Abstract
Between 1990 and 1995, the Unit for Housing and Urbanization (later the Center for Urban Development Studies, or CUDS) at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design prepared four research reports on the commune district of Adjamé in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). As a collection, these materials present a detailed analysis of urban housing trends in Côte d’Ivoire from the 1990s, covering economic, historical, architectural, financial and socio-geographical elements.
First, in September 1990, the Unit produced a major research endeavor, “Urban Infrastructure on Municipal Revenues and the Integration of Informal Sector Activities: The Abidjan Experience.” The report was produced for the USAID Office of Housing and Urban Programs in Washington D.C.
Second, in January 1994, Mona Serageldin and François Vigier wrote “Designing for Urban Growth, Abidjan Ivory Coast,” covering the socio-geography of Abidjan/Côte d’Ivoire in 5 detailed sections on National Context, Landscape, The Urban Landscape, Housing Typologies, and a detailed condition analysis of the Commune of Adjamé.
Third, in September 1994, the Unit presented “Community Based Development Lessons from Experience Across Cities” for a forum on “Enabling Sustainable Community Development” at the 2nd World Bank Conference. The presentation built on the Unit’s previous research on Adjamé among other cities, sponsored by the USAID’s Office of Environment and Urban Programs.
Fourth, in October 1995, Mona Serageldin and CUDS wrote a Working Paper, “Successful Institutionalization of Community Based Development of Adjamé, Abidjan.” The paper built off all previous research on Abidjan, covering six international case studies from Abidjan, Boston, Cairo, Lima, Lublin, and Tunis, selected because of their innovative character.
Excerpt
[Excerpt: “Community Based Development: Lessons from Experience Across Cities,” for the 2nd World Bank Conference, September 1994, Introduction, by Mona Serageldin for the Unit, 09/1994]/
“The ESD Conference, just completed yesterday, saw a remarkable unnamity on two points of relevance, to a discussion of cross-cutting lessons.
First, that community involvement is paramount for any meaningful action to reduce poverty and improve the urban environment; and Second, that there is no single formula to do it. The diversity of cities and their local context entail that concepts be adapted to the particularities of the local context.
Yet, there is a lot to be learned from the sharing of experiences. In spite of the diversity, there are common threads. The issue of empowerment was eloquently discussed this morning. Other issues have been discussed by the previous speakers. My presentation will highlight principles which structure interfaces between communities and municipalities in order to foster community based development approaches.”
| Project Year: | 1990-1995 |
| Project Type: | Urban Development Research |
| Geographic Regions: | Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (also Boston, United States; Cairo, Egypt; Lima, Perú; Lublin, Poland; and Tunis, Tunisia) |
| Reports: |
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| Authors: | Mona Serageldin; François Vigier; Samir Abdulac; Howard Trett; Wafaa Abdalla; Jeanine Anderson; Nader El Bizri; Janne Corniel; John Driscoll; Denis Lesage; Sherif Lotfi; David Neilson; Tarek Sweilim |
| Sponsors: | Unit for Housing and Urbanization, Harvard University Graduate School of Design; World Bank; USAID |
| Categories: | Urban Planning |
| ID: | 1990_09_001 |
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