Public space projects that listen to their users lessons from the Urban Fabric Initiatives in Africa

Authors: Fatou-Maty Diouf and Virginie Rachmuhl, African Cities Magazine No. 6
Based on the project report published by GRET (programme evaluation)

Since 2018, the UFI have been experimenting with a different way of shaping the city: one that is rapid, participatory and rooted in local neighbourhoods. From Dakar to Nairobi, via Ouagadougou, Abidjan, Tunisia, Antananarivo, Kigali and Monrovia, this article draws lessons from three generations of projects. It shows how derelict sites have been transformed into bustling public spaces, how co-design and participatory construction projects have strengthened residents’ sense of ownership, and what models of shared management have emerged. It also examines the limitations of the approach: the sustainability of participatory initiatives, institutional anchoring and the actual influence on major urban projects.