University of Nairobi.

College of Architecture and Engineering,School of the Built Environment,Department of Architecture and Building Science.

BAR 613: Research Thesis (2015/2016).

Fatma Sultan.B02/28605/2009.

Tutor: Arch. Kigara Kamweru.

HOMELESS CHILDREN: TOWARDS EVOLVING A SOLUTION.

This thesis is my original work and has not been presented in any other university or institution for the purpose of awarding a degree to the best of my knowledge.

AUTHOR: Sultan Fatma.

Signature: .................................................................................. Date: ...................................................................................

This thesis is submitted in the 2015/ 2016 academic year in partial fulfilment of the examination requirements for the award of Bachelor of Architecture degree (B. Arch), Department of Architecture and Building Science, University of Nairobi.

TUTOR: Arch. Kigara Kamweru.

Signature: ................................................................................... Date: ...................................................................................

YEAR CO-ORDINATOR: Prof. Tom Anyamba.

Signature: ................................................................................... Date: ...................................................................................

CHAIRMAN: Arch. Musau Kimeu.

Signature: ................................................................................... Date: ...................................................................................

DECLARATION

i

DEDICATION

To my family;

My parents, Mr. Sultan Nassor and Zuhra Seif for showing me what home is.

And my siblings, Ibrahim and Nassor for reminding me always what family is about.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I begin by thanking Allah for bringing me this far, and all that He has enabled me to pursue and achieve.

I am gratified by my family who have supported me from the very beginning of this journey to this point. To my mother, for I know not where I would be today without

your prayers. My father, Sultan, for your insistence on proper English, grammar and writing. My brother, Nassor, for helping me with the chores and making me tea or

coffee on those long nights, and Ibrahim for reminding me to keep calm, it all works out in the end. I would also like to thank my friends for the support, encourage-

ment they provided and guidance through the years unto the final work of writing this thesis.

I am thankful to my supervisor Arch. Kigara Kamweru for his guidance and precision, and Prof. Tom Anyamba for the insight and input they have given me in this re-

search work. For the prompting and timely suggestions that helped guide and shape this exercise. To all lecturers, Department of Architecture and Building Science:

The Chairman, Arch. Musau Kimeu, Prof. J. Magutu, Mr. Kahare Miano, Mr. N. Musyoki, Mr. E. Liku, Mr. M. Gititu, Mr. Y. Ebrahim, Mr. A. Mwakulomba, Mr E. Oyaro, Mr. N.

Kariuki, Dr. L. Shihembetsa, for all your guidance during my years in ADD. I am also grateful to my classmates whose criticism, encouragement has taken me through

this writing process.

I would like to thank Renold Finyange and the SOS Children’s Villages for permitting me to proceed with my research work, offering advice along the way.

I am also grateful for the family in House Number 5 at the SOS Children’s Village in Buru Buru, for accommodating me in your home and making me feel like family.

Your kindness, support and playfulness have made this process a joy.

Finally, I thank all that in one way or another have provided moral, financial and any ancillary help to this study.

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TABLE OF CONTENTSi, Declaration

ii, Dedication

iii, Acknowledgements

iv, Table of Contents

v, List of figures

vi, Abstract

1. 0. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1

1. 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2

1. 2. Background Study ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

1. 3. Problem Statement ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 5

1. 4. Research Objectives ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 6

1. 5. Research Questions ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 6

1. 6. Research Justification......................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

1. 7. Scope ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

1. 8. Limitations ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8

1. 9. Organisation of Study ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 8

2. 0. Literature Review ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 9

2. 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 10

2. 2. Causes of Homelessness ................................................................................................................................................................................... 11

2. 3. Urban Children in Distress ................................................................................................................................................................................ 12

2. 3. 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 12

2. 3. 2. Health Care Centre .................................................................................................................................................................................. 15

2. 3. 3. Vocational Training Centre .................................................................................................................................................................... 17

2. 3. 4. Residential Care Centre ......................................................................................................................................................................... 18

2.4. Designing Shelters for Homeless Children ...................................................................................................................................................... 19

2. 4. 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 19 iv

2. 4. 2. Design Considerations ................................................................................................................................................................................... 20

2. 4. 2. 1. Quality in Architecture and Planning of the Project ........................................................................................................ 20

2. 4. 2. 2. Physical Comfort ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21

2. 4. 2. 3. Acoustic Comfort ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21

2. 4. 2. 4. Thermal Comfort ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21

2. 4. 2. 5. Lighting Comfort ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21

2. 4. 2. 6. Recreation and socio-cultural considerations .................................................................................................................. 22

2. 4. 2. 7. Colour and Psychological Effect .......................................................................................................................................... 22

2. 4. 3. Purpose and Objectives of the Home ..........................................................................................................................................................23

2.5. The Orphanage as a Home for Children ...........................................................................................................................................................24

2. 5. 1. Amsterdam Orphanage; by Aldo van Eyck ..........................................................................................................................................25

2. 5. 1. 1. Introduction ..............................................................................................................................................................................25

2. 5. 1. 2. Aldo van Eyck ............................................................................................................................................................................26

2. 5. 1. 3. Contextual Information ..........................................................................................................................................................27

2. 5. 1. 4. Programme ...............................................................................................................................................................................28

2. 5. 1. 5. Functional Requirements .......................................................................................................................................................29

2. 5. 2. SOS Children’s Village, Aqaba. Jordan .................................................................................................................................................40

2. 5. 2. 1. Introduction ...............................................................................................................................................................................40

2. 5. 2. 2. Contextual Information ...........................................................................................................................................................40

2. 5. 2. 3. Programme ................................................................................................................................................................................41

2. 5. 2. 4. Functional Requirements .......................................................................................................................................................42

2.6. Lessons Learnt from Literature Review .............................................................................................................................................................50

3. 0. Research Methodology ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 51

3. 1. Research Purpose ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 52

3. 2. Research Strategy .................................................................................................................................................................................................52

3. 3. Time Horizon ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 53 v

3. 4. 1. Population, Element, Population Frame .................................................................................................................................................... 53

3. 4. 2. Sample and Subject ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 53

3. 5. Sampling Methods .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 54

3. 6. Data Sources ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 54

3. 7. Primary Data Collection Methods .................................................................................................................................................................... 54

3. 8. Data Processing and Analysis ........................................................................................................................................................................... 55

4. 0. Research Findings ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 57

4. 1. SOS Children’s Village, Tadjoura. Djibouti ....................................................................................................................................................... 60

4. 1. 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 60

4. 1. 2. Contextual Information .......................................................................................................................................................................... 61

4. 1. 3. Planning .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 62

4. 1. 4. Principles behind the Orphanage ........................................................................................................................................................ 63

4. 1. 5. Inside - Outside Relationship ................................................................................................................................................................ 65

4. 1. 6. Circulation and Movement .................................................................................................................................................................... 67

4. 1. 7. Natural Lighting and Ventilation .......................................................................................................................................................... 70

4. 1. 8. The Growing Child ................................................................................................................................................................................... 72

4. 1. 9. Materials and Finishes ............................................................................................................................................................................ 73

4. 2. SOS Children’s Village, Buru Buru. Nairobi ..................................................................................................................................................... 74

4. 2. 1. Contextual Information ......................................................................................................................................................................... 74

4. 2. 2. Planning .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 76

4. 2. 3. Principles behind the Orphanage ........................................................................................................................................................ 78

4. 2. 4. Inside - Outside Relationship ............................................................................................................................................................... 82

4. 2. 5. Circulation and Movement .................................................................................................................................................................... 82

4. 2. 6. Natural Lighting and Ventilation .......................................................................................................................................................... 83

4. 2. 7. The Growing Child .................................................................................................................................................................................. 86

4. 2. 8. Materials and Finishes ............................................................................................................................................................................ 86

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4. 3. Summary of Research Findings ........................................................................................................................................................................ 89

5. 0. Conclusions and Recommendations .............................................................................................................................................................. 90

5. 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 91

5. 2. Summary of Findings and Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................................... 91

5. 3. Recommendations .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 94

5. 4. Areas for Further Study ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 97

References ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 98

Appendices ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 100

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LIST OF FIGURESFigure 1. 1. A young homeless boy sleeps on a pavement, trying to maximise on the little shade provided by a bush along Monrovia Street in Nairobi, Kenya at around 3 PM...........2 Figure 1. 2. Salvation Army poster, 1919...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................3Figure 1. 3. The homeless children have to fend for themselves and get together in groups ..............................................................................................................................................................4Figure 1. 4. A homeless man sleeping on a street pavement in Nairobi. This is a common sight in the CBD ...................................................................................................................................5Figure 1. 5. SOS Children’s Villages logo expresses the intention to create a loving home for every child ....................................................................................................................................... 7

Figure 2. 1. Children turn to the street for a complex variety of reasons. In most cases the children are voluntary runaways escaping from problems within the family ........................12Figure 2. 2. Homeless children are forced to fend for themselves and without the supervision of a responsible adult, are exposed to drug and substance abuse .................................13Figure 2. 3. Providing a safe and comfortable home, as well as emotional and material support from a responsible adult contributes to the healthy development of a child ...........13 Figure 2. 4. Reintegration of the child into society ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Figure 2. 5. The main entrance of a health care centre should be clearly visible and accessible to all patients and staff .......................................................................................................... 15 Figure 2. 6. Day-lighting is also used to subdue and calm major spaces such as waiting areas, as well as punctuate spaces such as corridors in the Phoenix Children’s Hospital..... 16 Figure 2. 6. The relationship of the spaces identified as ‘key elements’ of the Health Care Centre. Source: Guidelines for the Design of Centres for Street Children. 1997.................... 16Figure 2. 7. The relationship of the spaces identified as ‘key elements’ of the specialised workshops in a vocational training centre. .................................................................................. 17Figure 2. 8. Las Nieves Technical Vocational School by WRL Arquitectos is part of the educational infrastructure that welcomes vulnerable minors in extreme poverty. .................... 17Figure 2. 9. Brink, 1997, identifies the key elements of the residential care centre: general activity room, outdoor activity areas, kitchen, sleeping area, office, laundry area, toilets. 18Figure 2. 10. Things to consider during site selection for shelters for homeless children. .................................................................................................................................................................. 19Figure 2.11. Soe Ker Tie House. The designers, TYIN Tegnestue, designed the children’s accommodation in small structures that house a few children each instead of stuffing every-one into a communal building. ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20Figure 2. 12: Examples of ratios of standing height (SH) that are important for educational building design. ............................................................................................................................... 21Figure 2. 13: Thermal comfort can be achieved by providing sun screens, and overhanging eves and proper orientation of the building. .......................................................................... 21Figure 2. 14. Children playing with simple home made objects like a stick and tyre............................................................................................................................................................................. 22Figure 2. 15. SOS Children’s Villages believe that children can only develop to their full potential if they have a supportive and protective family environment. .................................... 23Figure 2. 16: The Amsterdam Orphanage received critical acclaim and received international status that it became a national icon. .................................................................................... 25Figure 2. 17: Amsterdam Orphanage Master Plan.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25Figure 2. 18. Van Eyck’s Otterlo Cirlces. ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26Figure 2. 19. Tripolis: The three office buildings designed by Van Eyck and his wife that now cradle the orphanage building. .................................................................................................. 27Figure 2. 20: Satellite image of the Amsterdam Orphanage, and the three office buildings called Tripolis...................................................................................................................................... 27Figure 2. 21. At the time of its completion, the Amsterdam Orphanage was located on the outskirts of Amsterdam City. .......................................................................................................... 28Figure 2. 22. Van Eyck’s radical determination of form was based upon the configuring the relationships between opposites..................................................................................................28Figure 2. 23: Ground floor plan of the orphanage showing the departments and amenities provided.............................................................................................................................................29Figure 2. 24: Stepping thresholds between spaces to help mark the moments of coming and going and facilitate transition. ..................................................................................................30

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Figure 2. 25. An elevated section containing rooms for resident staff articulates the central court into a forecourt and a courtyard. ......................................................................................30Figure 2. 26. An elevated section (Figures 2.24 and 2.25) containing rooms for resident staff articulates the central court into a forecourt and a courtyard..............................................31Figure 2. 27. The entrance court is adjoined by a spacious lobby where the building’s two internal streets intersect..................................................................................................................31Figure 2. 28. In the departments for children older than 10 years old, the large cupolas cover their upper level sleeping areas. ..............................................................................................31Figure 2. 29. In the departments for children up to 10 years old, the living and play areas form pavilions covered by large domed cupolas. ........................................................................31Figure 2. 30. Van Eyck’s orphanage references the human body of the growing child with great consideration. ..........................................................................................................................32Figure 2. 31. He has taken into consideration the physical size of the body, the gender of the children, and the activities of interest that accompany age and gender. .......................32Figure 2. 32. The personal space of children would be proportionate, and as they grew, the world would grow around them. ...............................................................................................33Figure 2. 33. Dimensions of the toilets and sinks related to the physical proportions of the children. ............................................................................................................................................ 34Figure 2. 34. “Van Eyck’s humanist approach is evident in his wide application of daylighting into interior spaces”. ...................................................................................................................34Figure 2. 35.“The height of the windows had to be such that a child sitting on a stool could easily look outside and be able to see people passing outside the window”....................34Figure 2. 36. “The building accessed plenty of fresh air, an abundance of light and incorporated a plethora of outdoor spaces for exercise and social gatherings”................................34Figure 2. 37. Concrete domes as seen during construction........................................................................................................................................................................................................................35Figure 2. 38. The building’s roof is covered with dozens of skylights that allow for lots of natural light. .........................................................................................................................................35Figure 2. 39. The beams of light stream into semi dark rooms highlighting different parts of the rooms depending on the time of day, adding visual interest. .......................................35Figure 2. 40. The skylights on the building’s roof. .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................35Figure 2. 41. Roof plan highlighting the skylights on the roof.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................35Figure 2. 42. Section through the dormitory of the 4-5 year olds...............................................................................................................................................................................................................35Figure 2. 43. Circular points of interest are designed to suit different age groups. Shaded seating is provided in communal spaces.......................................................................................36Figure 2. 44. Low circular parapet walls create interesting points of discovery and interest for the young children......................................................................................................................36Figure 2. 45. Small mirrors embedded in walls and floors to create moments of glitter in otherwise ordinary materials of brick and concrete. ...................................................................36Figure 2. 46. Special details such as recessed circles in parapet walls were designed to catch rain water so children can see their reflections. ...................................................................36Figure 2. 47. The grid of beams plays an important part in the articulation of the sections of the building and their linkages.................................................................................................. 37Figure 2. 48. Plan View - showing grid. ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................38Figure 2. 49. Exploded view of different layers of single unit. .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................38Figure 2. 50. The columns are slender concrete cylinders with fine ‘fluting’ left from the shuttering; the architraves are concrete beams, each with an oblong slit at the centre.........39Figure 2. 51 Aerial view of the village, across the main road, is the residential quarter of Al Alamiyyah, also called Doha..........................................................................................................40Figure 2. 52. Bird’s eye view of the village, across the main road, is the residential quarter of Al Alamiyyah, also called Doha..................................................................................................40Figure 2. 53. Bougainvillea, asparagus, ‘fire trees’ (a local variety) and other flowers grow around the squares and hedges of the new residential areas and around individual houses.Figure 2. 54. Vaulted archways lead to shaded courts, while gardens surround the buildings both within and on the edge of the village..............................................................................41Figure 2. 55. Vaulted archways lead to shaded courts, while gardens surround the buildings both within and on the edge of the village..............................................................................42Figure 2. 56. The houses are planned around a central courtyard. A second plaza separates the family homes from the public buildings............................................................................43Figure 2. 57. Local materials (with granite boulders being available at no cost) were considered and traditional ventilation techniques were implemented. ........................................43Figure 2. 58. Site plan .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................43

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Figure 2. 59. Layout plans, elevations and section of the typical family house. .....................................................................................................................................................................................44Figure 2. 60. Stairs leading to the guest house. Source: Aga Khan Award For Architecture..................................................................................................................................................................45Figure 2. 61. Layout plans of the Administration Building, Guest House and Director’s House...........................................................................................................................................................45Figure 2. 62. Layout plans of the kindergarten building. (Not to scale). ...................................................................................................................................................................................................46Figure 2. 63. An essential component of the design was the traditional-style stone facing known as midmak. ............................................................................................................................48Figure 2. 64. Image showing the common spaces in the family house.....................................................................................................................................................................................................49Figure 2. 65. Image showing one of the children’s bedrooms in the house.............................................................................................................................................................................................49

Figure 3. 1. The design of the SOS Children’s Village in Tadjoura, Djibouti uses play as a design concept.......................................................................................................................................52Figure 3. 2. Image showing the entrance court at the Amsterdam Orphanage.......................................................................................................................................................................................53Figure 3. 3. The author interviewed Architect Urko Sanchez to understand his thought process during the design of the SOS Children’s Village in Tadjoura, Djibouti...........................54Figure 3. 4. Boys gather to play ‘bano’ (marbles) under trees in the courtyard at around noon, during their mid term break from school. ............................................................................55Figure 3. 5: There is plenty of space for play for the children. The houses are arranged around a central courtyard, that serves as a playground.................................................................55

Figure 4. 1. “These villages of peace…know no bounds. That is a humanitarian breakthrough! We turn abandoned children into fortunate children. Their laughter and positive ap-proach to life make our work worthwhile.” .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................57Figure 4. 2. The SOS Children’s Village in India. The villages comprise of ten to fifteen family homes, with ample space for play. ............................................................................................57Figure 4. 3. Map showing the SOS outreach in East Africa. There are 5 SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya, and one SOS Emergency Relief Programme in Marsabit. .................................58Figure 4. 4. The SOS Medical clinic offers health services to SOS staff, children and others from the neighbouring community. ..............................................................................................59Figure 4. 5. The SOS Kindergarten within the SOS Children’s Village in Buru Buru, Nairobi. ...............................................................................................................................................................59Figure 4. 6. Map showing location of The Gulf of Tadjourah, in The Republic of Djibouti. ...................................................................................................................................................................61Figure 4. 7. The local architectural character in Tadjoura resembles that of an Arabic town, consisting of whitewashed brick buildings at the waterfront. ..............................................61Figure 4. 8. There was an existing mosque bordering the site, and consideration was put into how it affected the project, and how to integrate it into the design................................62Figure 4. 9. Satellite image showing the immediate context of the SOS Children’s Village in Tadjoura, Djibouti. The project exists within a largely residential neighbourhood...........62Figure 4. 10. Image showing the narrow street on the Western side of the project leading to the ocean.........................................................................................................................................62Figure 4. 11. The houses accommodate ten children in each, who are looked after by a dedicated woman (aged between twenty-eight and fifty-three) who becomes a surrogate ‘mother’ figure........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................63Figure 4. 12. The children are provided with private meals and tutoring, and have a brother- and sister-like relationship with others within the family unit. ..........................................63Figure 4. 13: Ground Floor Plan. Vehicular access is left outside the medina. ........................................................................................................................................................................................64Figure 4. 14. Conceptual sketch of the medinas courtyards. ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................65Figure 4. 15. Conceptual sketch of the medinas courtyards. ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................65Figure 4. 16. Image showing the squares created through interlocking of the houses staggered spaces. .......................................................................................................................................65Figure 4. 17. First Floor Plan. The houses were designed to be flexibly arranged in plan through staggering of internal spaces, creating a variety of voids that makes each house differ-ent from the others. .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................66Figure 4. 18. Section through the orphanage showing the several courtyards. .....................................................................................................................................................................................67

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Figure 4. 19. Narrow streets are formed by the staggered concept of the interior spaces. .................................................................................................................................................................67Figure 4. 20. A closer view of the houses layout plans. Source: Urko Sanchez Architects....................................................................................................................................................................68Figure 4. 21. The voids are also used as a means of separating the bedrooms from the public, shared spaces. ..........................................................................................................................68Figure 4. 22. The houses are accessed from the streets, with public shared spaces directly linked to the ‘outside’......................................................................................................................68Figure 4. 23. Image showing the first floor residences.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................68Figure 4. 24. Internal squares connect the various spaces in the house and provide a constant flow of fresh air. ........................................................................................................................69Figure 4. 25. All spaces are well lit, including the children’s bedroom below. The room is shared by three/ four children, and appears to be to the child’s scale....................................69Figure 4. 26. The shared spaces have a higher head room in comparison to the bedrooms as seen in Figure 4. 25.....................................................................................................................69Figure 4. 27. Ventilation blocks were used in the house’s shared spaces................................................................................................................................................................................................70Figure 4. 28. Image showing the voids that help with constant passive ventilation in the house. Figure 4. 29. Voids were introduced between public and private spaces of the house. Figure 4. 30. Section showing the typical wind catcher tower detail.Figure 4. 31. Section showing the varying ceiling heights through one of the houses.Figure 4. 32. Young children’s play area. Figure 4. 33. Older children’s play area. Figure 4. 34. Section through the medina indicating varying heights and scales of living spaces and public grounds.Figure 4. 35. Stepping of thresholds between public and private spaces create interest. Figure 4. 36. The roofs are covered in pebbles for cooling purposes. Figure 4. 37. Image showing the general openness of the entrance spaces especially on the units located on the first floor of the medina.Figure 4. 38. Map showing the location of the SOS Children’s Village (red marker) in Buru Buru, Nairobi. .....................................................................................................................................74Figure 4. 39. Map showing a closer context of the neighbourhood, Buru Buru Phase 1, within which the SOS Children’s Village exists in Buru Buru, Nairobi. Figure 4. 40. Satellite image showing the site boundary in red. The site is accessed through Ol Leleshwa Road, which branches from Mumias Road South.Figure 4. 41. Image showing the relationship of the administration block with the family homes. Figure 4. 42. Image showing the girl’s youth apartment (8) (with blue bands) and the aunt’s house (9)that have direct access from the entrance.Figure 4. 43. Satellite image showing the planning of the orphanage.Figure 4. 44. The entrance to the SOS Children’s Village in Buru Buru.Figure 4. 45. Directly at the entrance of the village is the administration block, which houses a reception and four offices.......................................................................................................78Figure 4. 46. Image showing the public block of the project......................................................................................................................................................................................................................79Figure 4. 47. Image showing the relationship of the administration block to the kindergarten. Figure 4. 48. Image showing the kindergarten block. A lower covered walkway links it to the administration and acts as a bridge. Figure 4. 49. Image showing the lobby space in the kindergarten where the children hang their bags before classes. Figure 4. 50. Image showing the director’s house. He acts as the father figure in the village, and lives therein with his family.Figure 4. 51. Panoramic image showing (Starting from the left): 1. Director’s house. 2. Guest’s house. 3. Youth apartments. 4. Aunt’s house.Figure 4. 52. Image showing the pathways that branch off from the central courtyard.Figure 4. 53. View of one house from the opposite house.Figure 4. 54. Image showing the central courtyard. ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................82 xi

Figure 4. 55. Image showing the variety of play activities by different ages and genders in the central courtyard. ....................................................................................................................83Figure 4. 56. View of the sandpit (integrated into the blue infirmary building in Figure 4. 55above). Figure 4. 57. Image showing the central courtyard, with the houses wrapping themselves around it.Figure 4. 58. The living room window is 2300mm wide X 1500mm high. The room is 4050 mm long, therefore the window provides adequate lighting into the interior. Figure 4. 59. The dining room is the most used space in the house. ......................................................................................................................................................................................................84Figure 4. 60. Image showing the relationship between the living and dining room, which are separated by a shelf. Figure 4. 61. The stairwell has a stained glass window which creates an interesting play of light in the otherwise dark space.Figure 4. 62. Ages 10+ Girl’s Room: The children’s bedrooms have direct views into the central courtyard/ playground. .......................................................................................................85Figure 4. 63. Boys’ Room: The children’s bedrooms have direct views into the central courtyard/ playground.Figure 4. 64. The 12-16 year old girls appear to be more comfortable staying in the house than going outside to play.Figure 4. 65. Image showing the scale of the house in relation to the children. ..................................................................................................................................................................................86Figure 4. 66. The boys room is shared by 4 children. Once they turn 16, boys move to the SOS youth apartments.Figure 4. 67. The big girls room is shared by 3 girls usually above 12 years old. It is 4200 mm long X 4000 mm wide.Figure 4. 68. The below 10 girls room is shared by 4 children..................................................................................................................................................................................................................87Figure 4. 69. The open spaces behind the houses are used for domestic horticulture. Figure 4. 70. Tomatoes are grown in the greenhouses and the residents can buy food products at a subsidized rate.Figure 4. 71. Towards the North of the site, bordering the football field, is a sewage treatment plant. The water is recycled for landscaping purposes...................................................88

Figure 5. 1: Children playing in the SOS Children’s Village, Buru Buru. Nairobi...................................................................................................................................................................................93Figure 5. 2: The planning of the SOS Children’s Villages appear to be successful with the village truly occupied by the children. Figure 5. 3: Massing diagram of the SOS Children’s Village, Djibouti. ....................................................................................................................................................................................................94Figure 5. 4: The internal streets between the houses and medina boundary are to the child’s scale, and lead to points of discovery.Figure 5. 5: Trees grow within the courtyards and users are encouraged to care for their plants for posterity. ...........................................................................................................................95Figure 5. 6. The kindergarten is connected to the administration block by a low, covered walkway which is approximately 2200mm high. Figure 5. 7: The houses have a direct relationship with the central courtyard. ...................................................................................................................................................................................96Figure 5. 8: The interiors of the public shared spaces within the house are colourful and encourage the children to interact with each other.

Table 1: Causes of Homelessness among Children.Table 2: Risks homeless children face while on the streetsTable 3: Recreation is important for the development of children as it aids in their physical, social and emotional development.Table 4: Research Findings Summary.

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ABSTRACT

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“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” ― Dalai Lama XIV.

It is a fact that children should have the right to basic necessities such as food, access to education, access to health care facilities and shelter. Advocates for Human Rights such as UNICEF, UNHCR and other non-governmental organisations have come to favour a family placement approach for abandoned, homeless and or-phaned children over institutionalisation of children in large orphanages and shelters. Researchers have noted that homeless children require to be reintegrated into society by establishing parent-child relations and/ or having access to education or job placements. Proposals for their care include providing them with a shelter to live in, health care treatment and access to vocational training institutes that will assist them with the skills to re-enter society. For the young children especially, design of the shelter as a built form can greatly assist the child gain confidence and develop as wholesome individuals. Orphanages when designed with the child specifically in mind, can be successful towards the reintegration of a homeless child into society. Unfortunately, this is not the case in Kenya. Although some children living on the streets of Nairobi have families, a number of them are abandoned, orphaned or run away from their homes due to abuse. With over 60,000 homeless children recorded living on the streets of Nairobi, the children are rounded up in remand centres and this approach has been unsuccessful towards the reintegration of the children into society. SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya have taken the family based care approach which starts to take into account not only the physical shelter of the child, but the positive effect of providing the otherwise homeless, orphaned and abandoned children, with a family and home.

Selected study parameters are adapted from the work of Brink, an architect on assignment under UNICEF, who has done extensive research towards the reintegration of a homeless child into society. This information is further expanded using other authors and the published work of researchers such as Strauven F., Coleman N., and the work of humanitarian organisations such as UNICEF and UNHCR. The parameters of this study are limited to: context, planning and organisation of the orphan-age, ‘The growing Child’ - scale of the users and age and gender appropriate activities, quality of outdoor areas and physical comfort of the users. Two case studies were selected for research, The SOS Children’s Village in Buru Buru, Nairobi, and The SOS Children’s Village in Tadjoura, Djibouti.

Findings from literature review are compared against data from the case studies so as to gauge the performance of study parameters. In the case of ‘The Growing Child’, findings point towards living spaces with floor to ceiling heights to the child’s height, stepping of thresholds, furniture and fixtures to the child’s anthropomet-rics and a selection of a suitable colour palette that dictate the emotions of the child and resultant behaviour, and clear circulation and way finding with clear visual access to the administration or office buildings. Physical comfort of the children needs to be considered by conscientious design of the windows to allow for plenty of natural lighting and ventilation. The spaces should be insulated from noise. Planning of the built form should encourage intermingling of the children and staff. Outdoor spaces should be provided and designed flexibly to allow for play and an array of activities for the children to partake.

Based on the research findings, the author draws recommendations that can be adopted when designing living spaces for abandoned, homeless and orphaned chil-dren towards their healthy development and reintegration into society. Recommendations for future research are also outlined, opening doors for expansion of the study subject in future research undertakings.

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”. Albert Einstein.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

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1. 1. INTRODUCTION

Figure 1. 1

A young homeless boy sleeps on a pavement, trying to maximise on the little shade provided by a bush along Monrovia Street in Nairobi, Kenya at around 3 PM. This is a common occurence in the city’s CBD especially over the weekend, and the children and families set up on the streets to sleep on cardboards at night.

Source: Author. 23/ 01/ 2016.

In its broadest sense homelessness is the problem faced by people who lack a place to live that is supportive, affordable, decent and secure (Crisis, 2003). People who experience homelessness are often amongst the most vulnerable people in our society, suffering from a combination of poor housing, unemployment, low income, bad health, poor skills, loneliness, isolation and relation-ship breakdown (ODPM, 2012). Whilst there is some debate over the precise definition of home-lessness there is a widespread acceptance that homelessness is about more than ‘rooflessness’.A home is not just a physical space; it provides “roots, identity, security, a sense of belonging and a place of emotional well-being” (Crisis, 2003).

It was estimated in 2007 that there were 250,000 - 300,000 children living and working on the streets across Kenya, with more than 60,000 of them in Nairobi (Kenya Children of Hope, 2015).

Furthermore, results from a KAIS (2012) nationally representative population-based survey estimated that there were 2.6 million orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Kenya in 2012, of whom 1.8 million were orphans and 750,000 were vulnerable. Among orphans, 15% were double orphans. Over one-third of all the OVC were aged between 10 and 14 years. Orphans experience psychological distress after the loss of a parent, and are subject to emotional and material vulner-ability (CEPED, 2003). Without parental care or guardianship of a responsible adult, these children are at risk of facing homelessness.

Although many of the children living on the streets of Kenya are sent by their parents to work or beg on the streets, a number of them are those who have been orphaned, abandoned or run away from home due to continual abuse.

Without the proper infrastructure in place, many of these children find their way to the streets as a means to fend for themselves.

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The first United Nations document that explicitly refers to the right to housing is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that —

“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.”

Since the adoption of this declaration in 1948, the human right to adequate housing has been repeatedly reaffirmed. The Global Strategy for Shelter to the Year 2000 (GSS) reinforced the right to adequate housing and the obligation of nations to ensure an enabling environment in the shelter sector. In fact, it states that citizens —

“Have a right to expect their Governments to be concerned about their shelter needs, and to accept a fundamental obligation to protect and improve houses and neighbourhoods, rather than damage or destroy them” (UNCHS, 1990).

Article 27 of The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states -

“The child’s right to a standard of living adequate for the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development.”

Kenya is signatory to The Human Rights, and have even included ‘The Children’s Act’ in Chapter 141 of the Constitution of Kenya, which is described as —

“An act of Parliament to make provision for parental responsibility, fostering, adoption, custody, maintenance, guardianship, care and protection of children; to make provision for the administra-tion of children’s institutions; to give effect to the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and for connected purposes.”

Figure 1. 2. Salvation Army poster, 1919.

Its founders Catherine and William Booth sought to bring salvation to the poor, destitute and hungry by meeting both their “physical and spiritual needs”. They aimed to desensitize the notion that homeless people are cursed and dirty.

Source: http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/history-of-the-salvation-army

1. 2. BACKGROUND STUDY

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The definition of street children was formulated by the Inter - NGO Programme for Street Children and Street Youth, cited in Judith Ennew, Street and Working Children: A Guide to Planning (Lon-don: Save the Children, 1994).

“Street children are those for whom the street (in the widest sense of the word: i.e. unoccupied dwell-ings, wasteland etc.) more than their family has become their real home, a situation in which there is no protection, supervision or direction from responsible adults.”

It should be noticed that UNICEF has suggested a distinction between children on the streets and children of the streets. Children on the streets are children who still maintain close ties to their families and return to their family homes in the evenings, while spending their days on the streets. Children of the street are children whose ties to their families have been severed and who often actually sleep on the street and struggle alone for survival (UNICEF, 1993).

Street children in Kenya face innumerable hardships and danger in their daily lives. In addition to the hazards of living on the street, these children face harassment and abuse from the police and within the juvenile justice system for no reason other than the fact that they are street children.6 Living outside the protection of responsible adults, street children are easy and silent targets for abuse by police and society at large. On the streets, they are subject to frequent arrest simply be-cause they are homeless; ‘vagrancy’ (being without a fixed abode) is a criminal offence under the Kenyan law (Vagrancy Act, Chapter 58 of the Laws of Kenya).

Once arrested, often by plain-clothes police in round-up operations, street children are processed through the revolving doors of the Kenyan Juvenile System, where children pass back and forth between remand detention centres and court before a final disposition is reached in their cases. After spending indefinite periods of time on remand, where they may be finally sentenced to in-stitutions called approved schools, borstal institutions or adult prisons, which do little to improve their lives. Furthermore, the procedures by which street children are deprived of their liberty and are committed to these institutions, do not comply with the due process of International law (Hu-man Rights Watch, 1997).

With over 60,000 street children in Nairobi (Kenya Children of Hope, 2015), and 2.6 million orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Kenya in 2012, of whom 1.8 million were orphans and 750,000 were vulnerable (KAIS, 2012), a large number of Kenya’s youth are at risk of becoming homeless and missing out on their human right to basic needs, a place to live, to education and health services.

Citizens who cannot function on their own should be accorded the dignity of having control over their living space. Housing is a part of the solution - it provides a sense of identity and home.

Fiigure 1. 3

The homeless children have to fend for themselves and get together in groups. Each member has a dedicated duty (usually petty crime like theft) and a quota to give the leader for drugs, food and protection.

Source: www. kenyachildrenofhope.org. The Street Children of Nairobi (2015).

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Figure 1. 4

A homeless man sleeping on a street pavement in Nairobi. This is a common sight in the CBD. Mothers and children set up their cardboards on the streets when the night is dark and move around the city begging during the day.

Sourced from https://fikishakenya.wordpress.com/ on 15/09/2015

Humanitarian organisations such as UNESCO, UNICEF and others have extensively written on the subject of homeless street children, individual dwellers, and families also known as chokora in Nairobi. Policies, programs and frameworks are the results of the studies and research conduct-ed, with little or no attention given to the investigation into actual architectural interventions that could help the affected individuals in the Kenyan context.

In the Western world, communities and designers are becoming more aware on the best ways to help the homeless in their communities. Literature exists on purposeful design of accommodation for the homeless, both adult and children, and has been generated as a result of extensive re-search, experimentation and creative discourse. Scholars have been trying to understand not only space and place, but also from the child’s perspective. The shelters are used as a means to help the less fortunate establish themselves as individuals in their society.

In 1969 there were only a few hundred recorded street children (Kilbride, 2000). With over 60,000 homeless children estimated to be living in Nairobi in 2015, it is safe to say that the approach taken to shelter the homeless children of Kenya living on the streets has been unsuccessful, and is more often than not, temporary and unestablished. Furthermore, little experimentation or even research has been conducted to address housing specifically for the homeless street children. Three days before U.S. President Barack Obama visited Nairobi, Kenya, the city announced it was going to relocate homeless street children to rehabilitation centres in the country (Daily Nation, 2015). A few days after his departure, the street children resurfaced. Government rehabilitation centres are supposedly designed to give street children another chance, but for many of the street kids, these centres can feel more like detention camps. One street child states that, “the centres are the worst place one can ever go - boys run away all the time”. Activists like Joyce Muthoni, a former street child herself, say “life at the centres is often worse than on the streets. The rehabilita-tion centres are dirty with disease, and when she was 12 years old her body was swollen when she was there” (VOA, 2015). The government has recognized the need to help, but getting the home-less children living on the streets the right kind of help is still a challenge.

This prompted the author of this thesis to seek to understand inclusive ways of designing for the homeless children of Kenya, by providing not only adequate shelter that promotes their right to not only just live, but also ensure their healthy growth and development.

1. 3. PROBLEM STATEMENT

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1. What are the causes of homelessness for orphaned children?

2. What are the interventions that can reintegrate the homeless orphaned child back into society?

3. What are the qualities of living spaces that will positively influence the development of orphaned homeless children?

1. To understand the causes of homelessness among orphaned children.

2. To identify interventions that can reintegrate the homeless orphaned child back into society.

3. To identify and recommend qualities of living spaces that will positively influence the development of orphaned homeless children.

The Kenyan Government stated in the Kenya Vision 2030 report that it ‘aims to provide the country’s population with adequate and decent housing in a sustainable environment’.

With backgrounds ranging from loss of parental care, and lack of attention from responsible adults, these children are truly vulnerable.It is inherent for Kenya’s progress to ensure equality for all, and uphold the human rights of all its citizens.

When designing orphanages, we consider the child as the client/ user of the space. The fact that children are unable to communicate verbally to either the designer or the architect does not mean that we should be passive to their requirements. Instead, we should take time to study them through observation in order to under-stand their desires and requirements.

Through this research, the author hopes to create awareness on this sensitive matter, and establish inclusive ways of designing for the homeless children responsibly to ensure equal opportunities for all of Kenya’s children.

1. 4. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

1. 5. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. 6. RESEARCH JUSTIFICATION

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The study will focus on orphanages that have attempted to incorporate the child’s needs into their different built forms and effectiveness of their efforts. In this regard, SOS Kinderoff Children’s Villages in East Africa have been selected to form the bulk of this study.The local system employed by the orphanage and its effectiveness will also be critically studied.The study will attempt to understand how to create an environment that is highly effective in the mentoring and nurturing of children to realize their potential abilities.The study will be looking into the creation of integrated living spaces for children aged between 0 – 21 years.

1.7.1 Time There is a limited amount of time within which this research paper will be observed, researched on and data analysed to give the conclusion that supports the relevance of the study.

1.7.2. Research MaterialA number of the relevant books on this topic are inaccessible as they are not available in the local libraries, bookshops and the Internet.

1.7.3. Financial constraintsDue to financial limitations, the study will use a narrow scope of physical outreach for information.

1.7.4. Institutional code of conduct Due to the sensitive nature of the institutions and privacy and protection of its users, the author was not allowed to interview or take photos of the children and staff, and was limited to acquiring information on the built forms only.However, behavioural patterns of the staff and children were observed and noted.

1.7.5. Safety and SecurityThe author set out to Djibouti on 14/ 10/ 2015 to conduct fieldwork research at the SOS Children’s Village in Tadjoura, but got her visa denied at the airport. Tadjoura happens to be a route known for youth escaping into Yemen for terrorist activities, and with a delayed letter of invitation from the hosts at the SOS Children’s Village main office in Nairobi, the author was sent back to Kenya on the same day she arrived and couldn’t proceed with the physical study of the orphanage.

1. 7. SCOPE

1. 8. LIMITATIONS

Fiigure 1. 5

SOS Children’s Villages logo expresses the intention to create a loving home for every child.

Source: www.soschildrensvillage.ae

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Introduction

Chapter 1 gives us a background on the existing state of homelessness for children in Kenya, homeless shelter designs and the challenges that these spaces face. The author puts forward the intended problem statement with a view to give insight as to why this study is necessitated.

Chapter 2 focuses on the existing stock of knowledge in the areas of accommodation for home-less children. The main objective of this chapter is to establish the standards and requirements within the author’s selected field of study in order to generate variables and constants. These var-iables will then act as a guideline as the author conducts an analysis of the selected case studies.

Chapter 3 will see the author selecting the case study method as the preferred research strategy as she conducts her research.

Chapter 4 is the bulk of this study, where the author will conduct fieldwork using the generated research variables identified in Chapter 2 as the guideline for analysis. Findings within the case studies will then be analysed and compared with a view to making well-informed conclusions and recommendations.

Chapter 5 brings the study to an end, where the author will give conclusions and recommenda-tions based on the findings of the fieldwork analysis.

1. 9. ORGANISATION OF STUDY

Chapter One

Literature ReviewChapter Two

Research MethodologyChapter Three

Research FindingsChapter Four

Conclusions & RecommendationsChapter Five