Islamic dwelling architecture: the case of Makina in Kibera settlement city of Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

This thesis looked at effective methods to regenerate dwelling and public spaces in Kibera slum. Since nowadays many physical and social problems appear in large housing estates, it is urgent to seek efficient and effective ways to solve these problems. I chose Makina in the district of Kibera in Nairobi as my study object. The aim was to change Makina settlement from a decayed residential area to a safe and attractive neighborhood. This thesis is started with an illustration of relevant theories about Islamic and green building architecture, which provided guidelines and principles for my further planning proposal. Then, there come some background information about Kibera and Makina based on the official documents, information and statistics from internet and other sources. In the third stage, the focus is on the situational analysis of physical structure of Makina, such as traffic system, spatial layout of houses and public spaces, and etc. These analyses made up a good foundation for my own planning proposal. At last, based on the theories and analyses above, a planning proposal with my suggestions is made to improve the current situations of the area. The proposal contains detailed plans and designs of houses, traffic system, landscape and green areas with also special attention to improve the safety situation in the community. In general, I find that attractiveness of the area, dignity for the houses and safety are the most important factors in reconstructing Makina residential area. Therefore, I make some improvements and suggestions from these perspectives. I hope my proposal can satisfy residents social needs by improving the physical conditions of Makina.