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Design Studio 1990: “The Medina of Tunis,” Urban Regeneration for the Historic Hafsia District, Tunis, Tunisia, Seminar Curriculum

Abstract

The Design Studio from Spring 1990, led by Professors François Vigier and Mona Serageldin, focused on urban regeneration in the Medina of Tunis, Tunisia. This studio addressed issues of revitalization of older urban districts of Tunis.

Documents include an overview of urban development, urban housing conditions, institutional frameworks, and government housing policies to outline the urban context of Tunisia. Reports detail the development site of the Hafsia District, and outline phases and plans for the revitalization project, including graphics and maps.


[Excerpt: “Urban and Housing Conditions,” Design Studio 1990]

Urban and Housing Conditions
“Rapid urbanization has generated a large demand for housing and add to intensive unregulated construction activity. As a result, housing stock has increased at an annual average rate of 4 percent, and conditions improved somewhat during the 80’s. However, throughout the decade, the demand for housing and urban services has outpaced the public sector’s ability to keep up with urban growth. Almost half of all dwellings built since 1975 have bypassed urban development regulations and were instead undertaken by the informal sector in areas lacking adequate utilities and relying on low-cost construction methods. To alleviate this problem, the supply of suitably located serviced land at prices affordable to the poorest segments of the population must be expanded.”
….

The Hafsia Revitalization Project
The objective of the project sponsored by the World Bank is to revitalize and renovate the area, and demonstrate the feasibility of upgrading medinas without dividing populations and by involving the private sector in the development process. The specific objectives are:

1. To revitalize the economic base with a look to the future while promoting employment opportunities for its present residents.

2. To upgrade the urban environment with minimum disruption of social cohesion and community life.

3. To structure a replicable self-financing, revitalization process given the lack of public resources. In other words, components of the proposal whose capital cost are not likely to be fully recovered (eg., housing for poorer households, infrastructure improvements, new community facilities) will have to be cross-subsidized by other revenue producing components.

4. To reverse development trends destructive to the character of the medina.”

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:1990
Project Type:Urban Design Studio
Geographic Regions:Medina of Tunis, Tunisia
Reports:1990 Design Studio: Tunisia Urban Development
Authors:François Vigier; Mona Serageldin
Sponsors:Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture
Categories:Design Studios; Education
  
ID:1990_00_002

Related I2UD Projects

Gallery 13: Tunisia: Tunis (1978-1990)

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