Growing Aspirations - Kinawataka Rooftop Farming by Louise Helmbo Bækgaard

KINAWATAKA ROOFTOP FARMING

GROWING ASPIRATIONS

unless otherwise stated.

All diagrams, illustrations made by author

Collaboration: Arkitekter Uden Grænser

Student: Louise Helmbo Bækgaard (ksz732)

Supervisor: Lise Byskov Herslund

Hand in / examination: 31.05.2022 / 10.06.2022

Louise Helmbo Bækgaard (May 31st 2022)

and pictures are

Title: Growing Aspirations - Kinawataka Rooftop Farming

Credits: 30 ECTS points Master’s thesis

Contact person at Arkitekter Uden Grænser: Anton Ryslinge

The University of Copenhagen Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management Section of Landscape Architecture

the

Picture of banana peels in Kinawataka

ThisABSTRACTthesisisabouturban

farming and the design of a rooftop garden in Kinawataka, a slum area in Uganda’s capital Kampala. It is connected with Architects Without Borders project of making a so-called bio-centre in this densely populated slum. The bio-centre includes basic sanitary facilities and also functions as a community unifying element for the local residents. This thesis focuses on the design of the rooftop garden on the bio-centre, which functions both as a food resource, as well as a place of social activity. Due to limited space in the slum, the cultivation must take place on the roof. Design principles based on a field trip to Nairobi, Kenya and Kampala, Uganda as well as research on rooftop agriculture have shaped the design of the garden. The design follows mostly the principle of ‘Optimising cultivation,’ but due to the area’s social potential it also uses principles on rooftop gardens’ abilities to function as a community unifying recreational space. The design principles can be used to guide the design for implementing rooftop agriculture in other slum areas as well. In order to scale-up and spread rooftop gardens to more slum areas a simple strategic design consisting of three concepts for how to do it is suggested. The overall theme of the thesis is sustainable development of cities in developing countries and how the cultivation of greenery can fit into an urban context - in this case as urban farming on roofs.

Louise Helmbo Bækgaard during the period from February to May 2022, finalising a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture at the University of Copenhagen.

The project was made in collaboration with Architects Without Borders and Chairman of the Board Anton Ryslinge. A big thank you for including me in your project and study trip, it has been very fun, interesting and meaningful.

The text was proof-written by my boyfriend Sebastian Ellehøj, thank you for the support and help.

ThisACKNOWLEDGEMENTmasterthesiswaswrittenby

The project was supervised by Associate Professor Lise Byskov Herslund. A big thank you for a good, constructive and kind process.

Lastly, thank you to all my colleagues and friends at the thesis office for interesting professional discussions, design advice and cosy atmosphere.

VISION 76 STRATEGIC DESIGN 77 SITE DESIGN 79 DESIGN PRINCIPLES 79 DESIGN PROCESS 82 FULFILMENT OF DESIGN PRINCIPLES 83 ORGANISATION 90 PLANTING STRATEGY 92

DESIGN PROPOSAL

TALK WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ELDERS 68 SWOT ANALYSIS 69 CONCLUSION SITE ANALYSIS 73

UGANDA AND KAMPALA 29 KINAWATAKA 37

THE BUILDING SITE 43 ROOFTOP AGRICULTURE 49 URBAN FARMING IN KAMPALA 59 CONCLUSION BACKGROUND 60

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION 8

ABSTRACT I

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT II

TABLE OF CONTENTS

III

RESEARCH QUESTION 8 MOTIVATION 9

METHODOLOGY AND PROCESS 10 COLLABORATION WITH ARCHITECTS WITHOUT BORDERS 12 THESIS TRAVEL 18 CONCLUSION INTRODUCTION 20

SLUMBACKGROUND 26

SITE PHOTOANALYSISJOURNEY 64

IV CONCLUSION DESIGN PROPOSAL 96

DISCUSSIONOUTRO

AND REFLECTIONS 100 CONCLUSION 103 REFERENCES 109 APPENDIX 115

INTRODUCTION

In this thesis, I ask the question of how rooftop gardening can be implemented in Kinawataka in a manner that can function as both a food resource as well as a place for social cohesion. The answer contributes to an overlying question of how urban rooftop farming contributes to improving conditions in slum settlements.

In Uganda’s capital Kampala lies a centrally located informal settlement called Kinawataka. In this area Architects Without Borders, together with other local stakeholders, are working to improve people’s health and urban environment. As their first step they are building a bio-centre with different basic facilities such as toilets that functions to unite the community and promote cooperation between the different stakeholders. As part of this project, the thesis looks upon how a rooftop garden can be integrated and function both as a food resource and a space for social activity and cohesion. General design principles are used to integrate rooftop urban farming in slum areas, in a manner that accommodates Kinawataka’s local needs and limitations.

INTRODUCTIONRESEARCH

QUESTION

this project was to work with sustainable development of developing countries. It is a field where there are many issues to address, which inspires me because it provides for opportunities to be part of a great, tangible difference. Green roof urban farming provided a perfect opportunity to use landscape architecture in a setting that contributes toward sustainable development in a challenged area. Informal settlements lack green spaces, social places and food, and for this regard, green roofs can be a multipurpose solution that can address these issues.

I have also been motivated by travelling abroad, and found a great learning experience in planning a field trip, as well as collaborating with many stakeholders and interest groups. I was also excited to work with Architects without Borders, as I had been interested in their work since the beginning of my studies.

MyMOTIVATIONmainmotivationbehind

In Nairobi I participated in stakeholder meetings and went with them to visit different already built bio-centres in slum areas to learn about different aspects of these. I did some small informal interviews of the stakeholders and residents in informal settlements who were involved in the biocentres.

This thesis can be divided into three main working phases characterised by different methods.

The first phase was the thesis travel in accompaniment with Architects Without Borders starting from day one of the thesis period. First we went to Nairobi, Kenya as a study trip and afterwards to Kampala, Uganda for site visit and stakeholder activities. On the field trip I gained knowledge and got to know the site and stakeholders through different exploration types.

In Kampala we visited the site and I made different site analyses that included written registrations, taking photos, informal interviews with the locals and general observation. I also participated in different stakeholder meetings and workshops to gain knowledge about their cooperation. Furthermore, we visited different urban farming sites in slum areas to learn from their operations. One of the managers of these projects showed us around and I did informal interviews with him and people at the different sites. Throughout the whole field trip I have been taking many notes and pictures.

The field trip happened at the start of the thesis since I joined Architects Without Borders’ trip. It could have been nice to have gained more background knowledge on rooftop agriculture and the site before going to have a better understanding of important topics. On the other hand I was not biassed by preexisting knowledge and my approach ended up being more open and curious, which led to some good informal interviews. It was also very rewarding to travel with Architects Without Borders and the doors that opened. I got to meet all the stakeholders and visit many different places. Also, because slum areas can be quite unsafe, it is important to visit them together with someone else. This also meant that I had limited time to visit the site and I had to get all my site registrations in quite a short amount of time.

METHODOLOGY AND PROCESS

The third phase, the design phase, started once I felt like I had some basic design principles to follow grounded in the various gained knowledge. It included a lot of sketching and testing out multiple designs with different focuses. The final proposal, presented visually and written, is the specific site design of a rooftop garden in Kinawataka on the bio-centre, and a strategic design of how to upscale

The second phase was when I got home from the field trip. It started with getting an overview and organising all the knowledge I had gained on the trip and reflecting upon it. It included defining the challenges and potentials of implementing a rooftop garden in Kinawataka. After that I focused on collecting and reviewing relevant literature and data from Architects Without Borders. This new knowledge was linked to what I learned from the field trip. Because of the very different context and topic from what I have usually been working with, the research phase was longer and more challenging than usual. But I have seen this thesis as an opportunity to learn something new and challenge myself.

Taking notes during the visit to urban farming sites in Kampala

the concept and implement rooftop agriculture in informal settlements elsewhere. The research phase and design phase tended to overlap at times. The conceptual phases of designing led to a curiosity that led to research of a new topic of something that could be implemented in the project.

The work is concluded with a discussion and reflection on opportunities and weaknesses.

The main purpose of Architects Without Borders bio-centre project is to reduce poverty by improving sanitary conditions for the inhabitants. The project has both a short term and long term goal. In the short term, it aims to reduce poverty by improving health in the informal settlement of Kinawataka. This will happen through the construction of a communal bio-centre facility, which will be a participatory, community-building effort (Improving sanitation and building organisational capacity in Kinawataka, 2021). The bio-centre is conceived as a stacked constellation of functions that provide important services to the under-serviced settlement. The stacked constellation is used due to the limitation of space, but also serves the function of creating a critical mass of users that can sustain and support the various activities at the centre. Residents will be invited to join a bio-centre cooperative with existing local NSDFU members as backbone. The main functions of the bio-centre will be toilets, showers, and a system of creating biogas from waste, which then can be used for cooking and heating. It will provide an alternative to shared pit latrines and ‘flying toilets,’ which pose a risk to health and environment. However, it will also offer other functions that increase the welfare in the area, according to the wishes of the local community. For instance, toilet users can also buy necessities such as soap and contraception. People buying water can wash their hands. On the first floor there will be rooms for renting with affordable access to biogas. It will also be a place where everybody can obtain important information about community initiatives and meet each other and engage in everyday talks or more profound discussions about the community’s future. As such, the bio-centre is essentially a local resource-centre which will become the natural focal point in the community for initiatives that serve its residents (Ryslinge, 2022).

Architects Without Borders uses UN’s method called PILaR to finance slum development and achieve land rights. The method works with land readjustment and land value capture through land

In the long term, the project aims at building an organisational foundation for a future project that will address the settlement’s lack of land rights and informal status, which is the root cause of its lack of basic sanitary infrastructure. It will aim at achieving tenure security and investments in basic infrastructure critical to the resident’s health. The bio-centre functions as a tangible first step that will incorporate stakeholders to work together and build collaboration, trust and organisational capacity leading to the formation of a housing cooperative that can enable the community to address further fundamental issues related to the settlement’s informal status and potentially achieving formalisation and land rights (Improving sanitation and building organisational capacity in Kinawataka, 2021).

COLLABORATION WITH ARCHITECTS WITHOUT BORDERS

THE BIO-CENTRE PROJECT

Architects Without Borders have a project of building a bio-centre in one of Kampala’s informal settlements called Kinawataka. This thesis looks upon how urban farming in the form of a rooftop garden can serve as an addition to this project. The design can be integrated in this definite project as well as future projects.

The key challenge in both Kinawataka and other informal settlements is the pervasive poverty, which among other negative effects can lead to malnutrition and hunger as all food purchases depend on earning an income. It would therefore be desirable if the bio-centre could include a contribution to local food security and diet improvement to its range of activities. With space being very limited, the only option for adding an element of urban farming is to include the rooftop. If the rooftop is made accessible for farming, it could lead to opportunities for growing a combination of cash-crop to be sold at Kinawataka’s own vegetable market or directly serve to improve the diet for the farmers and their families, while also being a green community unifying element. A rooftop garden also adds a recreational space to the otherwise harsh environment that lacks green spaces and meeting places. Urban rooftop farming in a slum-context comes with a range of technical, operational, financial, social and design-related challenges that all need clarification before an investment in its establishment can be justified. This thesis contributes to this clarification so that Architects Without Borders and their Ugandan partner organisations can make an informed decision. sharing. PILaR stands for participatory, inclusive, land readjustment. It is a method where you build new homes for people living in existing slums. but by building tall and dense land is freed which will finance the construction by allowing urban development to enter the area. The overall land and house value will increase, people will get access to loans as their property functions as collateral and there will be an increased motivation for property investments. However, it is important that everybody agrees in order to make it succeed, which is why the bio-centre functions as a tangible first that will create collaboration between stakeholders (Ryslinge, 2022).

URBAN FARMING AT THE BIO-CENTRE

For plants the lowest accessible nutrient limits its growth, a reference could be made to the rooftop garden, that if for instance the operational aspect is the least well functioning it limits the growth of the garden and its potentials

The bio-centres that functioned well had good organisation with a good business model and members with future prospects for the bio-centre.

Travel Notes

ACTogether Uganda (ACT)

ACTogether Uganda is a non-governmental Ugandan organisation affiliated to the International network of Shack/Slum Dwellers International (SDI). Their vision is to build fair and inclusive cities with united and empowered urban poor communities, and support communities to gain the capacity to voice, promote and negotiate their collective interests and priorities (ACTogehter Uganda, 2022). ACT is the technical partner of the National Slum Dweller’s Federation of Uganda (NSDFU) and builds various facilities. They are skilled in project execution and management. They are also experienced in supporting communities, managing facilities and to bridge communication between residents, community leaders, municipal stakeholders and international partnerships. On the bio-centre project, ACT leads local project management and has a coordinating role with their partner NSDFU regarding the organisational build-up of the local cooperative. They also lead the construction process and manage the community contracting process to keep costs low and engage local residents and material providers (Improving sanitation and building organisational capacity in Kinawataka, 2021).

National Slum Dwellers Federation of Uganda (NSDFU)

STAKEHOLDERS

Architects Without Borders (AWB)

The stakeholders are mostly relevant to the bio-centre project and not all are directly linked to the rooftop garden. However, since the rooftop garden is connected to the bio-centre and the stakeholders therefore are indirectly connected to it, a short summary of them is given. All stakeholders have expressed a wish for a good interdisciplinary transparent partnership, where people know each other and are prepared to work together on the bio-centre project.

Architects Without Borders is a non-governmental humanitarian organisation that uses architecture and planning as tools for enabling development. AWB is the Danish branch of Architecture Sans Frontiéres International. They support vulnerable populations in the world’s poorest countries (Arkitekter Uden Grænser, 2022). They have solid experience in community and user involvement, and work with capacity building and skill upgrading at various levels, both organisational and among the builders and craftsmen active in their projects. AWB is the lead partner on the bio-centre project and contributes with overall project management, coordination among partners and actors, design and construction execution advice and functions as consultants (Improving sanitation and building organisational capacity in Kinawataka, 2021).

National Slum Dwellers Federation of Uganda helps establish and support community saving groups for people living in slums (Improving sanitation and building organisational capacity in Kinawataka, 2021). The saving groups save daily and meet at least once per week and discuss community issues and coordinate programs and projects to address their concerns and build upon their strengths. The saving groups are networked and federated at the regional and national level and internationally through Shack/Slum Dwellers International (SDI) (ACTogether Uganda, 2022). They are Uganda’s

The bio-centre project is inspired by bio-centres built in Nairobi, primarily by the Kenyan NGO Umande Trust. The two most senior and experienced former Umande Trust staff; Elijah Odundo and Michael Mwimali, who have specific experience with biocentre construction and cooperative organisation, are part of the bio-centre project (Improving sanitation and building organisational capacity in Kinawataka, 2021). They now have a company called Biofranca that works with green sustainable solutions on energy and construction, and that provides solutions that are resilient to communities and have the environment in focus in order to get green buildings and management. On the bio-centre project they work as consultants on the technical part of the bio-centre.

The Local Community in Kinawataka

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA)

Kampala Capital City Authority is equivalent to Kampala municipality and is a key actor in the bio-centre project. They have endorsed the project and participate and support in various ways, for example by waiving the costs for the building application and by participating in meetings and workshops. They will help pave the way for a smooth realisation of the construction of the bio-centre. KCCA has been involved from the beginning of the project, which is important in order to have further dialogue and negotiations around infrastructure investments, and later on the legal-, financialand urban planning-aspects of land rights (Improving sanitation and building organisational capacity in Kinawataka, 2021). To have the authorities on board is extremely important for a successful realisation of the bio-centre project.

16 Kenyan Consultants (Biofranca)

most experienced NGO in relation to organising slum dwellers. They are affiliated with ACT in the sense that NSDFU organises voluntary action across the country and ACT is responsible for the technical part. On the bio-centre project NSDFU’s main role is to mobilise their existing members in Kinawataka and assist in the establishment and capacity building of a bio-centre managing organisation and a housing cooperative. Existing NSDFU members are primarily involved but the rest of the community is invited to join as well. NSDFU has contributed with the plot of land for the bio-centre’s building site (Improving sanitation and building organisational capacity in Kinawataka, 2021).

The local community in Kinawataka is the stakeholder that will use the bio-centre, therefore it is very important to involve them in the bio-centre project so that they will acquire a feeling of ownership that will incentivize them to maintain the building and its functions. The local community is a mix of many different people that lead very difficult lives. It can be difficult to reach them, which means that focus on good communication and involvement with them is important. They are a key stakeholder and their interests and opinions should be taken seriously. Thankfully, the other stakeholders have good experience with involvement of local communities. For the rooftop garden the local community is also the key stakeholder and user, so a focus on them is also emphasised in this thesis.

Some of the stakeholders on the study trip to Nairobi, Kenya

We visited the project site in Kinawataka and made registrations and analysis of different kinds, including taking photos and talking to local residents to get a deeper understanding of the area. Furthermore, we met the stakeholders involved and arranged a workshop for them, which was the first time they all met each other. At the workshop the stakeholders mapped out each of their expectations and responsibilities for the bio-centre project, and a board/working group was established for further process. Visiting the site and slum areas, as well as meeting the local community in Kinawataka, has been absolutely crucial for the thesis, especially due to the very different context it is situated in from what I have otherwise worked with. It gave me an understanding on how these environments are. I have gotten a much more in depth understanding of the project and site, and the experiences and knowledge gained from the travel is used throughout the thesis.

Working in Another Country

The work- and organisational approach is quite different in Kenya and Uganda compared to Denmark. In general they have a more relaxed work ethic, yet they are still very determined for the bio-centre project to succeed. There are also other cultural differences. It is important just to follow their customs, since local people should feel ownership of the project. It has been very interesting and educational to work in and with a completely different context.

I started my thesis by travelling to Kenya and Uganda together with Architects Without Borders. The visit to Nairobi, Kenya served as a study trip, where we met with the Kenyan Consultants from Biofranca who showed us the bio-centres they had been involved in, so we could learn from their their different functions and organisational level. All of the bio-centres had toilet facilities, but their additions varied greatly, as well as how successfully each project was operating. We found that it is a very important criteria to have a good business model for the projects, so that the bio-centre can sustain itself and for instance does not give away biogas for free. As for organisation, proper involvement of the community is important so that all feel connected to the bio-centre and care for it. It is also important to have passionate people managing the project, who are willing to keep learning and optimise the bio-centre.

In Kampala, Uganda we visited sites in the city’s slum areas with urban farming established in a cooperation between the danish NGO Dreamtown, who works for the wellbeing of young people in cities, and the Ugandan NGO Network for Active Citizens, who work with sustainable development of communities and the empowerment of citizens. The urban farming projects they have made are not on roofs but we could still learn from how they organised it. They had many great ideas for how to manage these gardens, but most of these ideas were never carried out, which shows a gap from ideas to action. This demonstrates how important it is to find someone with a drive for realisation to manage the project.

THESIS TRAVEL

PURPOSE

Me on the back of a motorcycle taxi on my way out to look at urban farming in slum areas in Kampala

Field notes from the thesis travel

CONCLUSION INTRODUCTION

The bio-centre is a tangible first solution to improve the conditions for the people living in Kinawataka. The rooftop garden is part of the bio-centre and is thereby dependent on its success. But even though it is an added function to the bio-centre, it is still its own project and should function on its own. The rooftop garden should function as a food resource while also being a green place for social cohesion, and taps into the bio-centre’s objectives of improving the conditions for local people. By travelling to Kenya and Uganda valuable insights on how to work in this challenging context was gained. This showed the stakeholder dynamics and how important it is that they are connected and coordinated, as well as the importance of involvement of the local community.

Visited bio-centres in Nairobi, Kenya for inspiration and learning, now it is time to build the very first one in Uganda

Visited urban farming sites in Kampala for inspiration and learning

BACKGROUND

Map of Uganda

Country:

Location: Kampala (capital)

Population0°19’55.26”NUganda32°37’23.14”Ø(2019):1.680.000

24 N The White Nile LakeKampalaVictoria

Indian OceanAtlantic Ocean

Map of the African Continent

Africa EquatorUganda

The building site is situated behind the busy Kinawataka Road, and is located in a highly dense residential area with poorly built buildings and crooked paths in bad condition leading to the site. There is not much space between the building site and the surrounding buildings, due to the limited space in the area.

The Rooftop

Kinawataka is a centrally located informal settlement in Kampala. It is built on a floodplain and is approximately an area of 1.2 square kilometres with around 1,200 families living there. Due to the informal status there is no clear boundary of the area.

The Building Site

Kampala is the capital and largest city in Uganda with a population of approximately 1,680,000 people. With a population growth rate of 5.26% it is one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa.

KinawatakaKampala

The space on the roof for urban farming is approximately 44 square metres. It is situated on the bio-centre building made by AWB and the other stakeholders. Stairs are leading to the roof from the backside of the building and the roof floor is made of concrete.

Africa is experiencing massive urban growth, and it is predicted that in the year 2026 the number of city dwellers will exceed the number of people living in rural areas. The urban population growth has overtaken the rural population growth, and cities and slums now grow independently from rural migration (Ryslinge, 2022). In Uganda the cities are also growing, and in 2020 the percent of people living in urban areas were at ~25% (statista, 2022). Of this segment, around half lived in slum areas (The World Bank, 2022). It is predicted that a tripling of urban areas in developing countries will happen between 2000-2030. This means that urban growth increases land value and land speculation. High demand means urban land is concentrated on still fewer hands, which produces more rental slums and hence ‘slumlords’ that control these areas (Ryslinge, 2022).

dense and unsafe informal settlement. It is a residential area with substandard housing, which is poorly serviced and/or overcrowded, making it unhealthy, unsafe and socially undesirable. The term is usually reserved for larger areas often in an urban setting. Slums have always existed but became more extensive with the rise of the industrial city. In the developed world they are basically gone due to rising incomes and stricter building and health regulations, but in the developing world they have become ever present (Harris, 2009).

ASLUMslumisavery

UN Habitat defines a slum household as a group of individuals living under the same roof in an urban area who lack one or more of the following:

3. Easy access to safe water in sufficient amounts at an affordable price

2. Sufficient living space which means than not more than three people share the same room

5. Security of tenure that prevents forced evictions.

4. Access to adequate sanitation in the form of a private or public toilet shared by a reasonable number of people

1. Durable housing of a permanent nature that protects against extreme climate conditions,

Not all slums are alike and not all slum dwellers suffer from the same degree of deprivation. The degree of deprivation depends on how many of the five conditions that define a slum are present within a household. Sub-Saharan African slums are the most deprived (UN Habitat, 2006). Thus, urban life can either be an advantage or a trap. Cities are a positive and potent force for addressing sustainable growth, development and prosperity. They drive innovation, consumption and investment and are productive systems through most of the 21st century challenges, such as poverty, inequality and climate change, can be addressed. However, success towards sustainability is not guaranteed for a city. Many of the challenges manifest themselves in cities and they often do not perform well in solving these issues (UN Habitat, 2020). The urban life for people can therefore become a trap for its inhabitants. If people experience poor health, expensive services (water, electricity), crime and abuse, unemployment but income dependency and forced evictions/ threat of eviction, then it leads to what is called ‘the urban penalty.’ The ‘urban penalty’ is when these previously listed conditions neutralise urban advantages and trap people in entrenched, intergenerationally transmitted poverty (Ryslinge, 2022).

Slum area in Nairobi,

Kenya

Kinawataka

Kampala

Map of Kampala 1:200,000 N

Like many capitals around the world, Kampala plays a pivotal role for the economy of Uganda. In 2015 the metropolitan area generated an estimated nominal GDP of 13.8 billion US dollars, which was more than half of Uganda’s GDP that year (Wang et al., 2019). With a population growth rate of 5.26% percent Kampala is one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa (World Population Review,

UGANDA AND KAMPALA

Uganda is called The Pearl of Africa and is a landlocked country in east-central Africa with an area of approximately 241,000 square kilometres and a population of 46 million people, the capital is Kampala with a population around 1,507 million people. The official languages are English and Swahili, but many other indigenous languages are spoken as well by different ethnic groups. Uganda includes parts of Lake Victoria, which is the second largest freshwater lake in the world and the chief reservoir of the Nile. Uganda borders South Sudan to the north, Kenya to the east, Tanzania and Rwanda to the south and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west (Kokole et al., 2022).

Early history of Uganda is, like most of sub-Saharan Africa, a saga of movements of small groups of cultivators and herders over centuries. As people slowly migrated to other regions and intermingled, cultures and languages changed. When the first non-African visitors entered the region in the mid19th century, there were a number of distinct languages and cultures in the region. Peoples who inhabited the area north of the Nile River were mainly based on their clan structures, while peoples to the southwest of the Nile were organised into kingdoms (Kokole et al., 2022).

Kampala was the capital of the highly centralised and expansive Buganda Kingdom, which had become the strongest power around lake victoria. The British government colonised the area in the late 19th century, and the area of Buganda was incorporated under British rule in 1894 as the Uganda Protectorate (Griffith, 2001).

2022).HISTORY

Kampala is the capital and largest city in Uganda with a population of approximately 1.68 million people. It is divided into five political divisions; Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Rubaga Division. The metropolitan area of Kampala has a population of around 6,700,00 million people and consists of the city proper and the neighbouring Wakiso District, Mukono District, Mpigi District, Buikwe District and Luweero District.

To understand a little about the context of the area, this segment looks briefly into the history of the country and capital.

Unlike the fate of many other African countries, Uganda was a protectorate rather than a colony, which meant that they enjoyed relative self-governance under British administration (Dietz, 2017). When the British took over, they created new land tenures and divided up and allocated the land in a way that defined the development of Kampala. The main area, which was classified as the Crown lands, was made into the Kampala Township and was the first one to be thoroughly planned, with for example sewerage (Nilsson, 2006). From around 1945 some different planning schemes for the

Kampala has two annual wetter seasons. It does not have a true dry season since there is still a lot of rain in the dry seasons, but experiences heavier precipitation from August to December and from February to June. With February to June being the period with substantially heavier rainfall per month, where April typically receives the most rain with an average of around 169 millimetres. About 1747 mm of precipitation falls annually (Climate-Data.org, 2019). The average annual temperature is 21.4 degrees celsius. The month with the average highest temperature is February with 29.3 degrees celsius, and the month with average lowest temperature

Most of Uganda is situated on a plateau that drops gently from approximately 1500 metres in the south to 900 metres in the north, the plateau is surrounded by mountains and valleys. To the west a natural boundary is created by i.a. the Western Rift Valley which is a branch of the East African Rift System that is one of the most extensive rifts on Earth’s surface. Lake Victoria which is partly situated in Uganda has an area of 69,484 square kilometres. There are five other major lakes connected to eight major rivers (Kokole et al., 2022).

Yoweri Museveni is the president today, and has been in office since January 1986 when his forces toppled the previous regime.While Museveni’s rule was first regarded in a positive light from Western leaders, he would eventually show blatant corruption through his reign, as rigged elections and bribed parliament members to abolish the presidential term limit (The Observer, 2018).

When Uganda gained independence in 1962, Kampala became the capital and was granted city status. Six years after independence the boundaries of Kampala expanded with the administrative area changing from 28 km2 to the current 189km2. In the following years several physical plans for the city were made but never implemented (United Nations Human Settlements Programme, 2007).

town were designed, but they failed to achieve many of their stated objectives (Folkers et al., 2019).

GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE

In 2010 the Kampala Capital City Authority Act was enacted, which gave the Ugandan Government more control of the administration of Kampala. Furthermore, the act created the Kampala Metropolitan Physical Planning Authority with the purpose of improving the infrastructure of the city and the surrounding districts (Uganda Legal Information Institute, 2010).

The climate is tropical and remains the same throughout the year, due to the elevated terrain and presence of lakes. Due to the equatorial location there is almost always a 12 hour length of daylight. Most parts of the country receive an adequate amount of precipitation. Annually it ranges from less than 500mm in the northeast to a high of 2000mm in the Sese Islands of Lake Victoria. There is more rainfall in the south. The wet seasons vary from the south to the north. The south has two wet seasons (April to May and October to November) separated by dry seasons, with occasional thunderstorms. The north has one wet season between April and October followed by a dry season that lasts from November to March (Kokole et al., 2022).

celsius (Climate-Data.org, 2019).

Since independence, the Ugandan population has grown from 7 million people to 46 million people. The population is very young with approximately 50% under the age of 15 and 30% between ages 15-29 (Kokole et al., 2022). According to the World Bank, the population of Uganda will most likely double between 2020 and 2060 reaching 104 million people, meaning that the population density

There are many different ethnic groups in Uganda, but a division is usually made between the ‘Nilotic North’ and the ‘Bantu South’, but these include several minor ethnic groups.. Bantu speakers are the largest portion of Uganda’s population. Bantu is dominating modern Uganda, occupying most of the high positions and prestigious roles. This is due to British colonial rule’s focus on the south regarding economic power and education and its connection with the Buganda Kingdom. English is the language of education and government, and even though not many speak English well it is needed for prestigious jobs. The majority of the population is Christian, but Muslims and followers of indigenous religions are also present. (Kokole et al., 2022).

isDEMOGRAPHICSJulywith17.1degrees

Kampala is a hilly area originally built on seven hills, but has since expanded to cover more territory. The highest point is the summit of Kololo hill at 1311 metres located in the centre of the city, and the lowest point is at the shores of Lake Victoria at 1135 metres. Due to the hills and tropical rainforest climate the valleys have slow rivers/swamps. These are either seasonal or permanent and cover 15% og Kampala’s land area. The Kinawataka swamp river covers an area of 1.5 km2 and flows southwards into Lake Victoria (Gumm, 2011).

All large cities except Gulu are located in the south. Because of rural-urban movement in the south and migration from the north to southern towns, urban centres have grown since the 1980’s. The urban population consists of many young people, and often many more men than women, who come to town in search of work. Many have manual labour, service related jobs, are jobless or are only occasionally employed. While there is a growing middle class there is also an increase in the number of street children, impoverished individuals and slum areas in Kampala (Kokole et al., 2022).

Uganda has many different ecosystems and is among the top ten most biodiverse countries in the world (Fauna & Flora International, 2022). The soil and land is very fertile and the area around Lake Victoria is among some of the most productive in the world (Kokole et al., 2022). There is more vegetation in the south and towards the central and northern parts it typically turns into wooded savannah. The Lake Victoria region and the western highlands used to be covered with forest, but due to the impact from humans it is now covered with elephant grass and forest remnants (Kokole et al., 2022). The natural habitats are threatened. Especially forests and wetlands are being lost very fast, and climate change is a big threat to Uganda’s natural environment (Fauna & Flora International, 2022).

EconomicECONOMYdevelopment

and modernization have been very big tasks hindered by the country’s political instability. During the 1990’s and early 2000’s the economy improved rapidly, but there are still major economic issues in the country. For instance, the health sector is receiving less than 5% of the budget and the infrastructure in the country is in very poor condition (Kokole et al., 2022). The economy is primarily agricultural and occupies around four-fifths of the working population. The moderate climate is good for the production of livestock and crops. Agriculture accounts for a large share of Uganda’s export earnings and its gross domestic product, while it is also the main source of income for the majority of the adult population. Farmers with an average of less than 1 hectare of land provide more than half of the agricultural production. They are primarily based in the south due to the fertile soil and more precipitation. It is small-scale mixed farming dominating and production methods use rudimentary technology. Coffee and cotton are two important cash crops for export. Tea and horticultural products (including fresh-cut flowers) are also exported. Food crops include corn (maize), millet, beans, sorghum, cassava, sweet potatoes, plantains, peanuts (groundnuts), soybeans and vegetables such as cabbages, greens, carrots, onions, tomatoes and numerous peppers. Other types of export are based on the lakes and rivers, forests and tourism (Kokole et al., 2022). Efforts are made to relocate heavy industry outside of the central business district to cut down on

With a decreasing mortality rate and increasing share of working-age individuals, Uganda is entering the early transition stage of its demographic transition. It evolves from a state of high mortality and fertility into one with low mortality and low fertility, with a period of rapid population growth first triggered by decreasing mortality rates, followed by decreasing fertility rates. This will be linked to a demographic dividend (Myers et al., 2021). The demographic dividend is the economic growth potential that results from the shift in the population age structure to a larger working-age population than youth population (United Nations Population Fund, 2016). Since Kampala is the capital and economical, political and commercial centre it has a diverse ethnic population drawn from all parts of the country as well as immigrants from other countries. It is the place where ethnic groups meet, and contains more than one-fourth of the country’s urban population. Even though many of Kampala’s residents live and work in close contact, they still define themselves by their ethnic origins (The World Factbook, 2019).

will rise from about 230 people per square metre to 530 people per square metre. The population growth is accompanied by a shift from rural to urban areas. The demographic composition will change as well with a growing working-age population (15-64) from 24 million in 2020 to 69 million in 2060, while the youth population (ages 0-14) will rise from 21 million to 29 million. This means that proportionally speaking the working-age population will grow from 52% of the total population to nearly 70% by 2060.

There is a huge need to provide new housing units in order to keep up with the rising population in Kampala. Right now there are more than 60 informal settlements.

In most of the south, the staple diet consists of a kind of plantain called matoke that is cooked in stews and curries. They also consume sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes and cassava along with a variety of vegetables (Kokole et al., 2022).

SOCIETY AND CULTURE

Only around half of the population has access to medical facilities. They have troubles with many serious diseases and many of them are caused by the lack of clean water (Kokole et al., 2022).

Infrastructure is very bad in Kampala with a lot of traffic jams and quite dangerous. The roads are in very poor condition and there is no well functioning public transport, which means that people waste a lot of time in transport and often are late for work.

There is a large cultural diversity in Uganda resulting in many different lifestyles and interests (Kokole et al., 2022).

Uganda is unfortunately a highly corrupt country. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), the most widely-used global corruption ranking in the world, Uganda has a score of 27/100, with 100 being the cleanest. Also 69% of people thought corruption increased in the previous 12 months and 46% of public service users paid a bribe in the previous 12 months, according to the latest measure in 2019 (Transparency International, 2022).

city traffic congestion. The informal sector contributes a lot to Kampala’s GDP, and people who work in the formal sector also participate in informal activities such as urban agriculture to earn more income for their families. Urban agriculture in the wetlands has increased over the past few decades, and connects the informal rural settlements with the more industrialised parts of the city. The produce grown is sold in urban markets (Isunju et al., 2016). More than 30% of Kampala’s inhabitants practise urban agriculture (Wolfe & McCans, 2009).

The hilly landscape of Kampala

Building site Informal settlement Industrial area Kinawataka Road DirtRailwayroad 1190m 1180m 1200m Map of the site area 1:1000N InformalKinawatakasettlement Upper Kinawataka Wetland Railway Industrial areaProject site Military area Map of Kinawataka 1:10,000N

Insecure land tenure aggravates vulnerability to natural and climate-related hazards, because of

Kinawataka is located on municipal land and has a mix of residential, commercial and industrial uses. The residents include house owners, tenants and subtenants, though they all live in houses without building permits which makes it a fundamentally illegal setup. Because of this legal state the residents can be evicted without compensation if KCCA, who owns the land, decides to sell the land or use it for urban development. With the area’s unplanned structure there is a lack of basic infrastructure such as streets, water, electricity and sewerage. During the rainy season the settlement gets very muddy with erosion of paths and buildings because of the lack of streets and stormwater drains. The situation in informal settlements is often that high densities and lack of basic services has serious negative implications on health and well-being. Poor health, caused or reinforced by a poor urban environment, contributes to trap slum dwellers in poverty. Diseases, lack of safe water, basic sanitation and critical infrastructure as well as poor building quality, overcrowding and malnutrition are major problems in Kinawataka. When the settlement grows denser and no formal plot boundaries exist, residents encroach onto every free street space, which means a loss of public space. The loss of public space and associated social functions decrease social cohesion, since it removes the possibility to meet and socialise, play, trade etc. Because the residents’ property cannot be used as a mortgage they lack access to financial services, which is also part of what limits the urban poor population from overcoming poverty, since they for instance cannot invest in household improvements. The threat of evictions also demotivates people from improving their homes above the absolute minimum. The lack of legal rights to the land that the residents occupy is a root cause to many of the issues in the area, since informal settlements don’t come with a set of legal property rights and are not included in the map of neighbourhoods that need basic services (Ryslinge, 2021).

informal settlement in the Nakawa division of approximately 1.2 km2 built on a floodplain with about 1,238 families living there. However, the slum has no clear edge as people build and expand on the fringes of what is already built. Spaces on higher ground are the first to be built on, forcing people to settle in the seasonal flood-plain. Being situated on a floodplain makes the settlement vulnerable and dangerous in the rainy season. There are over 1000 households per km2 and the majority of the homes are single rooms not more than 4 m2 for a whole family. Many houses are made of mud packed into a wooden frame, which is very unstable especially during the rainy season. There is a stream running through the area that people earn a little bit of money from by washing vehicles or plastic bags for recycling. But household waste is also dumped into the stream including raw sewage (Every Life, 2022).

KinawatakaKINAWATAKAslumisacentrallylocated

People’s mode of income is mostly through self-employment or work in the informal sector. They generate meagre income and mainly have very little or no savings, which makes them very vulnerable to events affecting their income or expenses such as rising food prices (Ryslinge, 2021).

People living in slum areas are very stressed out and there are negative social consequences associated with slum areas. This includes stigmatisation that inhibits peoples options for formal employment, finding a partner outside their own settlement etc. There is also a lot of drug and alcohol abuse, violence and crime (Ryslinge, 2021).

the poorly constructed homes on marginal lands the residents in Kinawataka are very vulnerable to climatic events such as floods, draughts, landslides etc. and do not absorb such shocks very well (Ryslinge, 2021).

In regard to safety it is also in very bad standard, this is because of poverty, poorly constructed homes, poorly lit streets with a lot of crime, lack of policing and in general the lack of critical infrastructure necessary for a safe urban environment. It is especially women who are affected negatively by these conditions with for instance increased risk of assault and abuse and by the absence of safe outdoor environments so they are confined to their small overcrowded homes (Ryslinge, 2021).

Kinawataka area

Building site Informal settlement Tree Dirt Kinawatakaroad road 1190m Site map 1:250N

The building site in Kinawataka is located near the busy Kinawataka Road which is lined with small businesses. About 20 metres from the road is an active railway line. The informal settlement is located north of the Kinawataka road. It is a highly dense area with the site being surrounded by poorly built buildings and crooked paths in bad condition. The path leading to the site is slightly larger than the others, and can function as a main path. The bio-centre has therefore the possibility to stand out as a landmark of the area. One house needs to be torn down in order to make room for the bio-centre. The woman living in the house gets one month free rental before she has to move. The households laying around the building site fall under all five of UN Habitat’s definition of a slum household, since they lack durable housing of a permanent nature that protects against extreme climate conditions, sufficient living space (more than 3 people are sharing the same room), easy access to safe water in sufficient amounts at an affordable price, access to adequate sanitation in the form of a private or public toilet shared by a reasonable number of people and security of tenure that prevents forced evictions. The fact that they fulfil all five slum conditions, means that they suffer from a great degree of deprivation.

Informal house

1190mentranceBio-centre

Bio-centre building site:

The outside space is cramped, filthy, rough and lacks basic infrastructure. It is not suited for recreation, it is though necessary for people to use it for daily chores due to limited space in the small houses, so laundry, baths, cooking etc. takes place outside.

Bio-centre building space

1:100N

THE BUILDING SITE

Wall

Soil

Orthophoto of the building

siteN

The building site

AWB’S BIO-CENTRE SKETCH

AWB’s sketch of the bio-centre (Architects Without Borders, 2022)

The rooftop garden’s design is based off of the first sketch made by Architects Without Borders. It was not possible to get the finished drawing from AWB in time.

AWB’s sketch of the bio-centre (Architects Without Borders, 2022)

Travel Notes

Since crime is prevalent in slum quarters, water tanks and equipment should be secured.

Rooftop agriculture shouldn’t be seen as the one solution to cure all hunger or that it will dominate food production in all cities, but should be regarded as part of the greater urban food system. It is connected to community gardens, farmers’ markets, grocery stores and rural agriculture. As a key principle of ecology states, diversity in a system breeds resilience. This principle applies to food

• Early latin american communities might also have practised urban agriculture for food security within cities (Mandel, 2013).

• Today’s rooftop gardens and farms do more than address subsistence. They foster healthy eating, community building, stormwater management, business development and the occupation of underutilised space, thereby fulfilling multiple goals at the same time. The rooftop farms and gardens appear in various shapes and sizes, with production of a wide range of yield, and are diverse places intended for various purposes (Mandel, 2013).

• Throughout the developed world, urban populations have relied upon locally produced food until the Industrial Revolution of the late eighteenth and early nineteen centuries. The Industrial Revolution changed everything for food production, factories and urban development took up the space in the city centre and agriculture moved out of the city to form rural ‘belts,’ which led to a demand for importing food into the city. Since the Industrial revolution, agriculture has periodically reentered cities, for instance during war for securing food supplies (Mandel, 2013).

• Rooftop agriculture likely dates back to 600BCE Babylon (present day Iraq) with the Hanging Gardens of Babylon as the world’s first rooftop farming project with production of fruit, vegetables and maybe even fish (Mandel, 2013).

• During the 16th century, the Aztecs were said to have built sophisticated rooftop farms that included waste management strategies (Mandel, 2013).

Rooftop agriculture is the cultivation of plants, animals and fungi on rooftops primarily for the purpose of human use and consumption. The products gained from such rooftops include many goods such as foodstuffs, fibres, animal products and medicinal plants (Mandel, 2013).

record of food production within cities as home vegetable gardens were common in China. Besides providing food they also recycled households’ organic waste (Mandel, 2013).

ROOFTOP AGRICULTURE

• Currently urban agriculture is beginning to be more popular as cities realise the benefits of local food production as cities are becoming more dense, expanding and multiplying in number (Mandel, 2013).

HISTORY OF URBAN- AND ROOFTOP FARMING Urban RooftopFarmingFarming

•INTRODUCTION3100BCEistheearliest

Rooftop gardens can be placed on many different buildings from individual homes to offices to community buildings (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012). Finding relevant litterature on rooftop agriculture in slum areas was challenging.

Direct producing green roof (Krummert, 2013)

• Rooftop hydroponic systems where plants are grown using water based nutrient solutions instead of soil. On-going fertiliser inputs are necessary. They can be placed in an open-air setting or grown under cover (glass or plastic) to increase yield and extend the growing season (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Rooftop hydroponic system (Pinterest, 2022)

systems where rooftop agriculture enhances the diversity, hence the resilience of the greater urban food system (Mandel, 2013). For people living in slum areas they will not for instance have much access to grocery stores, so rooftop agriculture can provide some food security.

Rooftop container garden (Pinterest, 2022)

Productive green roofs do not only produce food but combine it with ecological sustainability, as for example reduced rainwater run-off, temperature benefits, biodiversity, improved aesthetic value and air quality (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Rooftop farms and rooftop agricultural industries can be quite challenging and expensive to start up. Rooftop gardening, on the other hand, is for everybody and all levels of experience (Mandel, 2013).

There is a blurry boundary between gardening and farming, and there is no clear definition. One definition states that gardening is the production of agricultural products for self-consumption, charity or gifting, and that farming is the production of these same goods in exchange for money (Mandel, 2013). In slum areas, products from an agricultural rooftop will function as a substitute to buying food or, depending on the scale, as an income generating activity. Rooftop agriculture can broadly speaking be divided into three categories and scales; rooftop gardening, rooftop farming and as the largest scale rooftop agricultural industry (Mandel, 2013).

There are three primary types or systems of food producing green roofs (also see Tabel 1):

• Rooftop container gardens or modular green roofs where plants as vegetables are grown in pots, bottles, raised beds etc. that contain a soil-based growing medium. The containers can vary in shape and size and be made of local materials. The growing medium can be made up of mixtures of soil, compost or wood chips (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• Agricultural green roofs, or direct producing green roofs, where crops are grown directly into (shallow) beds in a soil-based growing medium, which is possibly placed on top of a waterproof membrane or additional layers as a root barrier, drainage layer and an irrigation system (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Food security is a serious issue for the poor and underprivileged in urban areas. With the population growth happening in combination with urbanisation in Uganda, a large pressure is put on rural farmers and ecosystems to increase yield and arable land. This, for instance, leads to an overly use of inorganic fertilisers and chemical pesticides that then leads to water pollution and soil degradation, which in the long term lower yield and increases the need of arable land. The consumers will also also be affected by the chemical pesticides, which leads to long-term negative health effects. Climate change and climate variability also affect agricultural supply from rural areas, which becomes less and less reliable. It has consequences for everybody, but especially for women, children and elderly in vulnerable situations. Lack of basic food and water is a frequent cause of domestic violence within deprived households, where it is often women and children suffering. With low-income communities in cities being very dependent on the market and market prices for vegetables, it leads to high expenditures or a low intake of fresh vegetables, which then causes nutritional deficiencies. Finally, organic waste from food waste makes up 90% of the waste in Kampala. 28,000 tons of waste is collected to landfills, and another 42,000 tons is illegally dumped elsewhere, which leads to significant methane emissions that accelerates climate change (Vertical and Micro Gardening, 2022).CLIMATE

In cities there are a high amount of paved and impermeable surfaces, which results in poor stormwater drainage as well as a higher temperature in cities. This phenomenon is known as the urban heat island effect caused by dark surfaces. Green roofs can potentially improve these problems and make cities more sustainable and viable. Further benefits of a green roof are that the lifetime of the roof might also be prolonged if the green roof is well designed and maintained. Inner-city biodiversity is promoted and if there is a production of food it addresses food security issues. However, it can be difficult to get some of the same impacts with a rooftop agricultural garden as with green roofs. On agricultural green roofs the cover of plants is often not continuous, particularly with seasonal crops. There are also additional demands for safety and access. It varies between the different types of rooftop garden systems how much impact they have. For instance, the hydroponic system doesn’t prevent water run-off because it has no soil (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

FOOD IN UGANDA

CHANGE IMPACTS

Urban Heat Island Effect

In order to reduce the urban heat island effect, a permanent soil/vegetation coverage on the roof should be maintained and generally more than 75% should be covered to provide any measurable effects. This is also the case for reducing stormwater run-off. Plants that are good for maintaining a permanent green cover are those with a high leaf surface area, perennial crops, self-seeding plants and fast growing plants. When reducing the urban heat island effect, energy is potentially also saved on cooling down the inside of the building. Green roofs can also function as insulation, preventing heat loss from the building (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Green roofs can add to biodiversity with an increase in insect numbers and density, as the insects attract hungry birds. To get the biggest variety in insects and birds there should be a diverse choice of plants, diverse depth and composition of the growing medium and perennial plants flowering at different times of the year. In the container roof system some small containers can be used as ponds, attracting different types of water-loving insects (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

There are three factors affecting the efficiency to reduce rainwater run-off: deeper soil retains more water, the bigger the planted surface area the more water is retained and a year-round coverage is more effective than seasonal coverage. The plants also impact efficiency, the best approach is using a high leaf surface area and a large roof mass. Seasonal crops are less efficient at times of year when the plants are absent or in the development stage. Therefore rainwater run-off can be reduced optimally through the choice of cultivation methods (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Air Pollution

Food security will be improved by agricultural productive green roofs producing local fresh food. The roofs offer the possibility to grow food in inner city and densely populated/built spaces. By having the food grown and consumed in the neighbourhood it will also contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions caused by transport, cooling, storage, processing and packaging of the food (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Green roofs bring nature back into the city and densely built-up spaces which improves the living environment. Agricultural green roofs also offer opportunities for relaxation and physical exercise.

Food Security

Biodiversity

In regard to carbon storage, green roofs store less than urban forestry systems because of lower plant biomass, and for an agricultural green roof to store the same amount as a non-agricultural green roof the green coverage needs to be maintained throughout the whole year. As for carbon sequestration potential it is influenced by climate, soils, condition, plant species and the harvesting of vegetables on an agricultural green roof. During harvest a large part of the sequestered carbon by the vegetables is lost, making agricultural green roofs less effective in carbon sequestration than non-agricultural green roofs (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Green Infrastructure

Rainwater Run-off

Green roofs can improve air quality and reduce air pollution. Airborne particulate pollutants, heavy metals and volatile organic compounds are reduced by being deposited on the soil, on the leaf surfaces and onto the moist internal surfaces of the leaves. Plants also absorb greenhouse gases and release O2 through photosynthesis (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Carbon Storage and Carbon Sequestration

Lighter system depending on the type and numbers of containers used, can be installed on an existing roof which have sufficient structural capacity and that slopes up to 15 degrees*

Generally requires higher investment and technical knowledge Can vary a lot**

RepairAlterationInstallationWeightCostsPlantsandadditionsandMaintenance

Depends on what rooftop protection and structural support is needed

Agricultural green roofs also provide community involvement, educational value, healthy fresh food, aesthetic value, a connection to nature, economic value and create green jobs (Dubbeling & Massonneau, TECHNICAL2012).ASPECTS,

Layers need to be lifted during reperation which disturbs the vegetables

Difficult to make alterations and a new installation takes a long time to implement

DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT

The cost of fitting growing containers and structural support is generally high, the soluble fertiliser is also expensive

*Weight range (kg/m2): 50-1000

**Weight range (kg/m2): 20+

Installation of protective layers needed first to protect rooftop from direct contact with roots and growing system

Modular System/ Container Gardens Hydroponic System

Containers can be moved easily

Root growth is limited by the depth of the beds

Tabel 1: A comparison of direct/shallow beds, modular system/container gardens and hydroponic systems (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012)

Alterations and additions can be made easily

Weight and Building

The weight of the materials is a concern when making a green roof. Therefore beds or containers are often quite shallow, so that lightweight material can be mixed with the soil. Many kinds of

Depending on the thickness of the roof and the amount of vegetation cover, green roofs can act as noise buffers reflecting and absorbing part of the sound. Also, green roofs contribute to the green infrastructure of a city (green mosaic), connecting to other green areas in the city (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Direct Agricultural System/ Shallow Beds

Heavier system that may require structural support, it depends on the depth of beds and what growing media is used

Depends on the number and quality of containers, use of recycled materials can lower the cost

Root growth is limited by container capacity, but even small trees can potentially grow in containers

Difficult to make alterations and a new installation takes a long time to Vegetablesimplementthatgrow in water A higher technical level is required for maintenance

Other Benefits

Quick installation and containers can be moved

Can be used on existing roofs, a few additional supports may be required

*Weight range (kg/m2): 50-200

When adding a rooftop garden to an existing roof the most heavy parts should be located near columns and beams. Concrete buildings with a flat roof are in general the best suited buildings for a productive green roof, as they require less additional support than for example a steel frame. A maximum slope of between 3° and 10° is recommended, however the lower a slope on a flat roof the more of an effective drainage system is needed (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Cheaper because none or only a few additional load bearing supporters are needed

Lighter system because of shallower soil* A high structural capacity is needed due to more weight on the roof**

If the rooftop garden is placed on a tall building it will be more exposed to winds, which can influence safety, access and water requirements. It also requires more energy to transport materials to the roof (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Extensive System

Might need additional or new structural supports

Because of load bearing demands it is more expensive

The weight of an agricultural green roof is determined by the depth of the beds/containers, type of supports and what growing media is used. The growing media weighs more in a water-logged state, also crops, (rain)water storage and human presence add to the weight. Agricultural green roofs can be distinguished into intensive systems that have a soil depth between 15cm and 1m and extensive systems that have soil depth between 5cm and 15cm. When deciding what type of roof garden to install, it depends on the structural capacity of the roof, the cost of installation and what type of plants should be grown (see Tabel 2) (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

BuildingWeightCostsPlants Intensive System

Only crop species with more shallow roots as for example leafy greens and herbs

Tabel 2: Comparison of extensive and intensive systems (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012)

Because of the larger soil depth a high variety of species is possible and it will be more efficient plant growth and healthier plants

fresh organic matter can be used for growing plants (e.g. wood chips) if sufficient compost is not available. It is then fertilised and covered with at least a thin covering of compost or soil. Almost any vegetable can grow in shallow beds, and the containers/beds function like a regular garden except they need to be watered more often (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

**Weight range (kg/m2): 200-1000

Since a rooftop garden is accessible for people, safety should also be taken into account. Safe access and movement is necessary and constructions as for example a fence might be necessary (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

The ideal rooftop bed or container should be around 23cm to 30cm deep. Such a depth encourages plenty of root growth and can support even tall plants like sweet corn. However they often need to be shallower due to weight. The biggest disadvantage of making them shallower is that they can store less water and therefore needs to be watered more frequently. Vines with large leaves can be challenging in shallow planting beds, but with sufficient volume (deeper bed or fewer plants) or more watering, it is possible to grow them and let them flow over a rooftop or down the side of a building. Root crops also require deeper beds (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012). The composition of the growing medium depends on weight considerations and on the different plants’ growing requirements for space and nutrients. Other growing media that are lightweight and easily obtained at little or no cost can be used to reduce the weight and therefore make it possible to have deeper planting beds. These include vermiculite (worm compost), woodchips, household compost, corncobs, rice hulls, shredded coconut husks, sugar cane bagasse (what is left after the juice is squeezed from the cane), coffee pulp etc. The growing medium should consist of sufficient organic matter and allow the roots to aerate sufficiently, it should be a blend of inorganic materials with organic materials. An example of an inorganic material could be cut open soda cans or pieces of coconut husks that are lightweight and therefore making it possible to have deeper planting beds while at the same time making the beds well-aerated (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012). Another good self-made growing medium is approximately 2cm-12cm layer of closely packed weeds covered with a bit of compost (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Growing Medium

Before constructing a rooftop garden information on regulations from the city should be obtained (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Basic features as well as possibilities for and constraints of the site should be considered when designing a rooftop garden. These include: sun areas (and how much sun), access to water and electricity, interior and exterior access, circulation areas, railing, special features related to safety, etc. Also the cultivational and recreational uses of the garden should be considered, which include; food production, relaxation and contemplation, gatherings, storage, rainwater recovery, area for doing manual labour, drying of clothes and composting. The size of each function/area should be determined according to needs and priorities, and the design needs to be functional and inspiring (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

The local climate, such as exposure to sunlight, wind velocity and shading, influences the design and choice of plants (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Climate, People and Basic Features

The factors that determine which plants to choose are: Local climate, placement on the roof, applied rooftop agriculture system, growing medium and food demand. However, there are also some general principles to follow when choosing plants, especially with a climate change perspective in mind (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012):

A PVC can be added in the centre of the planting bed to see how much (if any) water is standing in the bottom and so judge when to water (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012). A PVC pipe with holes in it can also be used as an irrigation system, by putting it in the soil and pouring water into it for the plants to suck. A terracotta pipe can be used for the same purpose (Dreamtown, 2022).

• Low cost (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Many different types of containers can be used such as raised planting beds in wood, old tires, bags, pots, bottles, buckets etc. The size of the container determines what plants can grow in it. With a portable container it can be placed anywhere and moved if necessary, for example according to sun/ shade or wind. Container gardens are more safe for the condition of the roof since the roots are not in contact with the roof and it is even better if the containers are raised from the roof so that air can circulate underneath, keeping the roof surface dry (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• As much as possible use of ecological production practices and avoided use of chemical fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

A water reservoir can be installed in the containers so that watering can be done less frequently. It is made with a water container placed in the growing container, a small amount of the growing medium is in permanent contact with the water reservoir. A perforated tube filled with potting soil is placed between the two containers and acts as a wick transporting water from the reservoir to the roots. An overflow hole separates the water reservoir from the growing mix, so that there is air to the roots (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Pollution can be an issue and should be taken into consideration and minimised. There is a risk of urban soil being contaminated. Close to industrial areas there might be pollution in the air, the produce can be washed in a mixture of water and vinegar before consumption to reduce the risk (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Construction Container Gardens

Choice of Plants

Construction and Planting Principles for construction:

Water is the growing medium in the hydroponic rooftop system. In general it weighs less than the soil-based system (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• Use of recycled and locally available materials and growing media (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• Drought resistance or tolerating low water conditions, to limit use of water and adjusting to drier growing conditions (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• Heat tolerance and wind resistance to adjust to growing conditions on a roof (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Tabel 3: Examples of suitable plants for different rooftop garden systems (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012)

Above mentioned plants + kale, carrots, potatoes, blueberry bushes, raspberries, gooseberries, boysenberry or even small fruit trees

Drought tolerant herbs, strawberries, leafy greens

• As indigineous and endemic as possible, such plants are often the best adapted to local climates while they also attract local populations of insects and birds (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• Aesthetic pleasing with for example the use of a variety in plant mass, texture, colours and a choice of plants that grow and flower at different times (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• Grow plants from seeds collected locally. These plants are more suited to local conditions and therefore typically require less maintenance (watering, pest control etc.) and have a greater chance of survival. At the same time the carbon footprint is reduced with less transport while the genetic composition of the local species populations is maintained (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, leafy greens

• A wide diversity of plants. The greater the diversity the more different insects and birds are attracted. It also makes the roof more resilient with a better chance of year round plant cover if for example some species die under certain conditions others might survive. Furthermore, different plants also contribute to a healthy and varied diet and reduce risks of pests and diseases. Medicinal plants and herbs can also be grown besides vegetables, and they are often suitable for growing in shallow beds (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• They should attract butterflies and insects to improve biodiversity and fertilisation. Selecting plants that grow and flower at different times of the year helps with providing food and habitat for the insects at all times (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• Growing intensively and providing as much permanent plant roof cover as possible. This increases impacts on rainwater run-off and the urban heat island effect, as well as reduction of air pollution, maximising food production and improving biodiversity etc. Food plants with high yield and little use of space are to be preferred. Dwarf varieties of plants might be a possibility (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Above mentioned plants + chives, lavender, sunflowers, time, cilantro, lemongrass, sage, tomatoes

Hydroponic systems Less than 15cm of growing media 15-30cm of growing media 30cm+ of growing media

• Plants potential to maximise carbon sequestration and capturing of particulate matter. Small tree species and non-food plants that ensure permanent cover increase the potential (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

57 Shallow beds and container gardens systems

Production Techniques

Investment and Maintenance Cost

The cost of an agricultural green roof depends on the building expenses, planting related expenses, repairs, maintenance, organisation expenses and possibly teaching people in urban farming etc. The costs are offset against savings made by growing one’s own food, potential reduced cooling inside the building and other income generating activities such as eventual sales, teaching etc. (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Similar considerations are present with production techniques as with the choice of plants. These ‘climate smart’ production techniques are recommended (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012):

• Hold on water longer by adding a water absorbing medium such as vermiculite in the growing medium (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• Larger plants should be planted along the edges to act as wind breakers and reduce the drying effect of the wind (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• Rainwater harvesting and use of kitchen water to reduce the use and avoid competition with drinking water. A combination of different water sources is the most sustainable. Water containing chemical detergents should not be used (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• Maximise both food production and the potential for income generation. This will reduce vulnerability to food shortage/increased food prices and changes in income. To diversify the income sources enhances the resilience of the producers, and allows for further investments (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• The practice of mulching and shading in order to reduce evapotranspiration and enhance moisture availability for the plants. Mulching is when you protect the soil by adding a layer of organic matter such as dead leaves, cocoa shells, wood chips, straw or cardboard (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• Use of as much as possible locally available and if possible recycled (waste) materials. The durability and origin of support structures shall be taken into account. Recycled materials can be used for edging and containers. Wood is often locally available at a low cost and is also a light material but needs to be replaced regularly. Aluminium or concrete lasts longer, but also has a larger carbon footprint and concrete can be very heavy (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• Water early in the morning or late afternoon to reduce water loss (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• Use of ‘low-space production techniques’ and an optimal use of vertical space to increase the plant production per square metre (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

• Minimal use of external inputs and fertilisers. Instead use compost made from household waste, manure tea (a fertiliser made from animal manure and water) or other organic fertilisers. Use organic pesticides such as chilli or garlic or use insect traps (Dubbeling & Massonneau, 2012).

Tires used as planting beds in urban farming site in Kampala

URBAN FARMING IN KAMPALA

The visits to the urban farming sites in Kampala made by Dreamtown and Network for Active Citizens showed that there can be a gap from ideas to action if the organisation and management is not functioning properly. Some of the gardens were not very lush and it seemed like they could gain more yield if they arranged their space differently. It is important that a group of people who are invested in the garden take care of it and function as stewards. They used different kinds of simple planting beds, similar to the non-vertical planting beds used in the rooftop garden.

Even though Uganda has developed over the years and has some stability, there are still major issues and tendencies in the country that need to be addressed, and the major presence of slum areas is one of these. As the country is expected to grow rapidly, it is important for the nation to develop its informal settlements to create conditions that can improve and stabilise the lives of its citizens. There are many potentials for agricultural green roofs to improve the conditions for people living in slum areas and the urban environment in general, but it might be difficult for the local community in Kinawataka to obtain all the benefits at once, as urban farming is a new task in itself. The foremost important focus is to get efficient cultivation of plants and help with food security due to the great degree of deprivation in the area. Good organisation of the garden and its connected activities is important so that the garden’s potential can be obtained. Different technical aspects, production techniques and planting systems can be used in order to optimise cultivation and make rooftop farming a tangible activity for the local community. The modular system/container garden is chosen for the design proposal as an intensive system since it is the type of rooftop farm that is easiest to work with for the local community and that supports the biggest variety of plants. Whether the rooftop falls in under the category garden or farm depends on whether the farmers grow plants for self-consumption or as an income generating activity, and therefore it might be a mix. The climate in the Kampala region is suited for farming. The research on background information and rooftop agriculture has contributed to the development of the design principles and the design proposal.

CONCLUSION BACKGROUND

SITE ANALYSIS

Low-dense building structures Highway wtih many trucks passing through the area

A lot of pollution Very litte greenery in the area

Lack of gathering places Weak boundary between public and private, it is an extreme case of sharedspace

PHOTO

JOURNEY

Many things happening in the urban space with a lot of input to deal with High density

Poorly built buildings

Difficult conditions for pedestrians Many different colours and materiality

Low safety in the area with bad overview of the streets

Graffitti art against drugs

There is a local market close to the site

Small houses makes it necessary to use the public space for everydaychores Moving around the area is highly challenging, the houses in the ‘middle’ of the area are only accesible by foot via difficult paths

The path leading to the project site is in very bad condition

Kinawataka slum is in contrast to relatively wealthy areas close by

Greenery map - there is very little greenery in the informal settlement

No clear movement pattern

Movement map - there is no clear movement pattern in the informal settlement, and basic infrastructure is lacking

Very little greenery

Samuel Tumusiimi: Chairman of the Elders from the local community

When I visited Kinawataka, I talked with Samuel Tumusiimi, who is the chairman of the elders and a leader in the local community. He provided insight into everyday life from his overview of the area. Life is a struggle in Kinawataka. People wake up early in the morning and plan from there how to earn a living, as many are in temporary employment. Some work with selling food and various goods and services to truck drivers on Kinawataka Road. The population is young, and many work in the industrial sector.Few people are professionals in their field, and pick up whatever work they might find. Approximately 60% of the female poulation in Kinawataka works in prostitution. The remaining women are either unemployed or work as unskilled labourers. The community in Kinawataka tries to provide young people with valuable skills, as they see them as the future, hope and only opportunity for development.

TALK WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ELDERS

People build their own houses and marriage is an obligation. The community doesn’t really visit other areas, but they do embrace people and would like a public community space and place to meet. He regards the rooftop garden as a benefit for the community, but fears the challenges of financial sustainability and finding skilled workers to do the job (Tumusiimi, 2022).

The main weakness of implementing a rooftop garden is that it is more expensive than a simple pitched roof. This means that a substantial amount of food needs to be grown, and it could potentially be a challenge for the community to succeed in this. The informal status of the settlement in general is a Therechallenge.isapotential

for great opportunities if the rooftop garden turns out to be successful. It can be up-scaled and implemented at different sites such as future bio-centres. It can also help build and spread urban farming skills to individuals and thereby improve diet and food security locally. Furthermore, by being a meeting place that unites the community it can help pave the way for obtaining land rights and urban development.

SWOT

weaknesses, opportunities and threats connected to making a rooftop garden on the bio-centre in Kinawataka.

The main strengths are that the agricultural roof will provide a source of income or improve the nutrition for growers, if crops are grown for their own consumption, while also adding a pleasant green space for people to socialise, unifying the community in the otherwise harsh depressive urban environment with no greenery. The community wants a change for the better and should therefore be willing to do urban farming.

TheROOFTOPANALYSISGARDENINKINAWATAKASWOTanalysisisusedtoidentifysomeofthestrenghts,

Threats to the project include poor management that might ruin the potential for the rooftop garden, conflicts between users, theft and/or vandalisation of produce or equipment, lack of water or other things that might ruin the crops.

Possible financial contribution to the bio-centre’s economy if the rooftop can be rented out to growers, meaning that the investment in establishing a flat and farming roof will pay off

Provides a new source of income if food is grown for sale Improve nutrition for local growers and their families, if food is grown for own consumption Reduces malnutrition and stunted growth among children, by access to a healthier diet Mitigates the nutritional impact of economic shocks for people living on the edge of society Food production close to people’s homes Possible high yields as crops can be grown all year

Potential climate and environmental benefits as increased biodiversity, and an improved urban microclimate

It may help connect local residents to nature, plants and food

A green, lush environment at the rooftop will contribute to the bio-centre’s visibility in the community, help attract users and maintain a healthy economy

Act as a green social meeting place with tranquillity and beauty in the otherwise harsh and depressive urban environment with no greenery

OPPORTUNITIESSTRENGTHS

Successful rooftop farming can be a showcase to visitors and a source of local pride Undertaking the new task of urban farming may generate cooperation and trust among residents Help pave the way for obtaining land rights and urban development

If growing is successful, an urban farming component can become an integrated feature in future biocentres, thereby helping to spread its benefits to other communities in need It can help build and spread urban farming skills to individuals who have a small courtyard or similar space for growing, thereby improving both diet and food security locally If growing is very efficient and can be scaled up across Kinawataka and other slums, it may reduce the need for road transport of produce from outside Kampala, with its negative climate impact Successful rooftop farming adds to self-sufficiency in food production and creates dignity and meaningfulness

Educational value

Exchange knowledge with existing urban farming projects

A beautiful social rooftop space adds dignity, pride and ownership in the community, which again may further local cooperation in regard to the community’s future The community is keen to improve its welfare, so can be expected to take good care of the facility A place for people in the community to meet and get to know each other NSDFU has many members in Kinawataka who may be mobilised in support of the garden

The establishment of a flat rooftop garden is more expensive than a simple pitched roof

Informal status of settlement and the associated issues

Limited space that limits potential amount of yield and number of users

Anything that could endanger the crops, including vermin, plant diseases, pests, pollution, climate and natural disasters

The rooftop’s social space becoming a hangout-place for drunkards and anti-social behaviour

Theft and/or vandalisation of produce and equipment

Growing requires an initial investment in seeds/seedlings etc., which may exclude the poorest who are most in need

A flat roof is prone to structural damage from water, which is costly to repair and therefore likely to remain unrepaired. A flat roof requires continued maintenance, which is always a challenge in a cash-stripped community

Might be a challenge to teach community members the necessary growing skills

THREATSWEAKNESSES

Growing requires skill, time and energy. It may be a risk for the bio-centre if space is rented to unskilled persons who are unsuccesful in growing and hence unwilling or unable to pay

Although unlikely due to current political support, the bio-centre’s location in an informal settlement means that it may eventually be demolished by the authorities who own the land

If nobody wants to rent the space, even after a free grace-period

Conflicts between users with different interests; e.g. tenants, growers and users of the rooftop’s social space

The willingness to pay for using the roof depends on a sufficient amount of food being grown, but locals may not have the skills needed

If water for some reason becomes inaccessible or too expensive in a period of drought, it will ruin the crop

Lack of maintenance

Privatisation or encroachment on the rooftop by bio-centre residents or others

Poor management

If an investment in a farming rooftop construction is to be financially justified, it depends on one or more local grower’s willingness to pay a rent for using the space

Should water leak into the construction it may negatively affect the livability of the apartments below, resulting in less rent collected, which may compromise the financial viability of the entire bio-centre

Growing at a roof requires water which, at times of drought, cannot be sourced from rainwater runoff but must be bought, raising costs for growing and reducing or neutralising the revenue

Corruption

Many young people want fast money, and therefore drive motorcycle taxis called Boda bodas. Urban farming requires more patience, so a potential challenge is how to incentivise the job to the locals.

Travel Notes

CONCLUSION SITE ANALYSIS

The site analysis showed that Kinawataka and the site is a gruelling area where people live on the edge of society, are very poor and lack basic services and infrastructure. During the site analysis I conducted an informal interview with the chairman of elders, and afterwards did a SWOT analysis of the project. From the interview I learned about the struggles of everyday life in Kinawataka and what his hopes and fears of the rooftop garden could bring. The most important aspects that I wanted to bring into my design proposal from the interview is that the organisational aspect should include the youth, and find an economically viable strategy so as to not end up in financial disaster.

The SWOT analysis showed that the main strengths are that the agricultural roof will provide a source of income and/or improve the nutrition for growers (if crops are grown for their own consumption) while also adding a pleasant green space for people to socialise in the otherwise harsh environment lacking green- and meeting spaces. Its main weakness is the cost of implementing the rooftop garden, which further emphasises that the project needs to be economically viable. The greatest threat to a successful rooftop garden is poor organisation/management so that the roof is not properly maintained, the lack of water or other things that might ruin crops and the informal status of the settlement and the risk of forced evictions is also a general threat. The greatest opportunity, however, is if the project succeeds, it could become a financially stable food farm that could benefit the local area, both by producing food as well as spreading urban farming skills to locals. Potentially rooftop farming could also spread to other places in the slum and might even help pave the way for urban development. In conclusion, the site analysis showed that there is a need for a place that can provide jobs, food, and greenery to the otherwise harsh and depressing urban environment. Although there are risks, this project could potentially be part of a first step to develop the area by obtaining land rights. The finished construction could stand as a local monument of pride that would inspire the residents for a better future.

DESIGN PROPOSAL

STRATEGIC DESIGN DESIGN PRINCIPLES

SITE DESIGN

VISION76

CREATING URBAN ROOFTOP FARMING IN SLUM AREAS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVED CONDITIONS FOR THESE SETTLEMENTS

AWB’s method for adding an extra floor Future bio-centres

STRATEGIC DESIGN

In order to make substantial changes in slum areas, it is important that the ideas and projects have a potential for being upscaled, so that they will have greater effect. It is therefore important to look upon how agricultural green roofs, like the one in the bio-centre project, can be implemented Thereelsewhere.are plans to make more bio-centres in Kampala and Uganda, which would be obvious places to implement rooftop gardens. Existing solid buildings with a flat, sturdy roof could also be transformed into agricultural roofs. Architects Without Borders have designed a way to add an extra floor to buildings of poor building quality, by having strong beams carrying an additional story. In their projects it has been for indoor rooms, but it could just as well be for an agricultural roof.

Existing strong buildings

Strategy for up-scaling

AWB has made a design where it is possible to add an extra floor to an existing building, that could instead also be an agricultural roof (Architects Without Borders, unknown year)

AWB’s design for adding an extra floor (Architects Without Borders, unknown year)

79 1. 2. 1. 2.

This segment presents key design principles in focus when implementing agricultural roofs in slum areas. Depending on the specific location, some principles may be more important than others.

DESIGN

1. SITE2.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES

1. 2.

Due to the lack of adequate, pleasant and relaxed meeting places in the slum, a rooftop garden should accommodate this by making space for calmness, socialising and seating so that it will also be a community unifying space in a green setting.

HEALTH PROMOTING EFFECTS

1. CLIMATE2. AND ENVIRONMENT

Agricultural green roofs should also tap into climate and environmental issues and make cities more sustainable and viable. Aspects such as urban heat island effect, rainwater run-off, air pollution and biodiversity can be addressed. Furthermore, energy is saved on transportation of food.

It is important that the local community have the feeling of ownership of the rooftop garden, and that the identity of the context and surrounding area is reflected in the design. Feeling of ownership can be obtained in different ways, for example by community involvement throughout the whole process of making the rooftop from design to building phase, or through how the work, planting plots and activities at the roof are organised. Local identity can be included through materials, colours, indigenous crops etc.

IDENTITY AND OWNERSHIP

By providing healthy fresh food a rooftop garden promotes health and good nutritional diet, while counteracting food Furthermore,shortage. being in green spaces and doing work involving plants can be stress relieving and thereby also promoting mental health. 1. 2.

ROBUSTRECREATIONALCULTIVATIONSPACEANDSIMPLEDESIGN

There are very few resources in the slum which is why a rooftop garden needs to be a simple and robust design. It needs to be simple so that it is affordable and easy to work with, and so that if anything breaks it is easily fixed. However, to reduce the risk of stuff breaking, it also needs to be robust without too many highly technical solutions.

Because people are extremely poor and struggling in the slum, it is very important that agricultural roofs provide a substantial amount of food, so that it is worth the effort. Otherwise people will not have the surplus to do the work. The yield needs to work either as a substitute for buying food or as an income by selling it. Optimising the area of planting surface, planting techniques and organisation are therefore important.

OPTIMISING

Vertical Farm 1.0

bed

water reservoirGreenTrellisfence1190m Roof floor A

Planting with

Rainwater barrel Ground floor Ground Informal houseWall Tree First floor ChairWorking table pottedHangingplant Tool box Stairs Water hand pump (rainwater barrel) and wateremergencytap(piped water) A Masterplan Rooftop Garden 1:40 Pergola with plants on Gate A N

The design process started with sketches grounded in two main approaches to the design; the optimising of cultivation to get as much yield as possible and the focus on the rooftop as a recreational space. Two poles to these approaches were sketched and then afterwards combined in a third drawing that accommodated both. However, the combination of the two approaches didn’t fulfil optimising of cultivation enough partly because the organic shapes of the planting beds is not the most effective solution. A space doesn’t need to have organic shapes in order to be recreational, the more kitchen garden aesthetic also holds recreational values with plants being the dynamic element and the work involving plants. The design process led to the final proposal with primary focus on optimising cultivation but which still holds recreational values.

Optimising Cultivation Optimising Cultivation and Recreational Space RecreationalRaisedSpaceplanting bed for vegetables compostRaised bed Working table Roof floor Toolbox handWaterpump First floor Stairs Ground floor Green fence barrelRainwater Cultivation zone Working zone RaisedBenchplanting bed for ornamental plants Tree handWaterpump First floor Stairs Ground floor Low PergolaBenchtable Green fence barrelRainwater View over entrance to bio-centre Winding paths handWaterpump First floor Stairs Ground floor Working table Raised compost bedToolbox Roof floor Pergola Green fence Raised planting bed for vegetablesBench Bench barrelRainwater Tree View over entrance to bio-centre Winding paths Cultivation zone Working zone

DESIGN PROCESS

Under the pergola is a working zone that supports the different types of activities connected to the cultivation of plants, for instance it is possible to prepare seedlings at the working table. There is also a toolbox with necessary equipment and storage space for growers.

OPTIMISING CULTIVATION

Good planting techniques are promoted by access to knowledge about rooftop farming on fact sheets accessible on the roof, which also have contact information on, for example other users. The fact sheets contain information on other urban farming initiatives, the Vertical and Micro Gardening Company, practical information and gardening rules. A fact sheet should also be pinned up at the entrance so that it is easy for people to find the information. Furthermore, the users can exchange knowledge and gain inspiration from each other when being on the roof and by being part of a farming community that also is connected digitally with for instance a text message threat, or whatever works best for the users.

The Vertical and Micro Gardening company also offers good quality soil that optimises yield. The better the resources, the higher the chances of a successful harvest.

1. 2.

FULFILMENT OF DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Optimising cultivation is the main focus for the rooftop garden. Since there is little available space, it was necessary to find a smart planting strategy with high yield that did not take up too much space, while at the same time not being too technically advanced, so that it could be utilised with the limited access to resources of the informal settlement. The solution was found with the Vertical Farm 1.0, a clever farming technique developed by the Kampala based company ‘Vertical and Micro Gardening,’ and this became the main planter in the design. It is developed and tested in informal settlements in Kampala and therefore suited the context perfectly. It is built with local materials that enhance sustainable design. Furthermore, cultivation is optimised by the use of other types of planters on excess space not fitted for the vertical farm. By having several planting methods it also enhances resilience of the planting strategy. On the 44 square metre roof, a total of 68 square metres of planting space is achieved by the different planting methods. The planting beds have wheels so that it is possible to turn them according to sun and shadow.

In terms of organisation, a farming community for the users should be established, so that they know each other and are in contact. In that way they can easily exchange knowledge and maintain the space properly, which enhances the cultivation. The farming community should be led by an elected chairman to manage the group. Regular status meetings will be held in the fixed interval after every planting cycle (4-5 months) to keep track of the usage of the rooftop garden, so that it is ensured that people maintain it and actually use the space. If people mismanage or just don’t want to have planting space anymore, the status meetings function as an obvious occasion to change users. Of course users can also change in between status meetings, but the meetings function as a check on the status of the rooftop garden. They also function as a forum for users to exchange knowledge, say if they need help to gain knowledge on farming, bring ideas to the table and express opinions of various kinds. The status meetings are also held together with a representative of the bio-centre community to ensure communication between the two groups.

RECREATIONAL2. SPACE

The recreational aspect of the rooftop garden very much revolves around the value of being in a green setting, working with plants and the calmness that it brings compared to being in the busy and poorly conditioned surroundings. The plants are what makes the space dynamic and come alive. As the crops change, so does the appearance of the garden and the plants attract people and insects. The plants will have different textures, colours, smells, taste etc. and will appeal to people’s senses. It is a space for people to meet and socialise over something meaningful and aesthetic pleasing. Under the pergola it is possible to sit and relax in the shadow during breaks from garden work, or just for relaxation in general. A table situated under the working table can be taken out and used as for example a dining table. More space for social gatherings can be created, since the planting beds have wheels on them and therefore can be pushed together freeing up more space. This makes it possible for the community to meet and discuss important subjects or just meet and socialise for different occasions. The fact sheet will include practical information on how to rent out the space for special occasions. Additional stacked chairs make it possible for more people to sit. The rooftop garden is also a safe outdoor space for women and children. The children don’t need constant supervision, which makes it possible for women to work and be on the roof in a more relaxed way. So even though the focus for the rooftop garden is primarily optimising cultivation, the fact that it is a garden in itself holds recreational values - plants have the potential to make a pleasant space. And the rooftop garden is an adaptive space with the possibility of more recreational value in the relaxational and social sense.

Different soil depths accomodate different plants Vertical Farm 1.0 (Vertical and Micro Gardening,2022)

Fact sheets on rooftop agriculture, contact information andinformationpractical

Gaps in between planting beds

Path system

Cultivation zone

AND SIMPLE DESIGN

Working relaxationzone/zone

Pergola as relaxation zone

ROBUST2.

Zones

Smaller paths

Main path

85 1.

Pergola as working zone

Planting beds have wheels on them and can be moved together to free up space for other activities

The design to make the space as easy to use as possible requires no highly technical solutions. The main planting solution, the Vertical Farm 1.0, is developed in Uganda and tested out in slum areas in Kampala and therefore have been through the test of these harsh environments. If the users need help with the vertical farm the contact information on Vertical and Micro Gardening company is written on the fact sheet so it is easy to get assistance. The other planting solutions and physical structures are inspired by the vertical farm. Their components are easily accessible, lightweight and cheap material, so that if anything breaks it can easily be fixed. Instructions for fixing potential damages and information on how to build planting beds should be written on the fact sheet. There are no electricity-dependent functions on the roof. Acquiring the necessary water is a simple procedure, as there is a simple water hand pump connected to a rainwater barrel. An emergency water tap is connected to the bio-centre water in case of emergencies, but it is locked and only the bio-centre member(s) in charge of water has the key. A gate is installed at the entrance to the roof, which can be locked at night to reduce the risk of theft and vandalisation. The spatial design of the roof is made in a simple grid to promote a good overview of the plants making it easy to follow their growing process and health. The grid also provides good working criterias with efficient paths going between the planting beds. There is a main path leading to the end of the rooftop from the stairs with smaller paths branching out from the main path in between planting beds for access. The smaller paths are quite narrow, due to optimisation of planting space. From the small paths emerge gaps in between planting beds for access to all sides of the vertical farms.

86 Silver beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla var. flavescens) (favpng.com, 2022)

Theshortage.rooftop garden is a small oasis in the otherwise depressive environment, and therefore also promotes mental health. The green space where people can work with plants is stress relieving. By being situated on the roof, people are raised from the hassle on the street and its potential health risks. 2.

The proposed design encourages health promoting effects in the area through the rooftop farm, either directly through its yield, or indirectly through the cash crop and increase in living conditions. Some plants are higher in nutritional value and would therefore be beneficial to grow if the purpose of growing is to optimise diet. However if it is as an income generating activity, other plants might be more suited. The added income is also a potential way to increase health. It is also a possibility to grow medicinal plants. Therefore the design does not dictate what plants to grow since it is up for the users to decide what they want. The locals for instance know best what vegetables are used in different dishes, and which they desire the most. But still information on appropriate plants for various purposes, and how to prepare them is available on the fact sheets, and it is possible for the growers to be taught in plant choice for instance by the Vertical and Micro Gardening company to get the greatest benefit from the desired purpose. The different types of planters accommodate different plants, and therefore give the users the option to choose between different plants. The possible high amount of yield generated by the planters counteract food

1. 2.

IDENTITY AND OWNERSHIP

Peanut (Arachis hypogea) (toppng.com, 2022)

Optimally the local community should be involved throughout the whole process of making the rooftop garden from design to building, so that their desires and opinions for a rooftop garden are included, and become connected to the garden. Involvement of the local community can be done through workshops at the different phases. Local experts and business can be involved, which also creates jobs for the locals. With the establishment of a farming community, a green identity is created, and they can together better maintain the rooftop garden. The farming community does not officially own the rooftop garden, but they will have the feeling of ownership since they are the ones cultivating on the roof. The planting space/

HEALTH PROMOTING EFFECTS

Examples of potentially important food plants in Uganda - see appendix for more examples (The Crawford Fund Tasmania, 2016)

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) (kindpng.com,2022)

Okra ( esculentusAbelmoschus ) com,(seekpng.2022)

plots are divided among the growers and they individually, and legally, own the plants they grow and hence the profit from them, which is an encouraging factor for people to involve themselves in the garden. Since the public have access to the rooftop the community in general will have a feeling of ownership over the garden in the way that it is a part of their community and accessible spaces. Local identity is obtained with the use of the vertical planters developed in Kampala and with the use of local wood and other materials for planting beds and other structures. If the users choose to grow local crops that will also bring local identity into the garden. The users are of course welcome to make alterations to the design, which also gives a feeling of ownership and can bring in identity. Major changes should be discussed at the status meetings, while smaller alterations or additions can be done freely. It is a space for the community so in the end they should decide how the organisation should be. Because the planting beds are on wheels it is easy to change the spatial composition of the roof, which makes it possible for the users to influence the space.

Some of the climate and environmental benefits, such as the amount of biodiversity, depends on how the cultivation is done. Because of the high amount of planting space there is a possibility to affect these factors as well. If people gain knowledge on the benefits of these aspects, they may feel motivated to include them in their planting plan. No matter what, a more pleasant micro-climate is created on the roof compared to the conditions on the street. The green roof taps into the green infrastructure of the city.

1. CLIMATE2. AND ENVIRONMENT

Vertical Farm 1.0Green wall

89 Section AA 1:30

Chairs

Pergola Hanging potted plants Tool box

is organised is crucial for its success. The project aims for the rooftop garden to serve both a yielding function, as well as a recreational one. This creates a scale between the rooftop as a public space in contrast to a private space used solely by the farmers. If the farmers can not work in peace, they might lose motivation and either quit or completely close off public access. To intervene this issue is a matter of finding a balance between the recreational aspect and the yielding aspect.

Farmers for the rooftop should be found among the local area. The obvious choice would be to recruit bio-centre members, but it would be positive to reach further out as well. Once the bio-centre has been built, a local meeting could be held that could introduce the project and let interested people apply for farming spots. In case of many applications, criterias such as gardening/farming experience, age, family size and a description of their desired yield could be taken into consideration. Once the first farming ‘crew’ has been found, they should be taught necessary information on urban gardening, as well as helping them acquire skills for their project. Vertical and Micro Gardening offers to come out and guide people on using their vertical farm 1.0 product, and would be beneficial at least for the upstart of the rooftop garden. Other urban farming groups could also be involved as consultants who could come out and share their expertise. As farmers would be replaced, other farmers might teach them the skills as they start up. The fewer farmers there are, the more yield each farmer will receive. However there is a social advantage in having more farmers, as it can create a stronger community that involves the broader area. For this specific rooftop I would recommend no less than six farmers, so that one farmer would be responsible for one row of vertical farms. This would provide a reasonable yield for each individual, while still involving a number large enough to make up a community. Furthermore, each farmer could share his space with whomever he/she chooses. The planting beds, the green fences and the plants growing around the pergola could be nurtured through a combined group-building effort.

TheORGANISATIONmannerinwhichtherooftopfarming

The rooftop garden could also host events for the community as meetings or teach the residents about urban farming. This might inspire some to implement urban farming techniques elsewhere,

The rooftop garden should be managed by a small dedicated group consisting of the rooftop farmers. The group can be interchangeable. A representative from the bio-centre should be either part of the group, or at least an associate. The group should assign a chairman, so that one individual could keep stewardship of the garden and its services. The group would meet several times over the year to discuss new and ongoing issues. During these meetings they can also exchange ideas on farming projects. By organising leadership, the rooftop can be properly managed. As to not exclude the broader public, various initiatives could be executed. One of these could be to use the planting beds for educational purposes. A representative from the farming community could also present the vertical farms and their function. These initiatives could involve the local school and allow for children to come and take a small part of the farming process and could serve as inspiration. This accommodates the desires of the Chief of elders in the area, whose hopes lay with the future generation.

By organising itself in a properly managed order, the farmers tending the rooftop garden can grow into a strong garden community. By sharing workspace, meeting regularly and exchanging ideas they can improve their skills and insight on farming. Perhaps it will not just be vegetables that will sprout in the garden, but friendships as well.

The economical aspect of the rooftop garden is also pivotal in its success. There has to be a financial motivation for both the bio-centre as well as the farmers. In the case of the bio-centre, they will be unofficial owners of the rooftop farm, and farmers would lease themselves unto the farming area. The farmers could either pay a sum each month, or alternatively, a fair sum once the harvest is ready. The arguments for a waiting with rent until the yield has been harvested, is to make it more attractive for poor entrepreneurs to try their luck with farming. However, having a monthly fixed sum makes it more favourable for the bio-centre while encouraging farmers by being more invested. The farming community could also make a shared economy from parts of their profit, in a way to make a safety net for themselves in case of bad harvesting or other repairs to the roof’s facilities. The farmers would have to trust each other, which hopefully having regular meetings and shared workspace would facilitate.

as it does not require much space. If a vertical farm is available, new farmers can join the project. It would also be positive for the broader community if the gardens were open fixed days of the week as a recreational social space. Due to the downsides of the slum area, the garden should be locked off during the nights, so as to secure it from theft and vandalisation.

Planting

The Vertical Farm can support people’s income through the products it yields, which are vegetables, earthworms that breed and organic fertiliser, thereby being a tool to provide marginalised and vulnerable communities with an additional income. Current owners of the farm earn an average of 2,000 danish kroner per planting cycle which is around 4.5 months. The income can potentially increase to around 8,000 danish kroner per planting cycle if there is extra focus on using the farm as a strategic tool with fast growing high value crops and not only as a way to achieve a healthy and varied diet. To add perspective, the average lowest income for people working in Kampala is approximately 1,200 Danish kroner per month (salaryexplorer, 2022). The farm can potentially also promote women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment by giving them a means. The company behind the product offers extension services and guidance to get the most value out of the vertical farm, which might be beneficial to include in the management of the rooftop garden. The vertical farm is a holistic solution in a transition to a more sustainable and inclusive agricultural landscape, with the potential to reduce poverty, hunger and the pressure on rural farmers by being an ecological and innovative agribusiness (Vertical and Micro Gardening, 2022).

The roof is designed as a container garden. The planting strategy consists of vertical planters, planting beds with water reservoirs, green fences, trellises, planted pergola and hanging potted plants. Vertical farming provides the most yield, but in excess space not fitted for vertical farms, other types of planters are placed to increase yield further and to have different planting solutions which increase resilience.

PLANTING STRATEGY

Footedge

Vermi-compostinghole drawer

Lid vermi-composting chamber

Vermi-composting chamber

VERTICAL FARM 1.0

The primary planting solution in the design is the Vertical Farm 1.0 based on years of research, and developed by the Ugandan urban farming enterprise called Vertical and Micro Gardening. The Vertical Farm 1.0 is a wooden container vertical farming solution produced and integrated in Uganda that can grow up to 200 plants in an approximately 1x1m area. Local wood is used to build the farm and it converts 0.8 square metres into 3.3 square metres of farming space. The production with vertical planters is nearly independent on climate variability and supply risks, which secures a steady production of healthy vegetables and makes it possible to grow them all year round. In the heart of the vertical planter is a vermi-composting chamber where earthworms transform organic waste as food waste into fertiliser. The worms travel throughout the soil beds depositing their worm castings and aiding in aeration and infiltration. Because of the dispersed small-scale production there is less chance of pests and pest controlling is easier (Vertical and Micro Gardening, 2022).

Planting layer

Vertical Farm 1.0

Bottom planting bed

Soil catching

The pergola is covered in plants to increase planting space while providing shade in the working and relaxation zone situated under it so that people can escape from the sun.

ThePERGOLAFENCEplantingbedwith

PlantingWaterbed

Overflow (water level)

GreenreservoirfenceTrellisPergola

PLANTING BED WITH WATER RESERVOIR GREEN

Planting bed with water

Filling FootPerforatedtubebucket

water reservoir needs to be watered less frequently and thereby requires less maintenance and eases the work in the garden. The planting beds have different soil depths in order to accommodate different plants and weight concerns. As proposed during the organisation segment, these five planting beds could be a shared effort that

HANGING POTTED PLANT

A fence is needed on the roof for security reasons, by making it into a green fence it also adds to the amount of planting space. It is a three-layered green fence to have as much space for plants as possible, while it also gives it a pleasant lightweight appearance. The plants growing in the fence would be nurtured through a shared effort.

Visualisation A of the rooftop garden from under the pergola with a look out over the different planters, with the Vertical Farm 1.0 in the center

The vision proposes both a strategic design for how to up-scale and spread rooftop agriculture in slum areas and a specific site design for a rooftop garden on the bio-centre in Kinawataka. The strategic design includes three concepts on how to implement agricultural green roofs and are; implementing them on new bio-centres, on existing strong buildings and by adding an additional strong floor to existing otherwise unstable buildings in slum areas. For the site design, general design principles for implementing rooftop agriculture in slum areas are first outlined, and then used for the specific design in Kinawataka. These are optimising cultivation, recreational space, robust and simple design, health promoting effects, identity and ownership and climate and environment. Due to both the need for food security and social green spaces in the slum the design phase included experimenting with different ways to fulfil these needs. The final design proposal focuses primarily on optimising cultivation with as much planting space as possible, which is achieved through the use of vertical planters, and good working conditions. This focus is a response to the extreme poverty in the area and people’s limited resources. The recreational aspect of the rooftop garden then primarily revolves around the work with plants and the pleasant green space these create. A farming community will be created for social cohesion and good organisation which is key for a well functioning garden. The roof can also function as a space for special social activities, such as for example teaching children about urban farming. The other design principles are also included in a way that fits into the context with for example the use of locally sourced materials and no highly advanced technological solutions that are difficult to repair. Fact sheets should be developed with practical information and relevant knowledge regarding urban farming and planting solutions and their various potentials. The rooftop garden should be designed and developed through workshops with the local community and other stakeholders.

CONCLUSION DESIGN PROPOSAL

Isometric sketch of the hard main physical structures of the rooftop garden Pergola

Chairs Working tableToolbox

Stairs

TrellisGreen fence

Vertical farm 1.0 Planting bed with water reservoir

OUTRO

DISCUSSION AND REFLECTIONS

The rooftop being quite a small area is a challenge since it is not possible to get all the functions one could wish for that can benefit the community. It is not big enough to support the entire community with yield, but it potentially benefits the entire community as a unifying element that can help with obtaining land rights and urban development. Furthermore, by opening up to the public through events and involving the local school, it can stand as a monument of pride and hope for the local

One aspect that could use further review is the water situation. While precipitation in the area is fairly even all year around, there is a risk that there might not be enough water for the plants. Additional catchment of rainwater would be beneficial, and perhaps a context suited watering system could be implemented as well. An engineer should look at the situation, and also on resources in general, so that a system where resources circulate on the roof could be created. When making a project like these it is in general needed to use interdisciplinary approaches to improve the result of the project. It would therefore be beneficial for the rooftop garden as well to draw on several disciplines, at least in the implementation phase. More planting space could also have been implemented if the planting beds were placed closer next to each other. In the design proposal this was not chosen since only a few more vertical farms could be fitted onto the roof and the spatial quality would drop drastically with limited possibility for moving around and to have social activities, especially for groups of people. Potentially the planting area could also be increased by including not only the roof but for instance also the sides of the building and the ground around the bio-centre.

100

There is a potential risk connected to the fact that the primary planting method is based on the Vertical Farm 1.0 by the Vertical and Micro Gardening company. If for instance the company closes down and no more can offer guidance, make new planters etc. then the rooftop garden might find itself in trouble. Hopefully the farmers of the rooftop garden get to know the vertical farm and therefore will be able to fix it themselves if anything breaks. But if the company closes down it would probably be hard to spread out the concept of the vertical farm to other places. But by integrating the company, local business is also supported.

This design proposal has been thought out with an emphasis on optimising cultivation. Due to the conditions of the area, this approach has been chosen as it would best fit the needs of the community. The design proposal conducted here needs some practical reviews before implementation, which I will cover in this segment. I will also discuss what alternative designs could be implemented for other urban farms as part of an upscaling initiative.

Other local recycled materials can also be used for planting beds, as for example water bottles, tires or whatever container that can contain a sufficient amount of soil for cultivating plants.

Theresidents.surrounding area and the main path leading to the bio-centre can also be designed and improved in order to make a clear access.

The design principles are general and are developed with the purpose of being blueprints that can be used and implemented at different sites in slum settlements for making additional agricultural roofs. Rooftop gardens and their benefits can therefore be adapted to other places to encourage

Future efforts could focus on the benefits from other design principles as well, and the gardens can fulfil more potentials, such as serving as a recreational space in additional ways besides the farming oriented focus. For this project, the recreational design principle was challenging to implement, due in parts to the small area of the rooftop garden. If an urban farming initiative was to be established that focused more on the recreational design principle, then it would require a larger area and more funding. It is also a risk, that if the rooftop garden was publicly accessible it would likely increase the risk of theft or vandalisation.

In part of the upscaling initiative, future rooftop gardens should realise that they most likely can not fulfil all the potentials from each of the design principles, but rather that they focus on some specifics. While this design can be used when focusing on optimising cultivation with limited space, others could be developed that for instance focused on the benefits of climate adaptation (by for instance promoting biodiversity etc.) or recreational space (by including benches, paths, ornamental plants etc.) or some of the benefits from the other design principles. In this manner, a green infrastructure could be added to the slum area. However, in slums the focus will probably often be on optimising cultivation and the possibility for the garden to benefit economically. The most important thing for the design in a slum setting is that it responds to the needs of the local community. Perhaps if the local community in Kinawataka obtains land rights and the settlement improves, their needs for the rooftop garden could change. This is something that the local community should be able to express and be in charge of organising themselves.

101

If the next step were to be taken in the implementation of the rooftop garden, workshops should be set up that connect stakeholders to a participatory community-building approach in order to plan and facilitate the further process. The local community should also be involved from the beginning of the process so that they are co-creators and get the feeling of ownership of the garden. All of the stakeholders connected to the bio-centre project could also be important stakeholders for the implementation of a rooftop garden. For instance NSDFU members living in Kinawataka could be assembled. If the stakeholders are on board working with the implementation of the rooftop garden, it would increase the possibility of getting a successful project since they are skilled in realising projects in slum areas. Inspired by the bio-centre workshop, the stakeholders could map out their expectations and responsibilities, and a board/working group could be established for further process. Workshops where stakeholders meet each other are important, so that people basically know who they are working together with and better can coordinate and discuss different ideas.

Not all the benefits from the design principles are fulfilled in the design of the rooftop garden in Kinawataka, since there was a restriction on area space. The focus has therefore been on the optimisation of cultivation, since people hardly get by and therefore can not afford to do projects for leisure, so if there is no financial incentive, the rooftop garden will most likely fail.

urban farming in slum areas. The design for this rooftop garden also has adaptive properties in itself, since the vertical farms can be moved away to make more space for smaller social gatherings during special occasions.

102

It would be interesting to develop the fact sheet that is intended to be on the roof, which could also help with outlining important aspects to consider when making the rooftop garden. The city can also promote and facilitate rooftop gardening by modifying zoning and building codes or by setting up initiatives. Zoning and building codes are however not highly relevant for Kinawataka as long as it is an informal settlement. Legislation on green roofs would also ensure more greenery into cities.

1190m Site map 1:500

to project site

Tree

Project site

Informal settlement

Path

Dirt Kinawatakaroadroad

centre could be used in a

giving green stones as paving on the dirt road leading towards the

Identity biodesign surrounding area

CONCLUSION

Based on background research of the site and rooftop agriculture in conduction of the field trip the thesis has proposed a strategic design for implementing agricultural roofs in slum areas and design principles that function as blueprints for designing these roofs. The strategic design consists of three concepts on how to up-scale and spread agricultural roofs to additional spaces in the slum. The concepts are: implementing them on new bio-centres, on existing strong buildings and by adding an

103

This master thesis has investigated the possibility of creating a beneficial urban rooftop gardening system for the informal settlement of Kinawataka. The project has been made in collaboration with the organisation Architects Without Borders, who are building a bio-centre of which the rooftop garden potentially could be placed upon. To understand the context of the area, I have looked through the history, climate, geography, demographics, economy, society and culture of Uganda and Kampala and information on Kinawataka. To understand rooftop agriculture spaces I have looked through literature on their benefits and requirements for implementation. I have also investigated the conditions in Kinawataka and on the design site, both through literature as well as through a collaborated field trip together with the associative organisation Architects Without Borders. First on the field trip we visited previously built bio-centres in Nairobi, Kenya. Then we went to Kampala, Uganda where we held meetings and workshops with the stakeholders involved in the bio-centre. We also visited urban farming sites in Kampala and most importantly the site for the design. The experiences of the field trip have helped form the strategies, design principles, ideas and challenges that a rooftop garden would face. Urban farming visits in Kampala mostly contributed to knowledge about organisation or the lack of it. Stakeholder activities made it clear that collaboration between different people and disciplines is important, as well as involvement of the local community from the beginning. The site visit to the design area was important to get an in depth understanding of the area. On site visits, informal interviews were conducted and provided insights into the locals’ expectations of a rooftop garden project, afterwards a SWOT analysis was made for implementing rooftop farming in the area. This analysis recognised the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats connected to such a project in the area. The greatest strength is its potential for enriching the area by providing food security and an extra income generating place for the area, while supporting the community through being a green social place and supporting educational activities. The main weakness is the cost of implementing the rooftop garden, which means that it needs to be economically viable in order to justify its implementation. The greatest threat to obtaining a successful rooftop garden is poor management which is why a farming community is crucial. The lack of water and other things that might affect the produce is also a threat as well as the informal status of the settlement and associated negative conditions. But this leads to its great opportunities; the rooftop garden can be a financially stable food farm that benefits the local community, while the success of the rooftop garden, and the bio-centre associated with it, could be a first step toward obtaining land rights in the area, which could further the development of the area. The rooftop garden can also function as inspiration to implement rooftop farms at other places in the slum areas as well.

104

additional strong floor to existing otherwise unstable buildings in slum areas. The design principles are: optimising cultivation, recreational space, robust and simple design, health promoting effects, identity and ownership and climate and environment. And were used to make the specific design for the rooftop garden in Kinawataka. Since the area lacks food security and green spaces, experiments were conducted in the design phase with the principles optimising cultivation and recreational space. With knowledge from collected research, that made it clear that the top priority for people living in Kinawataka is to make a living, the final design resulted in focusing primarily on optimising cultivation with as much planting space as possible and good working conditions. A recreational element is present in the design through the work with plants and by being a pleasant green space. A social farming community will be established ensuring good management of the garden. The roof can also host other social activities as for example workshops revolving education in urban farming. The other design principles, as well as ideas for functions and elements on the roof, are also included in the design in ways that fit into the local context.

As such, the rooftop garden can be a first step in growing aspirations for improving slum areas and a more developed Kampala and Uganda.

Due to the extreme poverty in Kinawataka it is crucial that the cultivation of plants on a rooftop garden either function as a substitute for buying food or as an income generating activity. Therefore the design primarily focuses on the optimising of cultivation, and has responded to this with the primary use of vertical planting beds while also making suggestions for the organisation of activities and management of the roof. Even though the main focus is cultivation the space still serves recreational qualities, primarily revolving around plant activities. Involving the local residents and school to events and activities also helps spread the knowledge of urban farming, while inviting them to pleasant surroundings. The garden is a relaxed green environment in contrast to the otherwise depressive surroundings with lack of green spaces, and functions to some extent as a meeting point and a community unifying space. General design principles have all influenced the design in various ways defined by local needs and limitations. The design principles are general and can therefore be used to implement agricultural roofs at different locations as well, and function as guidelines for the design. In order to make a noticeable difference for slum areas in general, and not just locally for Kinawataka, it is necessary to up-scale the agricultural roof concept and spread it out to more locations.

105

Kinawataka area

REFERENCES

United Nations Human Settlements Programme, 2007. Situation Analysis of Informal Settlements in Unknown,Kampala.2022b.

Mandel, L., 2013. Eat Up. New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island.

Dubbeling, M., Massonneau, E., 2012. Rooftop Agriculture - a climate change perspective. RUAF Folkers,Foundation.A.S., et al., 2019. Modern Architecture in Africa: Practical Encounters with Intricate African Modernity. Springer 61.

Griffith, T., 2001. Bishop Alfred Tucker and the Establishment of a British Protectorate in Uganda 1890-94. Journal of Religion in Africa 31, 92–114.

Kinawataka [WWW Document]. Every life. URL https://everylife.org.uk/slum/ kinawataka/ (accessed 2.28.22).

Unknown, 2022c. Uganda [WWW Document]. Every life. URL https://everylife.org.uk/uganda/ (accessed 2.28.22).

2009. Slums. International Encyclopedia of Human Geography 157–162. https://doi. Isunju,org/10.1016/B978-008044910-4.01079-8J.B.,Orach,C.G.,Kemp,J.,2016.

Dreamtown, 2022. dreamtown.ngo [WWW Document]. Instagram. URL https://www.instagram. com/p/B3pj6G2DR83/ (accessed 3.1.22).

Dietz,LITTERATUREA.J,2017.Uganda

Protectorate 1895-1902. African Postal Heritage (APH) papers.

Hazards and vulnerabilities among informal wetland communities in Kampala, Uganda. Environment and Urbanization 28, 275–293. https://doi. Kokole,org/10.1177/0956247815613689O.,Ingham,K.,Lyons,M., Semakula, K.M., M., The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, et al., 2022. Uganda. Britannica.

Tumusiimi, S., 2022. Talk with Chairman of the Elder from the local community.

110

Nilsson, D., 2006. A heritage of unsustainability? Reviewing the origin of the large-scale water and sanitation system in Kampala, Uganda. Environment and Urbanization 18, 369–385. https://doi. Ryslinge,org/10.1177/0956247806069618Anton,2022.TheBackground of the project. Arkitekter Uden Grænser.

Gumm, E., 2011. The Use and Misuse of Wetlands in Kampala. Independent Study Project (ISP) Harris,Collection.R.,

Ryslinge, Anton, 2021. Improving sanitation and building organisational capacity in Kinawataka. The Civil Society Fund.

Myers, C., Suzuki, E., Atamanov, A., 2021. The demographic boom: An explainer on Uganda’s population trends [WWW Document]. World Bank Blogs. URL https://blogs.worldbank.org/ africacan/demographic-boom-explainer-ugandas-population-trends (accessed 4.13.22).

Wang, X., Rafa, M., Moyer, J., Li, J., Scheer, J., Sutton, P., 2019. Estimation and Mapping of Sub-National GDP in Uganda Using NPP-VIIRS Imagery. Remote Sensing 11, 163. https://doi. Wolfe,org/10.3390/rs11020163J.M.,McCans,S.,

Unknown, 2019c. Kampala Climate [WWW Document]. Climate-Data.org. URL https://en.climatedata.org/africa/uganda/central-region/kampala-5578/ (accessed 5.17.22).

Unknown, 2022l. Transparency International Uganda [WWW Document]. Transparency International. URL https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/uganda (accessed 4.14.22).

2009. Designing for Urban Agriculture in an African City: Kampala, Uganda. Open House International 34, 25–35. https://doi.org/10.1108/OHI-02-2009-B0004

Unknown, 2022v. Uganda: Urbanization from 2010 to 2020 [WWW Document]. statista. URL https://www.statista.com/statistics/447899/urbanization-in-uganda/ (accessed 5.28.22).

Unknown, 2022k. Uganda [WWW Document]. Fauna & Flora International. URL https://www. fauna-flora.org/countries/uganda/ (accessed 4.12.22).

Unknown, 2022h. About AUG [WWW Document]. Arkitekter Uden Grænser. URL https://aug.ngo/ about-aug/?lang=en (accessed 3.2.22).

Unknown, 2022w. Population living in slums (% of urban population) - Uganda [WWW Document]. The World Bank. URL https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.SLUM.UR.ZS?locations=UG (accessed Unknown,5.28.22).2020.What

URN, 2018. Museveni assents to age limit bill [WWW Document]. The Observer. URL https://www. observer.ug/news/headlines/56518-museveni-assents-to-age-limit-bill.html (accessed 5.29.22).

is a city? UN Habitat.

Unknown, 2016. Demographic dividend [WWW Document]. United Nations Population Fund. URL https://www.unfpa.org/demographic-dividend (accessed 4.13.22).

Unknown, 2022n. Kampala Population 2022 [WWW Document]. World Population Review. URL https://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/kampala-population (accessed 4.18.22).

Unknown, 2010. Kampala Capital City Act, 2010. Uganda Legal Information Institute.

Unknown, 2019d. Africa :: Uganda [WWW Document]. The World Factbook. URL https://www. cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/uganda/ (accessed 5.17.22).

Unknown, 2022p. Vertical and Micro Gardening [WWW Document]. Vertical and Micro Gardening. URL https://vmg.verticalandmicrogardening.org/ (accessed 5.6.22).

111

Unknown, 2006. State of the World’s Cities 2006/7. UN Habitat.

Unknown, 2022u. Average Salary in Uganda 2022 [WWW Document]. salaryexplorer. URL http:// www.salaryexplorer.com/salary-survey.php?loc=225&loctype=1 (accessed 5.28.22).

Unknown, 2022f. ACTogether Uganda [WWW Document]. ACTogether Uganda. URL https:// www.actogetherug.org/ (accessed 3.1.22).

Krummert,IMAGESB.,

Unknown, 2022q. Silverbeet Fresh Silverbeet. favpng.com.

112

Unknown, 2022x. Uncommon Ground: Chicago. Pinterest.

Unknown, 2022t. Quality Seed Production Of Okra. seekpng.com.

The Crawford Fund Tasmania, 2016. Potentially important food plants of Uganda.

Unknown, 2022s. peanut PNG image with transparent background. toppng.com.

2013. Roofs: Go green, gain green. Restaurant Hospitality.

Unknown, 2022r. Sweet Potato Png. kindpng.com.

Unknown, 2022y. HydroPro Systems installed at a Rooftop Garden in Hong Kong. Pinterest.

113

APPENDIX

Examples of potentially important food plants in Uganda (The Crawford Fund Tasmania, 2016)

116

117

118

Growing Aspirations - Kinawataka Rooftop Farming

Articles inside

PLANTING STRATEGY

ORGANISATION

STRATEGIC DESIGN

SWOT ANALYSIS

ROOFTOP AGRICULTURE

SLUM

URBAN FARMING IN KAMPALA

THESIS TRAVEL

MOTIVATION

TALK WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ELDERS

METHODOLOGY AND PROCESS

COLLABORATION WITH ARCHITECTS WITHOUT BORDERS