Martyrs University “Make friends, talk to people who come from different backgrounds, who have different life experiences, and travel as much as possible…” I think the very first piece of advice I would give is to be open to learning. Be open to new ideas and to constantly question preconceived ideas you may have. Beyond that, you have to understand that whatever education you get, whether it’s architecture, landscape architecture, or urban planning, it’s only education to help you start your career, it’s not the end of your education, which should continue throughout your life. This is what differentiates training from education. I also believe that students should try as much as possible to draw on their own experiences, and understand that their experience is just an individual experience, in the midst of millions of other people’s experiences. To be able to design for other people, it is important to understand and appreciate why we do things a particular way, and that this is not how millions of other people do it (for a host of different reasons). Often, I think we approach things from the perspective that our experience is the only valid one, and presume other people’s experiences and views are equal to ours. This is a consequence of the socialization process of education. For many students their experiences are narrowly defined, limiting their exposure to the diversity of experiences of others. A poingient expression of this can be found in Musa Okwonga’s memoir, ‘One of Them’. The outcomes of educational systems that derive students from a narrow group of students cannot truly address the issues of broader society. Indeed even today, some schools of architecture have intakes comprising students from a handful of secondary schools, it would be impossible for this group of students to appreciate the value of different opinions as they have never really been exposed to difference. And so my advice in this context is to make friends outside of that very narrow circle. Talk to people who come from different backgrounds, who have different life experiences, if possible, travel as much as possible whether it’s inside or outside your region or country. Many students and even professionals do not know the richness of their own country in terms of architectural and urban heritage. Knowing one’s history, heritage and environment can contribute to a better understanding of place, and space. We had great cities in Africa 300 or 400 years ago. You have Benin City in Nigeria, you have Congo City in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have Great Zimbabwe, and Bigo in Uganda ... so there are great cities that exist that we don’t hear about. Taking an interest in and learning about these early endeavours would greatly contribute to design explorations, not only in terms of form and materials, but also in terms of our ideation. Those are the key lessons I would like some people to understand. A drawing by a British officer representing the city of Benin before its destruction by the British army in 1897, wikimedia PHILIPPA NYAKATO TUMUBWEINEE, Architects; Senior lecturer and Head of School at Architecture Planning and Geomatics, University of Cape Town. She was awarded her PhD at the School of Higher Education Studies, University of the Free State. Tumubweinee’s commitment to architectural education has developed through her involvement as an external examiner for MProf and BHons students in Architecture at the University of Pretoria and Namibia University of Science and Technology “School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics” The current School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics (APG) at University of Cape Town (UCT) is the result of two mergers. The first merger took place in 1985 between the then School of Architecture and the Department of City and Regional Planning, and the second merger took place in 2002 between the School of Architecture and Planning and the Department of Geomatics. The School’s primary purpose is to produce professionals who can deal competently and creatively with the development and conservation of the built and natural environment by imagining alternative, more just and inclusive urban futures. The School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics (APG) has a current enrolment of 667 students, 227 are registered for postgraduate degrees; of these 22 students are registered for PhDs. APG offers programmes which lead to the following qualifications: Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS); Bachelor of Science in Geomatics; Bachelor of Architectural Studies (Honours); Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Geographical Information Systems; Bachelor of City Planning (Honours); Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Honours); Master of Architecture (Professional); Master of City and Regional Planning; Master of Landscape Architecture; Master of Urban Design; Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Conservation of the Built Environment; Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Southern Urbanism; and Opportunities to study for research-based MPhils and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. APG is located within the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (EBE). Professor Alison Lewis (from the Department of Chemical Engineering) was elected as the Dean of the Faculty in 2015, and she remains in the position. All Departments and Schools within EBE offer degrees accredited by professional councils/ institutes. Processes of accreditation are recognised and supported in the Faculty and the University. EBE comprises five Departments (Construction Economics and Management; Civil Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; and Electrical Engineering) and one School (the School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics). In accordance with 2021 data, EBE has an enrolment of 4,452 students, of whom 1,116 are registered for postgraduate qualifications and 262 are PhD students. EBE comprises 429 academic staff and 173 professional, administrative and support staff. The Faculty has 20 active research groups, 7 SARChI chairs, 58 NRF rated staff and R220 million in research income. The undergraduate Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) Programme within the School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics (APG) provides a foundational design-oriented education from which streaming can occur into a range of postgraduate degree programmes, including the Bachelor of Architectural Studies (Honours), the Bachelor of City Planning (Honours) (linked to the Masters of City and Regional Planning) and the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Honours) (linked to the Masters of Landscape Architecture). These Honours level qualifications allow students to apply for the one-year Master of Urban Design (MUD) degree, a one-year MPhil specialising in the Conservation of the Built Environment and a research-based MPhil. APG also offers opportunities to register for a PhD. Furthermore, the African Centre for Cities (ACC) facilitates a coursework and dissertation MPhil on Southern Urbanism and some of these students take electives in the Planning Honours Programme. A planning stream was introduced into the undergraduate Geomatics Programme cluster in 2004. Several degree programmes in the School are recognised by professional Councils. The Masters of Architecture (Prof) degree is recognised by the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP). In addition to SACPLAN accreditation, the Planning Programme is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) ( http://www.rtpi.org.uk/ ). The combined Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Honours) and Masters of Landscape Architecture Programme is accredited by the South African Council for the Landscape Architectural Profession (SACLAP). The MPhils are non-professional and non-accredited research degrees. “The way we educate our urban professionals on the wider continent and in South Africa is being challenged” This is not because what we teach is not good, it is because it has become increasingly difficult, within a set and structured curriculum, to address the constantly shifting dynamic nature of the urban environments we live in. Within this changing context we, as urban professionals, find ourselves confronted with how to advance appropriate theories and practices to develop a holistic understanding of the urban environment across multiple and growing disciplines and interests. This difficulty is evident in the schism between what is needed and what is done. It translates as a break between how we as academic institutions develop and train the next generation of urban professionals and the realities of the multiplicity of fundamental tools and tactics that are required to develop and implement policies and governance systems that effectively deliver for people. In part the schism stems from theories and practices that are borrowed from other times, other places and other cultures. As institutions we repackage and retrofit these theories and practices without always addressing the underlying complexities of our urban complexities and place-based realties. This calls for a “rogue” approach in the way that we train urban professionals who can contribute meaningfully in African urban environments and respond to, address and embrace a continually shifting context. This approach to training urban professionals could develop a form of urbanism that consolidates political, social, cultural and economic capital with the natural & built environment in order to bring together a conceptualisation of place and people as part of a complex world. “Rather than provide a clear ‘vision of African cities of tomorrow’, it is vital that academic institutions together with other urban professionals and civil society collectively experiment and speculate as to what an African city should look like…” The African urban terrain is complex, and because it is complex questions of sustainability, resilience, and technological development in any African city can only be speculative. This provides fertile ground from which urban professionals, and the institutions in which they are trained, can explore and experiment with alternate realities and solutions to address a variety of underlying concerns. These include climate change and resilience, significant socio-spatial inequality and poverty (tied often to colonial spatial planning), and a significant demographic youth bulge in African cities. Rather than provide a clear ‘vision’, it is vital that academic institutions together with other urban professionals and civil society collectively experiment and speculate as to what an African city should look like. For if we cannot creatively conceive of it within the specificities and peculiarities of our context, we cannot build it. In APG we aim to develop urban professionals across all programmes who can radically reshape the urban environment at all levels. This extends to, but is not limited to: 1) how we can creatively plan, design and develop our cities, towns and their neighbourhoods; 2) how we can creatively integrate combined thinking across the broadest range of disciplines involved in the urban environment – physical, socio-cultural, economic, public health, food, governance etc; 3) how can we creatively lead and manage policies and planning in the system at all levels of civil society and government. MANLIO MICHIELETTO, Dean of the School of Architecture and Built Environment (SABE) at the College of Science and Technology (CST) University of Rwanda (UR ). Manlio Michieletto is an Italian Architect graduated in 2007 from the IUAV University of Venice,and earned a PhD in Architectural Composition in 2010 from the IUAV School of Doctorate. After different academic and professional experiences in Europe (Italy and Germany) and Africa (Burkina Faso andD. R. Congo), he has since 2016 became the dean of SABE. “School of Architecture and Built Environment (SABE)..” The School of Architecture and Built Environment (SABE) started in 2009 as a faculty of architecture in the former Kigali Institute of Technology. In 2014, the government decided to unify all scattered institutes in one unique public university that is called University of Rwanda, and the Faculty of architecture became the School of Architecture and Built Environment. SABE is one of the five schools comprising the College of Science and Technology that is one of the nine colleges of the University of Rwanda. SABE is in a very inspiring compound designed by the French architect Patrick Schweitzer and our students have the opportunity to be trained in this amazing architectural artifact. The building’s aim is to be intended as an open book for students through the utilisation of different materials, construction techniques, details etc. Furthermore, it’s a passive building with no use of mechanical installation. SABE has around 1000 students and four departments (Department of Architecture, Department of construction management, Department of estate management and valuation, and the Department of geography and urban planning). These are for undergraduate programs, but we also have a post graduate program in MSc IN GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE FOR ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT and we are working with partners from Europe to set up a master in architecture that will start in 2023. These programs are supervised by around 40 staff members, including junior staff, senior staff, Professor, associate professor, senior lecturer, lecturer, assistant lecturer and tutorial assistant. School of Architecture and Built Environment, Photo source SABE “We have to significantly improve the offer in terms of education to give to young people the chance to study and be actors of changes in their communities and countries…” I do think the way education in architecture and planning is made have an impact on african cities now and in the future. However, to have a positive impact, it is fundamental to establish more schools or faculties of architecture and urban studies in Africa. We can not have or continue to have countries with just one Institute or School of Architecture, urban planning, etc. To meet African cities’ challenges and turn them into opportunities, we must increase the education offered in Architecture, urban planning, and other urban studies not just in quantity, but also in quality. So, when we talk about the impact, we have first to significantly improve the offer in terms of education to give to young people the chance to study and be actors of changes in their communities and countries. African cities are a bit wider as a concept, so we cannot compare Ouagadougou with Lagos or Lome with Kinshasa, etc. I think for training in architecture in Africa, the undergraduate students have to be trained as any other students over the world, then, specialize themself through for example, postgraduate programs on the local context. At SABE, we try to introduce in the existing curricula the analysis and the study of the local context, to train students able -after an undergraduate degree, to appropriately manage a project in the local context. African cities are very different in shape, in size, etc. So, African students have to learn critical methods that enable them to have a holistic overview of the context. They have to be able to build a critical point of view, train their eyes to understand the context, identify problems and find the appropriate solutions. “At SABE there is a constant relationship between teaching activities and local context…” Lectures are normally based on tropical architecture and urban design, that means the architecture adapted to the local environment and context. We also teach students history of architecture and theory of architecture including the relationship between the city, and the built environment. So students move from universal theories of architecture and urban planning to theories of African cities, from tropical villages to African architecture. We also use resources to equip our students with theoretical and practical knowledge like books on African cities, UN-Habitat rules and principles, and the Green Council buildings rules that the Rwandan government established for the construction of green buildings in Rwanda. So, for us at SABE there is a constant relationship between teaching activities and local context. For example, in the Department of Geography, urban planning, students always have practical workshops on the local context, with the local community involved, population, local stakeholders etc. We also have summer workshops that are targeting real issues or challenges in kigali to not only have students adapted to the local context, but also to the local market. Furthermore, during their training, our students have to do professional internships for the fourth and fifth year. All these help them to be adapted to market needs. We have been asked by our university to move to a problem based learning teaching system, which means that all our modules, especially for assessment and final examination, have to be based on problem based learning or a challenge driven education. So we have the theoretical part of the module, and then a practical one based on a real problem that students may identify in their context. The students work in groups to propose a solution to a real problem, starting from problem identification to an adapted solution. “I see the future of African cities in the past…” First of all, we have to be conscious of our past. The African city is rich in history and heritage that have shaped its evolution over time. This ancestral African city has always been smart and sustainable. It is therefore important to go back to this history and heritage to build the African city and not to import models from elsewhere. The second important thing in this context of rapid growth and urbanization is to train local actors who understand the context. It is a question of training city actors (architects, urban planners, designers, etc.) at the local level with local knowledge and know-how because they know their history, they have grown up in these cities and are the best able to understand the problems and to provide solutions. Another fundamental aspect to take into account for the African sustainable city is the political will. We can see that the great cities throughout the world were mostly built by political vision. Therefore, in Africa, it is important that the leaders draw a shared vision of the sustainable city and take the necessary means to achieve the objectives of the sustainable city. “Be committed and passionate about what they are doing…” My advice for young students is to really be committed and passionate about what they are doing, because it is the only way to achieve good results, in all aspects of their life. MOUSSA DEMBELE, Malian Architect graduated in architecture from Xinghua University in China. He worked as an architect for 4 years in Singapore, then obtained his doctorate from the Kyoto Institute of Technology in Japan. After teaching for several years in Japan and China, he opened an architectural office in Mali before being appointed in 2015 as the General Manager of EAMAU. “Tell us about the African School of Architecture and Urbanism…” The African School of Architecture and Urban Planning (EAMAU) is an inter-state institution that brings together 8 countries of the UEMOA (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo) and the 6 countries of the CEMAC (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Chad). It was created under the will of the heads of state in order to train young people to face the urbanization of African cities in 1975. In view of the challenges facing African cities in terms of urbanization, it can be said that this vision of member states through EAMAU is more than salutary in order to meet the challenges posed by the rapid urban growth of the continent by training local actors on urban issues. To this end, EAMAU trains architects, urban planners, and urban managers through Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral training cycles. The training courses are both theoretical and practical and lead the learners to the professional-grade after 5 years of study. The training method equips them with tools that enable them to practice the profession in an operational manner in different African countries, particularly with field training courses throughout the training program. African School of Architecture and Urbanism, Photo by G2L-PHOTOGRAPHY “It is crucial to train professionals capable of facing the challenges of the continent in terms of urban development…” With more than 1400 high-level graduates, who continue to shape the political, economic, and cultural landscape in African countries, EAMAU is an institution that is constantly adapting to best meet the challenges of the continent. Indeed, we have moved from the great canons of education in architecture and urban planning to the Bachelor’s Degree Master’s Doctorate (LMD) system in 2010. In addition, the diplomas of EAMAU have been accredited by the African and Malagasy Council for Education (CAMES), and our institution has been for the occasion retained as a reference school for the training of architects and urbanists. It is, therefore, necessary to adapt constantly to produce professionals capable of facing the challenges of the continent in terms of urban development. As we can see, the continent is experiencing rapid urban growth, and many factors are influencing this growth, so it must be directed and controlled so that cities are spaces of well-being, inclusion, social peace, economic prosperity, and offer a healthy and preserved living environment. This is why we put a particular emphasis on providing our learners with key and contextual tools through our training to achieve these objectives. “Train professionals able to respond to global issues…” EAMAU today has a scope that extends beyond the member countries by training actors from the whole continent and the rest of the world. This is how we keep an open mind on the world, by adapting and innovating, to train professionals able to respond to global issues related to digital development, climate issues, environmental protection, etc. However, we make it a point to ensure that our students have this understanding, the very expression and specificity of Africa in the training. It is in this context that our students do fieldwork each year to diagnose problems in African cities, and these problems are transcribed into concrete and local solutions through projects. Thus, the projects proposed by the students are the result of a concrete and pragmatic approach to research in order to respond specifically to the challenges of African cities. The teaching methods within our institution converge towards excellence through the international character of the students, the transversality of the teachings, and the projects that are developed by the learners. This is so that the school is at the service of the States for the development of our countries. It is in this context that we develop training that can lead to projects that will allow States to modernize their development and economic take-off. We have introduced in this context a very important phase which is research. Today no institution, no field can develop without research and in our context this research component allows us to address in-depth the issue of African architectural and urban heritage. Africa is endowed with an immense heritage that can be considered open-air museums. The question is what can we draw from this heritage to build more sustainable and resilient cities? It is with a view to answering these questions that we are developing the research aspect in order to effectively produce reflections that contribute to setting up human settlements adapted to the African context. For the history of cities and civilizations millennia African abounds in examples in terms of sustainability, and resilience through the use of local materials, functional organization of spaces, waste management, environmental preservation, etc. The approach here is through research to draw from this rich heritage to develop modern solutions adapted to the social, cultural, economic, and geographical context of our cities. “Students and young professionals across the continent have the mission of build more sustainable and resilient cities in Africa…” We think that the objective for graduates should not only be to work in architecture or urban planning agencies, but to get involved in the high levels of administration, banking institutions, international organizations because they have the resources to do so. It is for them to be a force of proposal, not to evolve in a vacuum, to inform themselves, to travel to build more sustainable and resilient cities in Africa. Previous Next

< Back La cartographie sensible, un outil puissant de participation citoyenne - récit d'un cours à l'EAMAU Quentin Lefèvre Si les projets de smart cities techno-centrés sont moins d'actualité dans l'agenda mondial, l'urbanisme est une discipline née au XXème siècle qui gagne à se réinventer en prenant plus en compte les besoins et envies réelles des habitant.e.s des territoires concernés. Les villes africaines caractérisées par leurs fortes croissances urbaines plus ou moins planifiées, peuvent mettre à profit l'intelligence et l'expertise d'usage de leurs habitants et promouvoir une action publique harmonieuse et efficiente. La clé pour ce faire réside justement dans une connaissance fine du terrain, des pratiques et surtout des représentations mentales des usagers de la ville concernée puisque ce sont bien les représentations qui guident l'action des uns et des autres. C'est là qu'intervient la cartographie sensible, un outil puissant qui donne la parole aux habitant.e.s pour mieux connaître leurs attachements, ce qui est important pour eux et finalement la valeur qu'ils donnent aux éléments constituant leur milieu de vie. La cartographie sensible améliore la prise de décision urbaine en intégrant les perceptions et les émotions des habitants dans les processus de planification de la ville. L'action publique moderne est souvent guidée par une approche technicienne, quantitative et parfois hors-sol, il peut être utile de revenir à une approche plus participative et centrée sur les usages, perceptions et représentations des personnes concernées. Ainsi, que ce soit à l'échelle d'un bâtiment, d'un quartier ou d'une mégalopole, les décideurs peuvent choisir de prendre des décisions basées sur les ressentis et les idées de leurs administrés. En complément des diagnostics techniques traditionnels, la cartographie sensible propose une nouvelle approche de la participation citoyenne. Il s'agit de prendre en compte et de documenter l'espace urbain tel qu'il est vécu et perçu par ses habitants ou usagers. Cet outil innovant et efficace se développe sur tous les continents depuis plusieurs années et rejoint les pratiques avancées de participation citoyenne, de community empowerment et plus largement d'urbanisme communautaire ou culturel. La cartographie sensible (aussi appelée cartographie subjective) se définit comme "la création de médias permettant de restituer l'expérience du territoire", c'est à dire que ce n'est pas tant l'espace physique qui va nous intéresser en tant que tel mais bien le ressenti, les émotions, les représentations et finalement la valeur que gens accordent aux lieux qu'ils pratiquent ou connaissent. Carte sensible participative du quartier Saint-Jacques à Besançon, Q. LEFEVRE, 2021 Par exemple, une communauté locale peut accorder une grande importante à élément vivant (un arbre par exemple) qui ne pourrait être décelée à la simple la lecture dans un bureau d'un plan technique de la ville. Comment procéder ? Pour savoir ce que les gens pensent (et veulent), le mieux est encore de leur demander. Ainsi dans un premier temps il s'agit de récolter les données pendant une phase de terrain pouvant aller d'une semaine à plusieurs mois. Pendant cette immersion, l'équipe projet va s'entretenir avec les parties prenantes (habitants, experts, élus), soit de manière spontanée en faisant des entretiens au hasard des rencontres dans la rue, les marchés, les commerces, soit de manière plus organisés d'ateliers dédiés. Il est important de veiller à la représentativité des personnes qui seront interrogées, donc à la diversité du panel, que ce soit en termes d'âge (les enfants ou les anciens n'auront pas la même perception de la ville), de genre (femmes et hommes ne vivent pas l'espace public de la même manière), de classes sociales ou de communautés. A l'inverse, il est aussi possible de choisir de se focaliser sur des groupes plus vulnérables (par exemple les femmes, les enfants, les personnes âgées ou en situation de handicap), afin d'envisager des politiques publiques spécifiques.Les questions qui peuvent être posées aux habitants sont par exemple : "Quels sont les repères de la ville (ou du quartier) d'après vous ?", "Quels sont les lieux que vous aimez, et pourquoi ?", "Quels sont les lieux que vous n'aimez pas, et pourquoi ?", ou encore "Qu'est ce qui constitue le patrimoine de la ville d'après vous ?"... Des outils numériques peuvent être utilisés pour la récolte des données, que ce soit via des applications dédiées ou simplement des questionnaires en ligne. Pour la mise en forme des données, le numérique peut aussi être utilisé par exemple pour créer des cartes interactives enrichies de médias (par exemple des photos ou des textes générés par les habitant.e.s). Maquette montrant les lieux repères (en bleu) aimés (en orange) mal-aimés (en rose) et considérés comme patrimoniaux par les habitant.e.s (en vert) Néanmoins une attention particulière devra être portée à l'accessibilité de tels outils. A la suite de cette phase de terrain, les données récoltées seront mises au propre, ordonnées et traitées statistiquement puis analysées avant d'être mise en forme de diverses manières possibles, que ce soit sous forme de cartes sensibles, de maquettes ou encore de formats audio type podcasts. Les cartes sensibles produites peuvent être imprimées et distribuées aux communautés locales et aux personnes qui ont participé aux ateliers. Elles vont alimenter un diagnostic sensible (complémentaire d'un diagnostic technique) qui aidera les urbanistes, les architectes et les élus à mieux comprendre comment la population vit et ressent la ville. Un atelier de cartographie sensible et communautaire à l'EAMAU de Lomé a permis aux étudiants d’exprimer et d’analyser leurs perceptions des espaces urbains. Au mois de janvier 2024, nous sommes intervenus auprès des étudiants en Master 1 à l'Ecole Africaine des Métiers de l'Architecture et de l'Urbanisme (EAMAU) de Lomé, lors d'un cours-atelier sur la cartographie sensible du territoire. Dans un premiers temps, la notion a été discutée, de manière théorique et pratique, illustrées par une présentation de cas d'étude déjà réalisés. L'intérêt des étudiants pour une telle pratique était manifeste, et elle rejoignait la manière de faire et de penser enseignée à l'école. Présentation de la carte sensible participative de la ville d_Abibjan EAMAU 2024 A la suite de cette discussion les étudiants ont pu s'initier à la cartographie sensible lors d'un atelier de pratique. Comme l'école accueille des étudiants venant de toute la sous-région, les élèves ont pu être regroupés par nationalités et travailler sur une ville de leur choix de leur pays d'origine. Ainsi, nous avons eu des cartes d'Abidjan, Bamako, Bangui, Lomé, Ouagadougou, Yamoussoukro et Yaoundé. S'agissant ici d'un travail en salle, les étudiants ont travaillé sur leur propre perception de la ville concernée. Dans un premier temps il ont dessiné (à la main sur une grande feuille blanche) la structure de la ville concernée (routes, places, ponts, parcs...) puis le travail de cartographie sensible a commencé en inventoriant et en localisant sur la carte 1/ les repères de la ville 2/ les lieux aimés 3/ les lieux mal-aimés 4/ le patrimoine de la ville. Concernant les lieux aimés ou mal-aimés, il est intéressant de noter que souvent, la perception de certains quartiers varie en fonction du niveau de fréquentation et de connaissance de celui-ci. Ainsi il est arrivé à plusieurs reprises qu'un même quartier soit aimé par une étudiante et mal-aimé par un autre membre du groupe car celui-ci le connaissait moins bien. Enfin les groupes ont présenté leurs productions à l'ensemble de la classe et des enseignants présents. Comme souvent lors de cet exercice la motivation et l'envie était forte car il est finalement assez rare (même pour des étudiants en urbanisme ou en architecture) de pouvoir légitimement partager son ressenti et sa perception de l'espace urbain. Il paraît important que les futurs techniciens, professionnels, experts et peut-être fonctionnaires et décideurs de collectivités locales sachent comment faire pour récolter et organiser les données relatives aux perceptions des habitants car avant d'être un objet d'étude intellectuel, la ville est avant tout un espace vécu avec son corps et ses sens. A l'heure de la (re)valorisation du patrimoine culturel des sociétés et villes africaines, l'approche participative promue par la cartographie sensible semble d'autant plus intéressante et porteuse d'un potentiel d'émancipation et de renouvellement des représentations de soi et de son territoire de vie. Previous Next

< Back African Pre-colonial City-States: Why we need to look back to move forward Heba Elhanafy The African cities we live in today are a result of many years of development, progress, and sometimes distortions. They are a product of colonial powers, poor policies, and ill-capacitated institutions. However, African cities are also shaped by people, cultures, and traditions. The stories of African cities are as old as Africans and their civilizations. For a long time, literature on African cities has concentrated on the post-colonial and colonial periods. It has deprived the world of essential knowledge and understanding of African cities. The lack of research on pre-colonial African cities has created a blind spot in understanding the intricate organizational and governance structure. Those structures resulted in cities that were trade, learning, and culture centers. They had sophisticated urban planning and impressive architecture. Those stories are often overlooked, while the stories of how things went wrong in African cities are frequently highlighted. City-states rose in both West and East Africa. Some evolved into great empires like the Ashanti Empire in West Africa, some controlled trade routes like Zanzibar and Kilwa, and others managed to maintain their anonymity under strong empires like Lagos under the Benin Empire. They also emerged for different reasons. While fertile land and iron mining attracted people to Kano, it was the Indian Ocean trade that shaped most of the East African city-states. Food surplus that was sold and taxed helped form Lagos. While every city-state had its own economic and governance models, which helped in the evolution of those cities, they all have a shared legacy of being indigenous creations sustained by trade, urban agriculture, and a strong connection with rural villages. Those African urban centers were dynamic, complex, diverse, and adapted to each era with different socioeconomic features and governance models. Pre-colonial African City-States were complex, sustainable, and diverse in their structures. City-states in pre-colonial Africa were quite diverse in their formation For instance, cities like Timbuktu and Gao in the Mali Empire grew to serve Saharan trade routes. Timbuktu was divided into different quarters, each serving distinct functions such as trade, education, and residential purposes. The city often established and maintained public routes that facilitated the movement of traders and goods and encouraged more trade. Similarly, the Hausa city-states, such as Kano and Katsina, featured fortified walls and gates, which provided security and controlled access to the city. They included specialized zones for craft production, trade, and residential quarters. Some of those specialized divisions can be seen to this day. On the Swahili east coast, city-states like Kilwa and Mombasa were built with narrow, winding streets that helped to mitigate the coastal heat. Large public spaces and markets facilitated social interaction and trade. The cities used local coral stones in their construction, forming durable and beautiful architectural designs. City growth responded to various purposes: trade, defense, and governance. It reflected a high degree of social and economic organization. Pre-colonial African City-States were centers of trade and economic hubs. Pre-colonial African city-states were vibrant economic hubs. They were often located along trade routes Their location facilitated the exchange of goods, and trade. Cities like Timbuktu and Gao were located along the trans-Saharan trade route. They connected West Africa with North Africa and the Mediterranean. Tax money went into building institutions, mosques, and libraries. The Swahili city-states played a major part in the Indian Ocean trading network. They traded ivory, gold, spices, fabrics, and even slaves. For example, Zanzibar and Kilwa controlled trade between the interior of Africa and the other parts of the Indian Ocean basin. These city-states also did business with Persia, India, China, and the Arabian Peninsula. Immigrants from the Arab Peninsula and Persian merchants went to those cities, thus creating a mixture of cultures between them and native people, leading to the development of the unique Swahili culture. View of Benin City as depicted in the 17th century publication by the Dutch writer Olfert Dapper (2020 © Trustees of the British Museum) Pre-colonial city-states were independent and sovereign Pre-colonial African city-states exhibited a diversity of governance structures. Authorities often governed on the city level, not the nation or the kingdom level. For example, the Yoruba city-states of Ife and Oyo in present-day Nigeria were ruled by their own Oba (king). The Oba governed with the support of councils of chiefs and other titled officials, each responsible for specific administrative functions such as finance, justice, and defense. Government officials collected taxes, regulated trade, and kept security. The Swahili city-states along the East African coast were governed by sultans or sheiks who controlled trade monopolies and diplomatic relations. While the governance systems varied across the city-states, they all maintained independence, were well-governed, and were well-supported by these local indigenous governing structures. Pre-colonial African urban settlements have a long and proud past; some still maintain some pre-colonial structures and organizational patterns till this day A number of those city-states, such as Benin City and Kumasi, were destroyed or absorbed by colonization, but many managed to survive. Lagos survived and expanded and is now the largest city in Africa. Some governance structures managed to survive as well. For example, many Nigerian cities still retain their monarchical rulership in addition to democratically elected leaders. Lagos still recognizes the «Oba» (king) as a monarchical ruler. Benin also has an «Oba», Kano has an «Emir», and Sokoto has a «Sultan». Some of the elements of pre-colonial economies can also be seen in former city-states like the Kurmi Market in Kano. If we skip forward to 2024, the state of African cities is deteriorating. Seventy percent of cities are informal, with limited water, sanitation, and electricity access. While, in general, cities have better access to labor markets than rural areas, most jobs remain unproductive, and wages remain insufficient to meet basic living standards. So, how did African cities go from independent, self-sufficient, and productive cities to the cities we have now? Yes, you guessed it right. European civilization uprooted our urban development progress. European colonization was a shock to African systems in general, but it was even a greater shock to our governance and urban systems. New cities, such as Nairobi and Lusaka, were built from the ground up to serve the newly incoming white population. Those cities were designed around segregation (e.g., till 1947, the native population in Lusaka could not access cities without special passports/ permits). They were also designed around control; colonial governments often took seats in major cities, and those cities were entirely under the control of national-level colonial governments. Colonialism also brought a set of building and design regulations, often copied from European laws. The cities were governed, occupied, and designed for European settler populations. Post-colonial leadership did not change much to the governance systems of African cities. In the fifties and sixties, national governments started gaining independence. Native populations flooded the city, searching for better work opportunities and access to services. But colonial approaches towards cities haven’t changed. The newly rising African elite replaced the white settlers. The poor remained in compounds and increased many folds on top of that. The laws remained unchanged; building regulations and impossible permits kept most newcomers from entering the formal market. Most importantly, in an attempt for the newly found independent national governments to form a tighter grip on their countries, they tightened the grip on cities, and local municipalities remained underfunded and incapacitated. As they stand, African cities need significant policy changes to transform into sustainable, productive human settlements. They also need infrastructure, jobs, and capacity building. The needs of African cities are covered well in all the literature, the press releases, the political statements, and the meetings. The United Nations (UN) projects that the world’s urban population will increase by over 2 billion people by 2050. 90% of Urbanization will happen in African and Asian Cities There are tons of new cities in Africa to absorb that urban growth in conception or under construction. Those projects often lack the knowledge of how our cities used to work. They also lack the idea of what our cities can be like.The best way to move forward is by looking at the past and realizing how sustainable, pragmatic, productive, and independent pre-colonial city-states were. If there is a clear lesson from reading into the history of these city-states, it is how a certain level of autonomy over the economics and governance gave room for them to rise and be self-sustaining. View of Benin City as depicted in the 17th century publication by the Dutch writer Olfert Dapper (2020 © Trustees of the British Museum) Previous Next

Alé Badara SY promeut l'urbanisation adaptative au Sénégal, intégrant la communauté pour transformer les défis climatiques en opportunités économiques et créer des villes inclusives et durables. < Back Réinventer les villes Sénégalaises au carrefour de l'urbanisme inclusif et des opportunités économiques Alé Badara SY Alé Badara SY, expert en urbanisme et président d'un club de réflexion urbaine, souligne l'importance de s'adapter aux réalités territoriales au Sénégal pour répondre aux défis d'urbanisation, de changement climatique, et de logement. Il identifie la nécessité de projets d'infrastructure adaptatifs, un accès équitable au logement et renforce le leadership et la capacité de planification des acteurs locaux. Alé plaide pour une approche inclusive qui transforme les défis climatiques en opportunités économiques, insistant sur l'implication des communautés, en particulier des femmes et des jeunes, dans les processus de planification urbaine pour créer des villes durables et vivables.

< Back African Cities Lab Summit 2023 Workshop May 23, 2024 Marrakech, Morocco Deployment of digital technologies in African cities: emerging issues and policy recommendations for local governments The African Cities Lab Summit 2023 was co-organized by the African Cities Lab, the Center of Urban Systems at Mohammed 6 Polytechnic University in Morocco, and Sèmè City in Cotonou in May 2023. This initiative aimed to create a truly collective, international, and intergenerational platform, connected and open to the world, where all stakeholders in urban development could reflect on digital and smart cities as new models for African cities. The discussions addressed topics such as data governance, data-driven urban planning, and the impact of datafication on citizens’ quality of life. Within Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Ben-Guerir, AIN conducted a workshop on the challenges of governance in African cities in the digital age. The objective was to explore the implications of the digital transition of African cities and to formulate recommendations for local governments. The discussions highlighted mechanisms to mitigate the negative effects of emerging technologies. Three main challenges were identified: the digital divide, risks related to personal data, and algorithmic biases, thus emphasizing the inequalities and concerns related to citizen protection in this context. The African Cities Lab Summit 2023 provided an innovative platform exploring the crucial role of data in urban development in Africa. By fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors, this summit contributed to defining innovative strategies to harness the potential of data and catalyze positive transformation in African cities. Following this event, a scientific article titled «Digital Revolution in African Cities: Exploring Governance Mechanisms to Mitigate Societal Impacts» was written and published. Read the full paper here Previous Next

Foumban is a city located in the west region of Cameroon, with a population of 83,522. It is a major town for the Bamoun people and is home to a museum of traditional arts and culture. This series presents some shots of this museum as well as the urban landscape of the city. Foumban-Cameroon Foumban is a city located in the west region of Cameroon, with a population of 83,522. It is a major town for the Bamoun people and is home to a museum of traditional arts and culture. This series presents some shots of this museum as well as the urban landscape of the city.