Futures and possibilities for our cities – in conversation with Rashiq Fataar

Futures and possibilities for our cities - in conversation with Rashiq Fataar

 

In discussion with designers, urbanists and creatives

Rashiq Fataar, Director of Our Future Cities, interviews leading designers, urbanists and creatives launching creative projects putting a spotlight on emerging practises and future focussed interventions across the African continent. 

His five guests in this session are:

  • Braima Koroma, Director of Research and Training  at the Sierra Leone Urban Research Unit, will discuss what the possibilities are for the devolution in governance in Africa. 
  • Rudi Kriel, Transport Economist at GoMetro,  will unpack the specific case of the devolution of transport and rail in Cape Town, South Africa.
  • Sindile Mavundla, director of Khaltsha Cycles, will share the role of mobility start-ups in South Africa and whether cycling the country could  inform better walking & cycling infrastructure.
  • Doreen Adengo, principal architect of Adengo Architecture in Uganda, will showcase an urban mobilities project and speak about how movement impacts the future of public space.
  • Livingstone Mukasa, principal of Mahali, a collaborative design studio focused on cultural and contextual architectural engagement, will act as provocateur in the conversation.

 

Futurs et possibilités pour nos villes – en conversation avec Rashiq Fataar

Rashiq Fataar, directeur de Our Future Cities, s’entretient avec des concepteurs, urbanistes et créatifs qui lancent des projets créatifs, mettant ainsi en lumière les pratiques émergentes et les interventions axées sur l’avenir du continent africain.

 

Host: Our Future Cities

Rashiq Fataar

Director, Our Future Cities

Braima Koroma

 Director of Research and Training, Sierra Leone Urban Research Unit

Doreen Adengo

Principal Architect, Adengo Architects

Sindile Mavundla

Founder and Managing Director of Khaltsha Cycles

Rudi Kriel

Transport Economist, GoMetro

Livingstone Mukasa

Principal, Mahali Design Studio

Session Summary

The session ‘Futures and Possibilities for our Cities’, hosted by Our Future Cities, explored conversations around what African futures can and will look like within various cities and contexts therein. These conversations were extremely engaging with panelists including Doreen Adengo, Braima Koroma, Rudi Kriel, Sindile Mavundla and Livingston Mukasa.

Participants were urged to contemplate the role of advocacy and protection of environmental assets in the context of cities and design processes by Doreen Adengo. Emphasis was also placed on the continuous pressure for resource protection, versus the urge to develop the land. The session additionally explored how the shifting of powers in African cities and contexts could play out to become more effective and functional through the contentious topic of devolution of state roles and powers. Moreover, Kriel explored the feasibility of rail transportation systems and the role in which public, private partnerships can be explored to improve these systems in the African and South African contexts. Later conversations included how cycling communities can be made, promoted and supported within both Cape Town and Durban cities. This included exploring how amazing grassroot level initiatives can be scaled up to city-wide levels with increased government support.

The session ended with inspiring questions between Mukasa and the panelists saying that much like “it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a diverse community to make a city thrive.” Our African futures are most certainly underway with many possibilities.

The session concluded by reiterating that through creativity, resilience, participation and agency, we will not only be able to learn and imagine future possibilities, but more importantly act to ensure sustainability in Africa.