Billions of people are being forced to abandon their cul¬tural identity, as governments around the world impose new structures upon them in order increase tax revenue, encourage development, or modernize their image. Many of these people live in formerly isolated enclaves; others exist in so-called “informal” communities wherein residents have created vast, improvised settlements. Either way, the cultural identity of a great swath of humanity is currently under threat, as communities are compelled to abandon their traditional practices, knowledge and means in favor of the modern approaches imposed by governments and the professionals they hire. Architects are profoundly implicated in this forced migration toward “modernization.” At times this is because the architect’s professional services are directly commissioned by those imposing the upgrades. Other times, this imposition is inadvertent, accidentally, and ironically, put forward by architects who are attempting to help. Although there are myriad reasons for this, they share a common root: the persistent biases of contemporary, patronage-based prac-tice, which creates a leaning toward paternalism, prompting the professional to view remote or “informal” communities as cause for colonialization and not opportunities for dialogue. This is despite the clear shortcomings of said approach, which has been proven to be exploitative, linear, and energy-intensive. Perhaps by reversing these flows of knowledge, the architect might discover a more inclusive, hybridized approach. To explore this premise, this paper will analyze five recently completed works in Africa, and the dialogical processes that support them. Designed by MASS Design Group, Localworks, the Kounkuey Design Initiative, Indalo World, and LEVS architecten, the relative equitability of each work’s processes and outputs will be analyzed and conclusions offered. Through these case studies, the paper will offer a grounded, evidence-based assessment as to the value of these projects in empowering and strengthening communities.
Walker et al. (Sun,) studied this question.