Revitalisation Of Landfills As Liveable Spaces.

Abstract

Landfills are a part of an urbanisation. We make waste, we see waste, and we dispose off waste and this whole process lead to landfills. Landfills are a big deal and it’s worth our collective attention as architects and the nation at large. With growing urbanisation, cities and towns are faced with a big challenge of waste disposal which is worsened by the fact that families live on small pieces of land which are inadequate for individual waste disposal. The use of landfills for waste disposal is the most viable way for waste disposal in developing countries. In Uganda, policy makers and planners have been paying significantly more attention to developing and improving the quality of life in urban areas. One issue that should be looked at is the revitalisation of landfills as liveable spaces. As urban sprawl continues to grow, neighbourhoods and communities are slowly reaching the boundaries of this once ‘rural’ landfill of Kiteezi, and is creating a variety of social and environmental concerns. There has been a growing recognition world over and among environmental organizations that landfills hold enormous potential for liveable environments. Liveable space development is emphasized throughout this study as a realistic and beneficial revitalisation opportunity. Instead of leaving a landfill site derelict and underutilized with no economic value, cities and municipalities have the opportunity to revitalise them and create a community asset. This objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of Kiteezi landfill on the quality of life of Kiteezi and the planning and design considerations available for revitalisation of landfills. The identification of these impacts was derived from three distinct research strategies: literature review, observations, and interviews. The data for this dissertation is derived from the interviews, based on their responses in filling out an‘impact - revitalisation relationship’ and observations made at Kiteezi.