Landscape Architecture Masters Portfolio

CLARE AYISI

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO

CLARE AYISI

Clare holds a Bachelor of Science ( Hons) in Architecture obtained from Taylors University, Malaysia and a Bachelor in Landscape Architecture (Hons) from the University of Cape Town. She just completed a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Cape Town Clare’s interest is in creating spaces that uplift memorable and unique user experiences. In her spare time, she likes exploring new places and learning the different cultures of the places and capturing all those moments through photography and social media.

EDUCATION

Master of Landscape Architecture 2021

Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Hons) 2020

Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Architecture 2015 - 2019

EXPERIENCE

State Department of Public Works, Intern

Innovation 360 Architects and Project Managers, Intern

SKILLS LANGUAGES

Adobe Creative Suite

Microsoft Office

AutoCAD

LINKEDIN

html www.linkedin.com/in/clare-ayisi-751a15143/

EMAIL

trager.ca@gmail.com

E-PORTFOLIO

https://tragerca.wixsite.com/clareayisi

Revit 3Ds Max Qgis

Swahili - Fluent

English - Fluent

Korean - Beginner

CONTENT

Selected Works from my Masters programme in the University of Cape Town, South Africa

1.

Nairobi, Kenya

Masters Thesis Dissertation

2. Urban Design rural studio project

Montagu, Western Cape

3. TRUP Studio design project

Cape Town, South Africa

Masters Thesis Dissertation

Instagrammable Landscapes: Linking and Revealing Heritage

Through

Social Media Influence

Nairobi, Kenya

Thesis Abstract:

The natural heritage of Nairobi is deeply rooted within the city’s natural landscape. Nairobi once boasted a rich landscape characterized by natural forests, wetlands and marshy wetlands, abundant wildlife, the Kitengela corridor and riverine ecosystems. It was known as the “Green City in the Sun.” However, urbanization and the rapid population rise have led to a reduction in the natural landscape (Tibaijuki, 2007). With the city having lost most of its landscape character and natural vegetation, only a few green spaces were spared to serve as recreation spaces, offer tourists the chance to see the Kenyan wildlife and to aid in improving environmental and air quality.

This thesis is an investigation of how social media influence, specifically Instagram, can help to restore the lost heritage in Nairobi, by studying the physiological and historical landscape of the city and the site, Uhuru Park. By regenerating the forgotten indigenous heritage through systems restoration and green infrastructure – the dissertation studies the role of Nairobi’s landscape character in defining the identity of the city. It highlights a juxtaposition between natural landscapes identity and aesthetics value. The correlation between the two emphasizes the heritage value of restoring natural landscapes in urban cities where indigeneity is slowly getting lost with vegetation cover being quickly replaced with urban surface.

The site being used to reveal the heritage of Nairobi is Uhuru Park, a recreation park located adjacent to the central business district of Nairobi. Uhuru Park was originally a large green swath but has since been encroached to make room for a hotel, a museum and a ‘members only’ Golf Club (Communications, 2019). Further plans by the Kenyan government are to come up with an elevated highway that links downtown Nairobi to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport curving its way through Uhuru Park. Ultimately this means disrupting the natural landscape even more. Addressing the issue of heritage value of the natural landscape would mean restoring the park to what Nairobi once was pre-colonial – a wetland, the savannah grasslands and the wildlife that once occasionally roamed along the Kenyatta Avenue during the colonial era.

The thesis aims to eventually show that through the lens of instagram, landscape architects can create a unique identity and user experience that is reminiscent of the indigenous landscape character of a space, the heritage of the space becomes well preserved and with that people are drawn to that landscape.

NAIROBI CITY CENTER

The dissertation is based in Nairobi, Kenya within the Central Business District. The macro analysis study looks at Nairobi and the city center, whereas the micro analysis zooms into the site which is Uhuru Park and Central Park. The analysis unpacks the city’s identity by looking at its physiological analysis and spatial analysis. The analysis will help in the design interventions of using indigeneity in invoking an instagrammable landscape.

SAFE SPACES FOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Mapping of open spaces in the city was essential because Nairobi is urbanized, and the city center sits separated from the green spaces on the adjacent side.

The map on the left identifies most open spaces as government car park spaces with rather fewer trees, therefore, an opportunity to merge the park into the city by adding green infrastructure in the spaces. The figure ground on the right shows how there is beginning to be a seamless connection of open spaces which link into the site.

Green spaces are considered safe spaces for photography within the city and also museums. Government buildings are non-safe spaces. Monuments located within the park are accessible as compared to those located within the streets.

NON-SAFE SPACES FOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Artefact exploration was explored as an abstract study and the identity word was correlation in terms of instagrammable landscapes and spaces. The artefact shows how instagrammable landscapes can create physical and visual linages between people and spaces.

The linkage study further helps in the study of the precinct. Nairobi city center has a lot of heritage spaces and monument spaces that hold a lot of historical significance. With the spaces linked, they create a heritage walk and the locals and tourists will get to see the identity of Nairobi

Nyayo Monument

Tom Mboya statue and National Archives

National Museum of Kenya

Dedan Kimathi Statue Peace, Love & Unity Fountain

The KICC Building

Jeevanjee Gardens

Kimathi statue

The Triangle War Memorial Statue

The Railways Museum

Macmillan Meorial Lbrary

The Maumau monument

War Mmeorial monument

KICC Helipad

Memorial Library

In order to bridge the disconnect within the city center, the design used green infrastructure as a connecting element and incorporating local activities as linkages between spaces.

Pulling the Park into the City

FRAMEWORK INTERVENTION

Linkage 3: Revitalizing the Street

The Kenyatta Avenue, originally called sixth street and later Delamare avenue was historically seen as the entertainment hub of the budding city but is now less active than it used to be. As mentioned before, lots of parking space in the city is wasted and is opportunity to green the city and other functions. One of the famous markets in Nairobi is the Maasai market which is nomad maasai women selling traditional maasai artefacts and outfits and they appeal to the tourism industry. This creates an opportunity for them to use the parking spaces over the weekends and holidays.

The Re-imagined Uhuru Park will carry on from the frame work and will extend the themes applied on the framework onto the design development of the instagrammable landscape.

Linkage 2: Capitalizing on local cultures

Muindi Mbingu Street linkage runs from one of the most historical avenues, Kenyatta Avenue, to one of the oldest gardens, Jeevanjee Gardens. The street is currently being used as side parking space next to the sidewalks and there is an opportunity to incorporate varying local activities in the side walk spaces so as to reveal the cultural heritage of the Maasai

Linkage 1: Continuity of Indigenous green infrastructure

Wabera Street linkage runs from the proposed indigenous garden to the historical Macmillan Memorial Library. It’s a commercial street with few trees. Opportunity to add more green infrastructure on the sidewalks and the median which will promote legibility on the streets and continuity of the greenery from the garden leading up to the library. The trees and plants planted will be native trees and can continue and link up to the Jeevanjee gardens

Linkage 4 - Site: Re-imagined Uhuru Park

LINKAGE 2

LINKAGE 3

CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT

concept

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

Merge

of ecosystems - a programmatic landscape -

Different ecologies ensure the possibility of varying human experiences within the landscape. Coming up with a diverse landscape. By restoring the wetlands/ swamp ecosystem, we also make room for the bird islands, promoting indigenous bird species within the park. By restoring he savannah grasslands, we also promote the savannah herbivores such as the zebras to exist within the park.

The Monuments - activated hotspots -

Activity hot spots are organized at the existing monuments / heritage spots. The whole essence is to link the heritage and to make the existing monument spaces more frequented by activating them. The monuments are also evenly distributed, and each monument strategically placed near an entry

The Artefact - linked form -

The whole idea of linking the heritage monuments within the park, helps with formation of a new form with the help of the lines drawn from the artefact. The bold lines show both physical connections and visual linkages from one activity hotspot “monument” to the next.

The Instagrammable Landscape - optimizing the landscape -

The developing landscape, with the merged ecosystems, the restored landscapes, there is now a habitat formed where the humans and the animals can co-exist. A landscape reminiscent of what used to be.

Linkages

Establishing the swamp landscape vs savannah landscape

Water as a connector

MASTER PLAN HAND RENDER

Uhuru Park

Marsh with boardwalks and maasai styled manyatta gazebos

Podium/ Skateboarder’s paradise (transforms to performace area)

Natural Playscape

Instagramming spots

Outdoor Gym

MauMau Lane

Peace, Love and Unity Route

Water Mirror

Bird Island

Picnic Spots

Vegetation -refer to planting strategy page

Savannah Landscape

Tress

Shrubs

Grasses

Marshy Landscape

Submerged

Floating

Emergent

Serena Hotel

SECTION B-B1

SCALE, 1;500 A1

Fully grown Acacia polyacantha hosting several birds and insects also acting as fodder for giraffes

Giraffes and Zebra in the savanna ecosystem helping in energy recycling.

Stream separating the wildlife area from the viewing area.

600mm high protective natural stone wall

Gently flowing stream to the Marshy Ecosystem Medium-Tall elephant Grasses

Pavament area for circulation & vantage point for viewing

NYAYO Monument

Open paved area for circulation & vantage point for viewing

Stream flowing to the Marshy Ecosystem

Urban Design Rural Studio Project

Reconnecting Montagu by Introducing Communal Local Activities that will bridge the gap between Bergsig Montagu and Ashbury

Montagu, Western Cape, South Africa

Overview:

This project was conducted as a joint studio between Urban design students and Landscape Architecture Students. The area of study was a rural town - Montagu, located in Western Cape. In pairs of one urban design student and one landscape architecture student, each group identified issues they would like to tackle and sustainable development goals that would like to achieve during the design proposal. My group chose to deal with the disconnect by reconnecting the town using water and land.

Project Intention:

Montagu is a disconnected town. The disconnect can clearly be traced from the spatial layout of the town, the spatial typology as one moves from the core to the outskirts and even via the distribution of public amenities and spaces. The Montagu core boasts areas of heritage significance, communal spaces and public amenities, and has a refined grid layout. Ashbury is located on the outskirts of Montagu. It’s a rural area that makes up half of Montagu population but feels very disconnected from the Montagu core.

The project intention is to come up with a space that reconnects Bergsig Montagu to Ashbury through a shared community activity that is also beneficial to small business farmers. The space would also maintain the identity of Montagu through the activities such as agriculture.

TRUP Studio Design Project

Liesbeek River Project

Cape Town, South Africa

Overview:

This studio design project was run side by side with the Constructing Landscape Systems Course. It was focused on Reimagining spatial and formal expression of ecological infrastructure. The studio study area was the Two Rivers Urban Park, located in the Southern Suburbs in Cape Town. The park is located towards the confluence of Liesbeek River and the Black River. This studio asked us to redefine ecological infrastructure, its purpose, its performance and importantly its spatial and formal expression to re imagine the river system as an armature, serving both ecological and social functions.

Project Intention

The design proposal focused on the study and design of a fresh water system with a focus on river rehabilitation and flood control. The design made use of existing parking and transport routes and incorporating walkways and boardwalks for to encourage an interactive landscape and water experience. Design considerations were put in place to allow for maximum human interaction for varying age groups.

CAPE TOWN

ONLINE

html www.linkedin.com/in/clareayisi-751a15143/

EMAIL trager.ca@gmail.com