An investigation into the transformation of informal settlement house types in Kampala. The case of Kitintale.

Abstract

As the population in developing countries continues to rise in urban centers, the issue of affordable housing has continued to be a major concern for governments and architects alike. The issue of urban sprawl has continued to plague urban infrastructure as low-cost dwellings continue to spring up every other day on the vacant parcels of land in the areas that are closest to the economic centers like markets, universities and factories. In addition to this, the housing in the areas informal in nature since there is no visible conformity to planning regulations hence often resulting in poor quality of spaces in terms of lighting, ventilation and even sanitation. In the midst of these challenges, these settlements continue to thrive and even satellite images serve to show that they continue to grow. This growth is both outward but also inward through inner densification and alteration of the dwellings. Early research in some of the informal settlements in Kampala revealed the house types in the areas of Kitintale and Mbuya by the year 2004/5. This research builds further on this research by investigating the transformations that have occurred to the house types in the area of Kitintale over the last 15 years in order to understand the forces behind these extensions and alterations. This research reveals the forces that have shaped the process of house type transformation, the frequency with which these transformations have taken place and why. It provides a muchneeded insight to those that intend to put in place planning intervention to benefit the dwellers of these settlements on what should be priority in this process. The research gives useful recommendations that planning authorities can take on as they come up withy policies governing informal settlements and the standards that they must conform to when it comes to housing.