(Refugee Complex)
Dadaab.
Cities in the desert

The Dadaab Refugee Complex in the Kenyan desert, at the Somali border, is one of the largest refugee camps worldwide. It has been in place since 1991. Its population is currently about 400,000 people of which 81% are women and children. 96% of the refugees are Somali, either fled from the armed conflict or drought trough the impacts of climate change, or a combination of both. Somalia is extremely vulnerable due to mentioned factors, forcing people to leave their home country.

The Dadaab Refugee Complex suffers from a number of challenges, among them the increasingly “unsustainable” emergency approach by UNHCR, focusing naturally on immediate relief. Refugee camps are not intended to be permanent but often they are. A whole generation has been raised in the camps, with little prospects as they are not allowed to leave the camp area. UN Habitat recommends their “sister organization” UNHCR a more sustainable, hence, urban approach to the situation. It could be summarized with “urbanizing the refugee camps”, transforming them into real settlements. Such an approach incorporates again a number of challenges – socially, politically, financially, and environmentally. In tangible terms, the living conditions in the desert are determined by heat and dust, or heavy, monsoon-alike rainfalls and floods. The various camps are spread over a large operational area, while the individual tents and huts are small and often provide only one room for up to 9 or 10 people. There are certain tensions with the host communities as they feel that the refugees are being treated with privileges (subsidized food and construction materials), although 80% of the refugees live below the poverty line. Finally, building a city, or various cities, almost from scratch requires significant funding. The Kenyan government has estimated the planning and construction costs approximately at one billion dollars. The funding would have to come through international donors – the UN and UNHCR, respectively, of which Germany is the biggest donor country. However, the Kenyan government has presented the Shirika plan that basically supports such an urbanization and integration strategy of the refugee complex. Though, the Shirika plan is not exactly a plan or a policy, it’s rather a framework with different pillars. Urban design and planning are not specifically mentioned but some of the pillars contain these aspects, if you will.

During the summer semester 2025, we will develop urban design strategies and projects according to which the refugee complex could be transformed into real cities – cities in the desert. We will work in different scenarios, according to different dependencies such as funding, participation, density, and climate-responsiveness. The aim of the studio is the production of an exhibition to be shown in Nairobi in October 2025, whose content will be discussed with different stakeholders from the Somali community, professionals, academics, and politicians.

According to the philosophy of the chair, we will put the women and their everyday life in the center of the urban design studio. During the Nairobi Summer School we will trace their experiences and stories through field work in the Eastleigh neighborhood, hosting primarily the Somali community of Nairobi. We will further use the scenario technique to develop different “desert city” scenarios, and we will implement policy analysis, including the mentioned Shirika plan. The output of the urban design studio will be a series of feminist urban design proposals to form a base for discussion and decision-making for all the relevant actors and involved stakeholders.

To successfully participate in the studio, good command of English is necessary. Five students from our partner university in Nairobi, the Kenyatta University, will participate in the urban design studio. Strong interest in intercultural and interdisciplinary cooperation is required.