PORTFOLIO Riccardo Luca Conti
Collection of Architecture - Research Projects 2012-2014
INDEX
p. 3 - 8
Mathare River Research
p. 8 - 14
Mathare River Pilot Project
p. 15 - 16
Bangkok Tourism
p. 17 - 18
The Sharing Library
p. 19 - 20
... In Addition
MATHARE RIVER RESEARCH Research Methodology The Matharer River research started in 2009 during a workshop organized by Liveinslums NGO in Mathare. The research was my the architecture thesis at Politecnico di Milano. The name of the research is related to the vision that proposes. Mathare is the second biggest slum of Nairobi (Kenya) with a population of around 8000 people on a territory of 3 square kilometres. The research wanted to investigate the problematic environmental situation in Mathare, looking at agriculture-land care as a tool to reduce the pollution in the slum. Using an abstract network of gears, the drawing on the right expresses how the research aims to understand how through the collaboration between different actors will be possible to rimove pollution in favour of agriculture and land care activities. The full research is available at: http://mathareriver.wordpress.com/2013/07/08/mathare-river-bachelor-thesis-englis-version-booklet/ The research is mentioned in the book: Slum Insider - Mathare, Nairobi, New York: Actar, 2013.
Data Collection
garden 03 x 31
Dumpsites 1-2-3-4 x 20 DUMPSITE 1 LOCATION: Ngei 1 1.25606°S,36.86906°E
b
TYPE: Kitchen Garden RESPONSIBLE (S): Michael Wanjohi CONTACT: 0723459613 (Michael Wanjohi) DIMENSIONS: 200 sqm FENCE: yes LOCATION: Ngei 1
www.openstreetmap.org
a
DUMPSITE 2
MICHAEL WANJOHI GARDEN
LOCATION: Area 3 1.25548°S,36.86873°E a b
www.openstreetmap.org
Floor plan (sketch)
DUMPSITE 3
START: 2009 SUPPORT/FUNDS: PRODUCTS: Wheat, Papaw, Sukuma-wiki, Spinach, Banana CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES: ground SOURCE OF WATER: shallow well (Borehole) SEEDS SOURCE: Kariobangi Agrovet SOIL CONDITIONER: compost ANIMALS: DOMESTIC CONSUME: yes SALE: no FUTURE PLANS:
LOCATION: Area 3 1.25699°S,36.8649°E
www.openstreetmap.org
1.25550°S,36.87002°E
DUMPSITE 4 LOCATION: Ngei 2B 1.25730°S,36.86517°E
www.openstreetmap.org
http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=-1.255262...
recycling point 2 x 6
sitE 11 x 15
RECYCLE POINT 2 TYPE: Handicraft workshop RESPONSIBLE (S): H (Huruma) Town Youth Group CONTACT: 0726313783 (Kevin) DIMENSIONS: 30 mq LOCATION: Huruma Flats
1
START: 2008 SUPPORT/FUNDS: PRODUCTS: SOURCE OF MATERIAL: garbage collected in the neighbourhood (33 houses)
MORPHOLOGY
2
3
AREA SECTION
notes:
symbolic area because of the post electoral battles of 2008
1500+ 9000mq
STAKEHOLDERS Soul Winning Academy Curch
GROUND PLAN
DUMPSITES
FLOODING SURFACE
3
2
1.26117°S,36.86721°E
1
www.openstreetmap.org
0 10
25
50 m
The research on the field started with a mapping of the existing agricultural activities, dumpsites and recycling points. The mapping was done with the help of local members of Mathare and a member from Map Kibera Project (http://mapkibera.org/). We prepared questionnaires, to use during the mapping, with the information that we wanted to collect and in this page there are four examples of what we produced out of the questionnaires. Since there was no map of the slum we also used GPS tracking to locate the points we were mapping. The map on the right shows some of the GPS tracks we did. The mapping was an important element of the research for its identity value but also as a fundamental tool to involve the community. At the end of the mapping we organised a meeting with the main stakeholders to discuss the future of the research (on the right the tshirt we gave at the meeting).
The Three Topics
abacus agricultural products (prices and diffusion)
Collection
5 KSH
15 KSH
PRICES* X UNIT
15 KSH
Households 28% served by a waste collection group [20]
10 KSH
* Prices can change depending on seasons (survey August 2012)
COLLECTED
5 KSH
RAINWATER Rainwater is collected by roofings that channel the water into tanks or other containers.
10 KSH
water sources
200 KSH /month private companies
Fruits
cost
15 KSH
20 KSH
Tomato
Seeds Green peas PRICES* X BAG
Beans
Maize
Dandora
RIVER Even though River’s water is really polluted some farmers use its water for irrigation.
use
Pumpink 20 KSH
Youth Groups / CBOs The Municipality of Nairobi possess 10/15 tracks to collect waste in the whole city. Public collection service is absent in the slum, there are some Youth Groups and CBOs instead. Private companies set prieces that are unaffordable for most of the slum’s inhabitants.
Mango
20 KSH
SOAP
diffusion
Banana
Leafs Coriandre
Managu
Kunde
PRICES* X UNIT
Sukuma Wiki
Terere
Spinach 20 KSH
use
Papaw
20 KSH
PIPE/TANK There are several private taps, which are connected to the water mains (often illegally). Water is sold by the owners.
Avocado PRICES* X GLASS
15 KSH
20 KSH /week
cost
30 KSH
SOAP
diffusion
30 KSH
use
90 KSH
SOAP
diffusion
Industrial Area
cost
use diffusion cost
SOAP
The research of plastic and metal scraps in the dumpsites and along the river is a diffuse practice, especially among the youths.
Stem Sugar cane PRICES* X UNIT
20 KSH
LOOKING FOR VALUABLE WASTE
2.5 KSH
BOREHOLE Along Mathare River it is common that farmers dig a borehole to use groundwa ter.
15 KSH
During the research on the field, a part from mapping, we were also investigating the three topics that were guiding our research: water, waste, agriculture. On the right there are three pages, one per topic, showing part of the results that we came up with (for the full research see the link at page 3). For the water issue it was important to understand how water is managed in the slum, particularly for the agricultural activities. We also did some chemical analysis to check the quality of the different water sources (see on the right) for agricultural use. In relation to the garbage issue and pollution in general, the most important element that we investigated was how the garbage collection was functioning in the slum. Lastly for agriculture we studied the most common products understanding also the prices (looking at income generation opportunities). A research on the diet was also included in this last topic.
Roots Carrot
Onion
Sweet Potatoe
Arrow Root
Casawa
Future vision / proposal As last part of the research we elaborated a future vision for Mathare based on the findings and studies we did in the previous phases. At some point in the research we noticed that the river was the link between all the three investigated topics and this is the reason why it became the focus for the vision and therefore the name of the research itself. The maps on the left represent the existing situation (left column) and the proposed one (right column). Drawing on a city plan developed by UNEP we proposed to implement the green network system along the river using agricultural activities. The map we produced was fundamental to have the necessary knowledge to sustain this proposal. All the research was published on the website www.mathareriver.wordpress.com in order to be accesible by everyone.
To present the research we produced these physical panels representing the Mathare River and the area along it (what is defined as “Buffer Zone�). This map was the result of all the phases of the research and represents a very important tool for any future development of the proposal. The panels can be seen in high resolution at: http://mathareriver.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/pannello-minima.jpg
MATHARE RIVER PILOT PROJECT Mathare North Community Garden
inform
ed
in
m
fo
ed
r
After the Mathare River research was completed we started collaborating with Liveinslums NGO and in 2013 we started the pilot project called Mathare North Community Garden. With the information provided from the research we were able to choose a strategic area along the river and start a dialogue with the active stakeholders in that specific zone. We started proposing the project to the actors involved in agriculture or in recycling activities, that we met in 2012. The dialogue on the field lasted one month and after different meetings we started building the garden in the area. The garden was done for the community of Mathare North and for the Mathare North Primary School. The drawings on the right show how from the research we went to the specific area and after the dialogue on the field we were able to develop a plan.
Site Work Organisation The site work started with the help of some youth groups from Mathare North. The engagement of these groups was very important due to certain challenges that we encountered during the project. This aspect touches upon an important element that we highlighted in the research: the use of local knowledge. In a month of work we were able to build a 1000 square meters garden divided in two parts, one for the community and the other for the primary school. The garden was meant to function not just as element of environmental protection, but also as an income generation source. This connection worked on the issue of food security that was one of the requirements from the donors. The garden was provided with pipe water, fence, gardening tools and devices, seeds and a shed. The project is also decribed on the website of the NGO at: http://www.liveinslums.org/production/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=308:training-center&catid=35:agricoltura-agraria-botanica-&Itemid=45&lang=it
Photo Timeline
Future Once the construction work was completed, we organised several meetings to discuss about the future management of the garden. The idea was that the products of the school garden were going to be used by the kitchen of the school to improve the diet of the students. For the community garden the idea was that the members of the project were free to decide either to eat the products or to sell them. This allows them to save money in case there is any replacement of material needed in the future. Obviously some challenges came up and for this reason, we kept a continuous dialogue with the local members. To do so we also created a Facebook page where the members can post comments or pictures about the status of the garden. In the future the idea is to continue to build gardens along the river using this project as an example for the following ones.
pick a book Share your books - share your knowledge
THE SHARING LIBRARY THE SHARING LIBRARY
Share your books - share your knowledge pick a book feel free to take it home share #sharinglibrary
BANGKOK TOURISM Individual Design Intervention (university project)
Media
Pro
sti
ion tut
Urban Povery
Currency
Migration
Inhabitant
Cheap Flights
Tourist
ari Ch
Slu Tou m r
ty
Street Selling
This project was part of the practical module of the master Building and Urban Design in Development at UCL. The topic I decided to investigate was the link between tourists and inhabitants in Bangkok. This work touches on a critical section of the tourism in Bangkok which is sex tourism. The first step is an analysis (first drawing on the right) of the contexts in which these two actors meet (sex tourism, slum tourism, street sellers, etc.) and the causes of why these actors meet (urban poverty, cheap flights, etc.). The second step would be a stories collection and networking process. The people to interview are chosen among those groups mentioned above. The proposed campaign will then work using the people and a visual message (two wool balls) as a mean to communicate the presence of this new network to the city, in strategic locations (see images p.16), and therefore to the tourists.
Bibliography Kara, Siddharth, Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery, 2009, Columbia University Press, New York.
Cohen, E. Hitchcock, M.; King, V. T.; Parnwell, M. J. G., “Open-ended prostitution as a skilful game of luck: opportunity, risk and security among tourist-oriented prostitutes in a Bangkok soi”, in Tourism in South-East Asia, 1993 pp. 155-178. Nicolin Pierluigi, “JR Art” in Lotus, 2010, Vol.143, pp.2-8. Sitography http://www.bangkokredeye.com/ Filmography Ulrich Seidl, Paradies: Liebe, 2012, Ulrich Seidl Film, Austria.
opl
eofb ang
kok
Clark Jordan, Bangkok girl, 2005, Jordan Clark, Canada.
#pe
Participa
tion
Schaeffer, Felicity, “Modern Babylon?: Prostituting Children in Thailand” in Contemporary Sociology, 2002, Vol.31(6), pp.691-692.
Ric ca rd
oC on
ti B U3
feel free to take it home
THE SHARING LIBRARY Intervention at the British Library (London) This was a one week project done for the master Building and Urban Design in Development at UCL. The selected area was the British Library forecourt. After a first analysis on site about the use of the space we came up with a one day activity. During a lunch break we brought 147 books plus pillows and we put them in 7 spots in the forecourt. The idea was creating as shared library and this is what we wrote on a sign next to each spot: pick a book, feel free to take it home, share. The reaction of the people was great as shown in the pictures on the right. Unfortunately after less than one hour the security of the British Library kicked us out because we did not have any permit to do that activity. This work and its result are questioning the notion of public and private spaces. Whatch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHNImQLu6To
share #sharinglibrary
... IN ADDITION Other every-day ‘projects’ I love to cycle and to assemble my bicycles
I love to cook and experiment dishes from all over the world
My bicycle
I love music in general and I like to play instruments Baklava (Lebanese sweets) When it comes to travelling I like to live as the people of the place do (as much as possible)
I like to reuse materials to make useful things
Mailbox made with boxes
Playing trumpet
Me and Omish building fornitures for my house in Mathare slum
for more stories and projects visit my website www.hatarc.it