Progress is defined by history: addressing urban challenges | Anders Ese | TEDxIlala

[Music]

[Music] we run an urban planning and urban

we run an urban planning and urban

we run an urban planning and urban design firm in dar Salam when we say

design firm in dar Salam when we say

design firm in dar Salam when we say that to people people say wow there sure

that to people people say wow there sure

that to people people say wow there sure is a great need for a plan in the city

is a great need for a plan in the city

is a great need for a plan in the city and then we start talking about the

and then we start talking about the

and then we start talking about the future prospects of this of Dar and well

future prospects of this of Dar and well

future prospects of this of Dar and well most people are pretty grim about that

most people are pretty grim about that

most people are pretty grim about that and words like development and progress

and words like development and progress

and words like development and progress our words the crop up probably quite

our words the crop up probably quite

our words the crop up probably quite quickly and now when I sat down to think

quickly and now when I sat down to think

quickly and now when I sat down to think about this talk and the overarching

about this talk and the overarching

about this talk and the overarching theme of that yes in my lifetime those

theme of that yes in my lifetime those

theme of that yes in my lifetime those three things sort of melded together

three things sort of melded together

three things sort of melded together because yes in my lifetime is about the

because yes in my lifetime is about the

because yes in my lifetime is about the future development and progress those

future development and progress those

future development and progress those three things match and they are in fact

three things match and they are in fact

three things match and they are in fact a lot of what urban planning is about we

a lot of what urban planning is about we

a lot of what urban planning is about we need to deal with a future plan for how

need to deal with a future plan for how

need to deal with a future plan for how not to make buildings collapse for how

not to make buildings collapse for how

not to make buildings collapse for how not to let kids grow up in insalubrious

not to let kids grow up in insalubrious

not to let kids grow up in insalubrious conditions and how to deal with I think

conditions and how to deal with I think

conditions and how to deal with I think people’s two favorite topics and our

people’s two favorite topics and our

people’s two favorite topics and our traffic and flooding now what we do with

traffic and flooding now what we do with

traffic and flooding now what we do with urban planners is that we basically we

urban planners is that we basically we

urban planners is that we basically we dream up a future that might not look

dream up a future that might not look

dream up a future that might not look like this hopefully not but be more

like this hopefully not but be more

like this hopefully not but be more precise urban planning is about creating

precise urban planning is about creating

precise urban planning is about creating strategies and plans for getting

strategies and plans for getting

strategies and plans for getting somewhere in the future and the idea of

somewhere in the future and the idea of

somewhere in the future and the idea of the future is very strong in our field

the future is very strong in our field

the future is very strong in our field but I’m here to tell you that it’s a

but I’m here to tell you that it’s a

but I’m here to tell you that it’s a simple thing really and it’s one that

simple thing really and it’s one that

simple thing really and it’s one that we’re all think aware of and I think it

we’re all think aware of and I think it

we’re all think aware of and I think it applies to a lot of fields and that is

applies to a lot of fields and that is

applies to a lot of fields and that is that sometimes progress is defined by

that sometimes progress is defined by

that sometimes progress is defined by history what about union by that is that

history what about union by that is that

history what about union by that is that if we want to get somewhere in the

if we want to get somewhere in the

if we want to get somewhere in the future we need to know where we’re at

future we need to know where we’re at

future we need to know where we’re at present

present

present me and if we want to know where we’re at

me and if we want to know where we’re at

me and if we want to know where we’re at presently we need to be able to analyze

presently we need to be able to analyze

presently we need to be able to analyze our past and the point of urban planning

our past and the point of urban planning

our past and the point of urban planning is sometimes to allow for plans and

is sometimes to allow for plans and

is sometimes to allow for plans and strategies to get to somewhere else in

strategies to get to somewhere else in

strategies to get to somewhere else in the future somewhere that is not on the

the future somewhere that is not on the

the future somewhere that is not on the current trajectory that we’re on and

current trajectory that we’re on and

current trajectory that we’re on and while we’re talking of multiple futures

while we’re talking of multiple futures

while we’re talking of multiple futures we can also talk about multiple pasts

we can also talk about multiple pasts

we can also talk about multiple pasts because who writes history what is

because who writes history what is

because who writes history what is history history is written by people in

history history is written by people in

history history is written by people in power what about the powerless who gets

power what about the powerless who gets

power what about the powerless who gets to write their history how are they

to write their history how are they

to write their history how are they represented and how are they represented

represented and how are they represented

represented and how are they represented presently and while all of these ideas

presently and while all of these ideas

presently and while all of these ideas are well and good there things that

are well and good there things that

are well and good there things that unfortunately planners and dar Salam

unfortunately planners and dar Salam

unfortunately planners and dar Salam have to deal with on their spare time

have to deal with on their spare time

have to deal with on their spare time because during work hours the problem is

because during work hours the problem is

because during work hours the problem is this we really don’t have a plan for the

this we really don’t have a plan for the

this we really don’t have a plan for the future this is the current master plan

future this is the current master plan

future this is the current master plan and it does say 1979 and that was the

and it does say 1979 and that was the

and it does say 1979 and that was the year I was born it’s obsolete here’s

year I was born it’s obsolete here’s

year I was born it’s obsolete here’s another problem facing planners during

another problem facing planners during

another problem facing planners during work hours dar Salam doesn’t exist this

work hours dar Salam doesn’t exist this

work hours dar Salam doesn’t exist this doesn’t really exist this is just a map

doesn’t really exist this is just a map

doesn’t really exist this is just a map this is what exists three municipalities

this is what exists three municipalities

this is what exists three municipalities and no overarching structure so if you

and no overarching structure so if you

and no overarching structure so if you want to do an overarching urban

want to do an overarching urban

want to do an overarching urban development project and are you have to

development project and are you have to

development project and are you have to go through three planning municipalities

go through three planning municipalities

go through three planning municipalities you have to do three times the paperwork

you have to do three times the paperwork

you have to do three times the paperwork three times the hassle three times the

three times the hassle three times the

three times the hassle three times the setbacks and three times the frustration

setbacks and three times the frustration

setbacks and three times the frustration but if we start looking into history and

but if we start looking into history and

but if we start looking into history and the history of this city we find that

the history of this city we find that

the history of this city we find that maybe this isn’t really the crux of the

maybe this isn’t really the crux of the

maybe this isn’t really the crux of the problem maybe the problem is this that

problem maybe the problem is this that

problem maybe the problem is this that this is dar Salam dar Salam is a lot of

this is dar Salam dar Salam is a lot of

this is dar Salam dar Salam is a lot of villages villages that became very urban

villages villages that became very urban

villages villages that became very urban very quickly and are now a metropolis we

very quickly and are now a metropolis we

very quickly and are now a metropolis we all know this story this history of dar

all know this story this history of dar

all know this story this history of dar Salam it’s the history of the harbor

Salam it’s the history of the harbor

Salam it’s the history of the harbor it’s the history of Arabic and

it’s the history of Arabic and

it’s the history of Arabic and influence it’s the history of the

influence it’s the history of the

influence it’s the history of the Germans and the European the European

Germans and the European the European

Germans and the European the European quarters the Asian quarters here and

quarters the Asian quarters here and

quarters the Asian quarters here and also the African settlements another

also the African settlements another

also the African settlements another history that we don’t know that much

history that we don’t know that much

history that we don’t know that much about is the history of the villages

about is the history of the villages

about is the history of the villages that surrounded our that became what dar

that surrounded our that became what dar

that surrounded our that became what dar is today if you go outside of the city

is today if you go outside of the city

is today if you go outside of the city core and the city corridor is quite

core and the city corridor is quite

core and the city corridor is quite small compared to the rest of da r you

small compared to the rest of da r you

small compared to the rest of da r you will inadvertently be in what used to be

will inadvertently be in what used to be

will inadvertently be in what used to be a village and those structures are still

a village and those structures are still

a village and those structures are still there I mean the buildings have changed

there I mean the buildings have changed

there I mean the buildings have changed they become modern people have changed

they become modern people have changed

they become modern people have changed their cars but the structure the

their cars but the structure the

their cars but the structure the baseline structure is still that of a

baseline structure is still that of a

baseline structure is still that of a village and we know very little about

village and we know very little about

village and we know very little about this we know very little about this

this we know very little about this

this we know very little about this development and if we knew more about

development and if we knew more about

development and if we knew more about that development it would change the way

that development it would change the way

that development it would change the way we perceive this city and it would

we perceive this city and it would

we perceive this city and it would change the way we as urban planners deal

change the way we as urban planners deal

change the way we as urban planners deal with urban planning and are so not only

with urban planning and are so not only

with urban planning and are so not only does history allow us to rethink the

does history allow us to rethink the

does history allow us to rethink the structure of the city it also allows us

structure of the city it also allows us

structure of the city it also allows us to question the logic of the current

to question the logic of the current

to question the logic of the current building strategy in the city there are

building strategy in the city there are

building strategy in the city there are a lot of buildings coming up and they’re

a lot of buildings coming up and they’re

a lot of buildings coming up and they’re tall and they’ve glass facades and they

tall and they’ve glass facades and they

tall and they’ve glass facades and they are basically just green houses that

are basically just green houses that

are basically just green houses that need electric cooling in order to be

need electric cooling in order to be

need electric cooling in order to be habitable and that is completely

habitable and that is completely

habitable and that is completely unsustainable because for a lot of the

unsustainable because for a lot of the

unsustainable because for a lot of the time this city is running on diesel

time this city is running on diesel

time this city is running on diesel fumes and we’re only building more and

fumes and we’re only building more and

fumes and we’re only building more and more of these buildings now the

more of these buildings now the

more of these buildings now the Tanzanian government has they’ve decided

Tanzanian government has they’ve decided

Tanzanian government has they’ve decided to become a middle-income country and a

to become a middle-income country and a

to become a middle-income country and a few years and that’s great that’s

few years and that’s great that’s

few years and that’s great that’s wonderful that’s what we all should be

wonderful that’s what we all should be

wonderful that’s what we all should be striving for it’s it’s more power to

striving for it’s it’s more power to

striving for it’s it’s more power to them but that will entail that a lot of

them but that will entail that a lot of

them but that will entail that a lot of poor people and a lot of those poor

poor people and a lot of those poor

poor people and a lot of those poor people live in dar Salam a lot of poor

people live in dar Salam a lot of poor

people live in dar Salam a lot of poor people will be less poor in the future

people will be less poor in the future

people will be less poor in the future and those people will not want to live

and those people will not want to live

and those people will not want to live the way that they’re living now they

the way that they’re living now they

the way that they’re living now they will want to change their lifestyles for

will want to change their lifestyles for

will want to change their lifestyles for the better and changing their lifestyles

the better and changing their lifestyles

the better and changing their lifestyles for the better means that they will want

for the better means that they will want

for the better means that they will want a car it will mean that they want a

a car it will mean that they want a

a car it will mean that they want a better and a bigger house for themselves

better and a bigger house for themselves

better and a bigger house for themselves and their families and right now ladies

and their families and right now ladies

and their families and right now ladies and gentlemen these are the bigger

and gentlemen these are the bigger

and gentlemen these are the bigger better houses and that is a very

better houses and that is a very

better houses and that is a very frightening thought but we just need to

frightening thought but we just need to

frightening thought but we just need to go few years back into history we can

go few years back into history we can

go few years back into history we can see a whole different style of

see a whole different style of

see a whole different style of architecture that was emerging in the

architecture that was emerging in the

architecture that was emerging in the 60s and 70s and dar that we just forgot

60s and 70s and dar that we just forgot

60s and 70s and dar that we just forgot it’s an architecture that is contextual

it’s an architecture that is contextual

it’s an architecture that is contextual that really owns up to the fact that

that really owns up to the fact that

that really owns up to the fact that this is a hot and humid climate it

this is a hot and humid climate it

this is a hot and humid climate it allows for cross-ventilation it allows

allows for cross-ventilation it allows

allows for cross-ventilation it allows for ample Sun shading it allows for

for ample Sun shading it allows for

for ample Sun shading it allows for stack effects to bring in cool air and

stack effects to bring in cool air and

stack effects to bring in cool air and blow out hot air so what I’m here to

blow out hot air so what I’m here to

blow out hot air so what I’m here to tell you is that when we say that when I

tell you is that when we say that when I

tell you is that when we say that when I say that progress is defined through

say that progress is defined through

say that progress is defined through history I mean to say that we have been

history I mean to say that we have been

history I mean to say that we have been here before we just forgot and I think

here before we just forgot and I think

here before we just forgot and I think we shouldn’t be so good at forgetting

we shouldn’t be so good at forgetting

we shouldn’t be so good at forgetting because there are some great solutions

because there are some great solutions

because there are some great solutions to the urban problems that we’re facing

to the urban problems that we’re facing

to the urban problems that we’re facing today and in the future for the city yet

today and in the future for the city yet

today and in the future for the city yet to come that we can find in our history

now when I say that I also mean another

now when I say that I also mean another thing and it ties in with the idea of

thing and it ties in with the idea of

thing and it ties in with the idea of history I also mean that we need to look

history I also mean that we need to look

history I also mean that we need to look at the city from a more cross vocational

at the city from a more cross vocational

at the city from a more cross vocational perspective now this is what we think

perspective now this is what we think

perspective now this is what we think about when we think about cities this is

about when we think about cities this is

about when we think about cities this is KOCO you all know it it’s dense it’s

KOCO you all know it it’s dense it’s

KOCO you all know it it’s dense it’s full of buildings it’s full of

full of buildings it’s full of

full of buildings it’s full of infrastructure and technical stuff it’s

infrastructure and technical stuff it’s

infrastructure and technical stuff it’s what architects planners and engineers

what architects planners and engineers

what architects planners and engineers deal with that is the city wrong this is

deal with that is the city wrong this is

deal with that is the city wrong this is also the city these ladies and gentlemen

also the city these ladies and gentlemen

also the city these ladies and gentlemen our people these are social relations

our people these are social relations

our people these are social relations these are economic transactions and

these are economic transactions and

these are economic transactions and these are

these are

these are cultural expressions this is also

cultural expressions this is also

cultural expressions this is also Carioca it’s the only place in in africa

Carioca it’s the only place in in africa

Carioca it’s the only place in in africa that i know of an urban africa where the

that i know of an urban africa where the

that i know of an urban africa where the city becomes or these streets become de

city becomes or these streets become de

city becomes or these streets become de facto pedestrianised just so many people

facto pedestrianised just so many people

facto pedestrianised just so many people it pushes out the cars it’s amazing we

it pushes out the cars it’s amazing we

it pushes out the cars it’s amazing we shout out more of that but these are

shout out more of that but these are

shout out more of that but these are soft assets and we need to understand

soft assets and we need to understand

soft assets and we need to understand these people in order to create better

these people in order to create better

these people in order to create better future cities we just we can’t just deal

future cities we just we can’t just deal

future cities we just we can’t just deal with buildings I need to understand you

with buildings I need to understand you

with buildings I need to understand you guys in order for me to do my job not

guys in order for me to do my job not

guys in order for me to do my job not I’m doing no I’m not doing it and in

I’m doing no I’m not doing it and in

I’m doing no I’m not doing it and in order for us to do that we need to bring

order for us to do that we need to bring

order for us to do that we need to bring in sociologists we need to bring in

in sociologists we need to bring in

in sociologists we need to bring in historians we need to bring in

historians we need to bring in

historians we need to bring in anthropologists and we need to bring in

anthropologists and we need to bring in

anthropologists and we need to bring in geographers and we need to plan those

geographers and we need to plan those

geographers and we need to plan those cities together and it’s not what I’m

cities together and it’s not what I’m

cities together and it’s not what I’m saying now the interdisciplinary part is

saying now the interdisciplinary part is

saying now the interdisciplinary part is again something we can learn from

again something we can learn from

again something we can learn from history there’s something there in

history there’s something there in

history there’s something there in history for us to learn because we have

history for us to learn because we have

history for us to learn because we have been there before as well the 1960’s and

been there before as well the 1960’s and

been there before as well the 1960’s and 1970’s we did some great I say we but

1970’s we did some great I say we but

1970’s we did some great I say we but obviously not me but hey there was some

obviously not me but hey there was some

obviously not me but hey there was some great work done on urban issues in

great work done on urban issues in

great work done on urban issues in African cities this is from Nairobi

African cities this is from Nairobi

African cities this is from Nairobi ether tins study from 1972 of Mathare

ether tins study from 1972 of Mathare

ether tins study from 1972 of Mathare Valley you’re welcome to try to find it

Valley you’re welcome to try to find it

Valley you’re welcome to try to find it it’s very hard to find but it’s a damn

it’s very hard to find but it’s a damn

it’s very hard to find but it’s a damn good study sorry it’s really great and

good study sorry it’s really great and

good study sorry it’s really great and it is an interdisciplinary piece of work

it is an interdisciplinary piece of work

it is an interdisciplinary piece of work here’s another one even harder to find

here’s another one even harder to find

here’s another one even harder to find Janet butcher’s perwani the politics of

Janet butcher’s perwani the politics of

Janet butcher’s perwani the politics of property probably hands down the best

property probably hands down the best

property probably hands down the best piece of writing i have ever read on an

piece of writing i have ever read on an

piece of writing i have ever read on an urban area in Africa period and she is

urban area in Africa period and she is

urban area in Africa period and she is not an architecture he’s not an urban

not an architecture he’s not an urban

not an architecture he’s not an urban planner she is a social scientist and if

planner she is a social scientist and if

planner she is a social scientist and if we really want to go there we can go as

we really want to go there we can go as

we really want to go there we can go as far back as 1948 and the colonial master

far back as 1948 and the colonial master

far back as 1948 and the colonial master plan for Nairobi now we can obviously

plan for Nairobi now we can obviously

plan for Nairobi now we can obviously discuss the contents of that plan and we

discuss the contents of that plan and we

discuss the contents of that plan and we can discuss the merits and the ideas

can discuss the merits and the ideas

can discuss the merits and the ideas behind it but it

behind it but it

behind it but it as shaped the Nairobi that we now know

as shaped the Nairobi that we now know

as shaped the Nairobi that we now know today and it is the basis for the two

today and it is the basis for the two

today and it is the basis for the two plans that have succeeded it and it was

plans that have succeeded it and it was

plans that have succeeded it and it was done as an interdisciplinary piece of

done as an interdisciplinary piece of

done as an interdisciplinary piece of work architects and sociologists and

work architects and sociologists and

work architects and sociologists and planners now the point of this talk is

planners now the point of this talk is

planners now the point of this talk is very simple progress is sometimes

very simple progress is sometimes

very simple progress is sometimes defined through history but we just tend

defined through history but we just tend

defined through history but we just tend to forget to go back and remember and in

to forget to go back and remember and in

to forget to go back and remember and in terms of the question of well we

terms of the question of well we

terms of the question of well we absolutely need to bring in all of this

absolutely need to bring in all of this

absolutely need to bring in all of this the history and the social science is

the history and the social science is

the history and the social science is the interdisciplinarity into making our

the interdisciplinarity into making our

the interdisciplinarity into making our cities better than they are today that

cities better than they are today that

cities better than they are today that is the future for cities that is the

is the future for cities that is the

is the future for cities that is the only way to create a better dar Salam

only way to create a better dar Salam

only way to create a better dar Salam and in terms of the question of whether

and in terms of the question of whether

and in terms of the question of whether or not this is achievable in our

or not this is achievable in our

or not this is achievable in our lifetimes I say we have already done it

lifetimes I say we have already done it

lifetimes I say we have already done it we just forgot and with that ladies and

we just forgot and with that ladies and

we just forgot and with that ladies and gentlemen it’s about high time that we

gentlemen it’s about high time that we

gentlemen it’s about high time that we start remembering thank you very much