On February 2010, in a conference on the future of cities in London, United Nation‟s head of housing agency Anna Tibaijuka proclaimed that "After HIV and Aids, the biggest threat to sustainable development in Africa is rapid and chaotic urbanisation, because it is a recipe for disaster for increased tensions and pressure" (MacLellan, 2010). It is truly unfortunate that a word like urbanization that for centuries has represented better living standards and growth is now viewed as a threat to sustainable growth and likened to an incurable disease. When people move to urban cities in search of a better life, they deserve to find something better than what they left behind and that is what justifies this research. The purpose of this paper is to find ways on how best to direct rapid urbanization in Ethiopia towards becoming a resource rather than a source of chaos. A comprehensive literature review complemented by a questionnaire survey distributed to real estate developers in Ethiopia was conducted as part of the qualitative research method adapted. The finding of the research show that Ethiopia has one of the highest proportions of urban population living in slums and housing deficit is at an all-time high. The government has introduced a number of policies and is trying to provide housing for low-income people while the private sector in the real estate industry is mainly meeting the needs of high-income people. The study found that this division in task will eventually lead to the segregation of the city into rich and poor neighborhoods that will ultimately make matters worse. The study also showed that with the adaption of policies that allow for the integration and collaboration of the government, the private sector and the people; opportunities of creating a conducive living environment for all income groups exist.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Huston Gibson / The issues infested in urban slum communities are many, of which I had no problem indentifying a dilemma specific to my interests in landscape architecture and socially equitable places. However, sustainable solutions specific to these dynamic urban forms and communities are unfamiliar academic territory. Extreme levels of poverty fostered in these communities cause deficiencies in a child’s development, who are often without access to a formal, structured education system (UNDP, 1999). Public spaces are particularly stimulating environments for youth learning and development, but most urban environments in shanty towns host a milieu of violence and crime, making most public streets and vacant lots unsafe. These conditions are ripe for visionary designers to intervene, improving the physical aspects of urban public spaces and specifically bettering the quality of life for children living in these communities. Answering this question required literature research and precedent studies, which was important for developing a thorough understanding of developmental theory as it relates to socio-economically disadvantaged children. By focusing my studies on public spaces in the neighborhood Vistas del Cerro Grande in Chihuahua, México, I began to understand the cultural idiosyncrasies specific to people living in urban shantytowns. Data collected from the neighborhood via surveys, interviews, community meetings, and an auto-ethnographic video study with fifth and sixth grade students provided an introduction to the community and the larger themes and objectives for future public space design. Visiting comparable communities in México City, México deepened my understanding as I was able to observe the daily lives of México City residents with diverse socio-economic statuses, hear their individual perspectives on the history and cultures, and relate to their frustrations with current political, economic, and societal systems. The methodologies described above culminated in a design typology specific to Vistas del Cerro Grande, consisting of public streets, pedestrian access ways, plazas, and vacant lots. These types form the backbone of my research report, which represents an evidence-based design palette of purpose-oriented amenities for positive childhood development in shanty town public spaces. The typology caters to the specific needs of the Vistas del Cerro Grande community, as identified in the research.

Kyoto University (京都大学) / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第16790号 / 工博第3511号 / 新制||工||1531(附属図書館) / 29465 / 京都大学大学院工学研究科都市環境工学専攻 / (主査)教授 松岡 譲, 教授 米田 稔, 准教授 倉田 学児 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当