Spatial Qualities In Swahili Domestic Architecture Of The Historic Town Of Bagamoyo

PhD Research by Nsumbalimi GilyaDivision of Built Enviroment Analysis

Department of Infrastructure and Planning

Royal Institute of Technology, Se-100 44 Stockholm

Introduction

• Bagamoyo is selected as a cultural heritage centre – Tourism– Market forces

But also

threatens Spatial patterns on Swahili House

Swahili Domestic Architecture

Introduction continued

• Study focuses on:

indoor and outdoor spatial qualities in order to strike a balance between modernisation and facilitation of the lifestyle of the local population.

Aim of the Research

• to analyse and evaluate the potential to modernise buildings while preserving valuable cultural qualities

• The main focus is on spatial qualities in and between buildings

Research Problem

• The Swahili domestic house, has a central corridor connecting the backyard spaces to the veranda in front of the house and it distributes tenants into different rooms forming the corridor.

the central passage

Activities

• cooking • eating • income generating

roles

The backyard

• rearing chicken • Other HBEs

the veranda

• the male domain • socializing • recreation • surveillance but now• HBEs activities

Problem • the environmental quality indoors and

outdoors is not understood.

• create potential problems and conflicts

• are changes a real improvement to the inhabitants?

• can spatial and cultural qualities be preserved /modernised without imbalances

• what proportion is covered by shared spaces

Research Methods

• participant observation

• Interviews

• Photographing

• Measuring and drawing

• analysing plans and literature.