|
Title: |
|
Authors:
|
|
Abstract: This study examined the reciprocity of social values, aspirations, and architectural design within the historical context of Kenya’s colonial and postcolonial struggles for freedom and democracy. The study focused on commemorative architecture. It investigated how the spaces memorialised significant historical events, figures, and movements, reflecting collective values and aspirations. The study articulated how Kenyan commemorative sites should encapsulate pertinent historical narratives alongside associated social values. It retained a global and regional emphasis on the importance of commemorating political and social struggles in nations transitioning from conflict. Several theories were brought to bear here. These included Kenneth Frampton’s Critical Regionalism, and Maurice Halbwach’s Collective Memory theory. Homi Bhabha’s Postcolonial architecture theory, and Pierre Nora’s Sites of Memory theory were also put to use. The research therefore addressed the gap between Kenyan social values and their architectural representation. It took particular interest in pivotal events like the Mau-Mau uprising. The values considered here were such as justice, equality, unity, and national identity. A qualitative, inductive research methodology was deployed here. It embraced case studies, sample surveys, observations, and diverse data collection tools. These included archival analysis and interviews. In this way, well selected commemorative sites were probed. Chosen situs for inquiry were situated in Nairobi. Comparative examples from South Africa, Rwanda, and Germany were also equally examined. Key findings revealed that the architectural elements with most impact for conveying these values and aspirations were form, structure, and spatial organization. Others included lighting, scale, and adaptability. The study advocated for future architectural designs to integrate these insights to develop sustainable and meaningful commemorative spaces. This would help create a richer relationship between architecture and social values within a postcolonial context. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.51505/ijaemr.2025.1206 |
|
PDF Download |