kenya cultural centre

Abstract

My intense love and concern for cultural activities has influenced the choice for thesis's topic. Following is a summary of the contents of this report which explains all the developments the design thesis has gone through from its inception to its final result the drawn thesis which is only partially included here.

INTRODUCTION: My Conception of culture, the way it influences people and their ways of life, its propagation and how today it has been contaminated by universal culture and my thoughts on what the government should do to inculcate on the local Kenyans the importance of traditional culture. CHAPTER I DESIGN PARAMETERS - The identification of the predominant design parameters, their priorities and relationships. I have considered the various important features of the cultural centre which would make it useful to the people with the aim~ of making it one of their daily activities. The important of these I have identified as accessability to the centre by its users, CHAPTER II - SITE IDENTIFICATION G SELECTION. I have given the main factors which have influenced the choice of Kamukunji as the most suitable site for this cultural centre. Other sites which I had considered have been indicated - these being Uhuru Park and the current site for the Kenya Cultural Centre next to the University of Nairobi. I have weighed the advantages and disadvantages of each of these and assessed them against one another. I have then analysed the selected site - Kamukunji - which I further propose to develop into a part and integrate the cultural centre buildings into the park fabric. CHAPTER III - DESIGN CONCEPT AND DEVEUFMENT: Having identified my predominant design parameters and the suitable site I have then interpreted these parameters into a design concept (or concepts) in the context of the site selected (the park). I have shown how these important design parameters have influenced the building form, and how throughout the design process my whole being has been involved in an intricate mental gymwastics trying to get a form which satisfies the functional requirements of the centre and at the same time a form which is completely intergrated within the park and not appearing as an intrusion. I have included sketches of the various forms I have conceived and shown why each has been rejected. The form I have developed is integrated into the park by continuing the external finish (rocks) into the park for landscaping.