Thesis: Transformation and Suitability of Building Technology to the Warm, Humid Climate of the Lake Victoria Basin: A Case of the Luo and the Abasuba

TRANSFORMATION AND SUITABILITY OF BUILDING TECHNOLOGY TOTHE WARM, HUMID CLIMATE OF THE LAKE VICTORIA BASIN:A CASE OF THE LUO AND THE ABASUBA

The link between man and materials arose in the Stone Age with man’s first attempts to build a shelter fromanimal skin, fibre-ropes, natural stone, adobe, timber, and straw, as shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. Asman settled into villages, the need for more durable, robust, and taller structures arose (M. Salvadori, 1990).In the past, construction began as a functional need for a safe and controlled setting to moderate climatic effects (P. C. Chang, A. Swenson, 2020). Construction also accommodated the cultural, social, and economicneeds of individuals and communities. Societies, therefore, based the selection of materials and construction technologies on their functional, social, symbolic, and ritual values. (E. M. Golden, 2018, p.1).

There is a direct correlation between a climate-conscious building and an indoor climate to ensure userproductivity and comfort, sustainability, and energy efficiency (WGBS 2008). According to S. Szokolay(2004), the warm, humid climate is a challenging climatic condition to build for due to the moderately hightemperatures and constant high humidity. This study is based in the LVB in Kenya, as shown in Fig. 6, whichlies within the tropics and experiences a warm, humid climate. It experiences high temperature between 20 0 C to over 35 0 C, a mean annual rainfall of between 750mm to 1500mm, a relative humidity of 40-60% and frequent storms.

This research seeks to document and determine the transformation of building technology within the LBV (Fig.7) in Kenya, pertaining to the Luo and the Abasuba as a base of comparison. It also seeks to investigatethe suitability of building technology within the region by analysing existing climatic conditions and theeffect of building materials on thermal comfort. This analysis will help in formulating guidelines for future designs within the region for optimal comfort.

The Luo, part of the Nilotic language group, is based in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, with its largestpercentage dwelling in Kenya. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (2019), Luo is the 4 th largest tribe in Kenya, comprising of over 10.65% (about 4 million people in 2010) of the total Kenyan population. They speak Dholuo as their mother tongue (A. B. C. Ocholla-Ayayo, 1976).

Source: https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.info/files/Nyando%20base%20map.pdf Retrieved: 12/01/2021Figure 505: Map of Kochogo Ward Showing Location of Case Studies Source: Author

Referenced from: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kochogo/@- 0.2119299,34.8841302,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x182a94599583e

The Abasuba (Suba, Basuba) are a heterogeneous Bantu ethnic group. The Gazette Notice in 1994recognized Basuba as one of the Kenyan tribes. The Abasuba speak Olusuba which has six dialects spoken in Kenya. Of the six dialects, four are extinct, leaving only Olwivwango spoken in Kisaku and Ekigase spoken in Gwasi (Rotland and Okombo, 1986). The population of native Suba speakers in Kenya is around 139, 271 people (Census 2010 Report).

Figure 146: Sketch of Suba Settlement Areas in Western Kenya Source: L. A. Ochieng, p.85, 2013. University of Nairobi. Retrieved: 9/12/2020

This study will focus on building the technology of the Olwivwango of Kisaku, who have still retained their Abasuba culture and traditions. Their location of the island has buffered them from the influence of the Luo and other ethnic communities (L. A. Ochieng, 2013).

Figure 254: Map of Kisaku Ward Showing Location of Case Studies Source: Author. Drawn on 14/05/2021 Reference from: https://www.google.co.ke/maps/place/Kisaku/@- 0.6970757,34.1009169,12.35z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x19d4e8f848554061:0x344ca9ad89fea 418!8m2!3d-0.6513126!4d34.1031133

Figure 495: Side Profile of Mr Paul Odhiambo’s Amachi Source: Drawn by Author Date Drawn: 12/05/2021

Figure 496: Side Profile of Mr John Ombinya’s Munyumba Source: Drawn by Author Date Drawn: 14/05/2021

Figure 497: Side Profile of Mr Wilson Okwach Odawo’s Munyumba Source: Drawn by Author Date Drawn: 18/05/2021

A. CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION

Figure 510: Albertus Okeyo Onyango's Homestead Source: Author’s Photo File. Date Taken: 29/12/2020

This chapter examines, in an introductory capacity, background information about building technology and the warm, humid climate. Through past research, Chapter 01 provides a brief history of building technology from the Stone Age, to the Industrial Revolution in 1800, to the present day. This enables the author to briefly outline the observable transformations from traditional to modern building technology, both internationally and regionally within the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB), highlighted in Fig.714. This chronological study contributes to identifying a research niche, hence the formulation of the problem statement, which states that architecture has been radically transformed from the use of climate-responsive traditional building technology to standardized and unsympathetic modern building technology.

The chapter identifies key aims and objectives that guide the structure of the research and enriches the significance and justification for the research in filling a gap in the existing knowledge on traditional architecture and design within the warm, humid climate of the lake region. Due to study limitations, the chapter outlines the geographical scope of this study to the Kochogo and Kisaku Wards within the Lake Victoria Basin. The two locations are home to the region's two dominant communities: the Luo and the Abasuba.

B. CHAPTER 02: THE LAKE VICTORIA BASIN: LITERATURE REVIEW

Retrieved: 14/05/2021Figure 256: John Ombinya’s Homestead Source: Author’s Photo File. Date Taken: 02/02/2020

a: Summary: Chapter 02 focuses on deeply understanding the LBV in Fig.715; its history, culture and climate. The chapter is divided into two parts; first, understand the climate of the LVB, and second to study two of the dominant communities within the LVB; the Luo and the Abasuba.

This chapter begins by stating the geographical context, topographical and climatic characteristics of the LVB. An understanding of design for the warm, humid climate is achieved by literature from C. Hooper (1975), O. H. Koenisgsberger (1973), S. Szkolay (2004), among others. The author examines the bioclimatic chart, the psychometric chart and the Mahoney tables recommendations on design in the warm, humid climate.

Chapter 02 then examines the common building materials used in the LVB by the communities under study and explore their physical, mechanical and thermal properties.

The Luo and the Abasuba culture and architecture give an in-depth understanding of the determinants of the transformation of traditional architecture within the region. This is greatly influenced by published and unpublished literature from scholars like Ayot (1978), Ocholla-Ayayo. A. B. C (1980), Andersen. K. B (1974. 1977), V. Olgay (1962), among others.

C. CHAPTER 03: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Figure 508: Aringo Okumu's Homestead Source: Author’s Photo File. Date Taken: 28/12/2020

a. Summary: This chapter sought to give an account of the methods and strategies that the author employs to satisfy the aims and objectives of this study, as outlined in Chapter 01, Part 1.3 and 1.4. It outlines the purpose and design of this study, and the research strategy explained in Part. b below. By demisting the sampling criteria employed, Chapter 03 demarcates the study area and outlines the study's time horizon and the limitations of this research. Research variables arrived at after an in-depth literature review in Chapter 02, are outlined according to socio-cultural, environmental and building technology parameters. It highlights the data sources as secondary, critical literature review and primary; field study- using data collection methods like interviews, observation, physical measurements, and scientific measurements. The chapter further reviews data recording methods, data analysis and presentation methods that the author applied in the field.

D. CHAPTER 04: DATA COLLECTION, ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION

a. Summary:This chapter focuses on fieldwork data collected from the Luo of Kochogo in Kisumu County and the Abasuba of Kisaku in HomaBay County in Fig.725. To enable an analysis of morphological transformations, three case studies were studied within each of the two communities, according to the three typologies identified in Chapter 02 of this study. Traditional case studies were identified in rural contexts, while modern case studies were identified in peri-urban and urban contexts, based on Rapoport’s theories on how culture, human behaviour, and the environment affect house form. This was done at the homestead and unit level.The author reports fieldwork findings from case studies sampled, visited and analysed based on parameters outlined in Chapter 03; environmental responsiveness, socio-cultural responsiveness, and building technology responsiveness.

Under socio-cultural parameters, the author examines the choice of site, site planning, the spatialorganization of homesteads and houses, room sizes, the height of buildings, fenestration logic andgeometry, the security of fenestrations, architectural elements and their symbolism, furniture type and layout, decoration and ornaments, spatial privacy levels, visual transparency, and clothing levels. Underenvironmental parameters, the author examines the density of homesteads, open spaces, building depth,orientation, size and position of fenestrations, ventilation, sun shading, thermal mass (wall thickness),landscaping, drainage, internal and external temperature, and internal and external humidity. Under building technology, the author examines choice and sources of material, transportation and preparationof materials for construction, walls, roof, and floor construction materials, granary and cattle kraalconstruction materials, assembly of materials, external and internal finishes., colour and texture of finishes, and foundation and roof profile.