Browsing by Author "Olweny, Mark"

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Hidden histories: Indian influence on architecture and urbanism across the East African interior
(Centre for Asian and Middle East Architecture, University of Adelaide, 2022-01-01) Wako, Anthony Kalimungabo; Olweny, Mark
In 1896 construction of the Uganda Railway began at the East African port town of Mombasa, in what was then British East Africa, reaching the Lake Victoria- Nyanza terminus of Port Florence (now Kisumu) in 1901. This engineering feat was achieved with the importation of workers from British India, beginning a presence of a vibrant Asian migrant community in the interior of East Africa. They established a vigorous and ingenious Indian community in the interior of East Africa that thrived throughout the twentieth century and its influence today is unassailable. Their enterprising spirit was instrumental to the development of trading centres across the region during the early decades of the twentieth century. The legacy left behind, and ever-present reality of many urban centres, is somewhat invisible in the historical narratives related to architecture and urbanism. Exploring these hidden histories is in recognition of this contribution, a growing appreciation of the multifaceted influences on the built environments across East Africa, and a necessary frame of reference for further explorations of the development and evolution of contemporary architecture across the region. The paper uses Jinja on the northern shore of Lake Victoria-Nyanza as a focus of study. Jinja was home to a large population of ‘Ugandan’ Asians’ during the middle of the twentieth century, contributing to its role as a key transport and industrial hub. Through the tumultuous years toward the end of the century, this contribution remains as a powerful reminder of the contribution of Asian migrants to Uganda. The Asian contribution has largely been side-lined by the domination of European modernism and more recently Middle East commercialism. Through this initial foray and future explorations, we seek to build an understanding of the rich histories within the African triple heritage.
Learning from Corona: learning design principles for connected co-learning and co-teaching in online and blended global architecture studios
(Vermon Press, 2021-01-01) Morkel, Jolanda; Burton, Lindy Osborne; Olweny, Mark; Feast, Steven
In this chapter we formulate four learning design principles for connected co-learning and co-teaching in online and blended global architecture studios. The Coronavirus pandemic not only amplified the current challenges in Higher Education (HE) generally, and in architectural education specifically, but it revealed the potential for globally connected practices in learning, teaching and research. We were interested to understand how future connected co-learning and co-teaching in online and blended global architecture studios can be designed and which principles should guide the process. Drawing on the respective HE contexts of the authors, namely four Schools of Architecture—two situated in Africa, and two in Australia, representing both the global South and the global North, we employed a collaborative auto ethnographic research methodology. The principles that we identified recognise distinct differences in these contexts, that are visible in the composition of student bodies, staffing and resources, but with a shared aim to address social justice, inequality, student access and inclusion. Through an in-depth reflection on our respective learning contexts, and educational and professional practices, we identified seven themes for connected co-learning and co-teaching, namely connecting: 1) online and on-ground spaces, 2) the university and the profession, 3) digital learning and teaching tools, 4) students and educators, 5) educators locally and globally, 6) students and international experts, and 7) students through peer-to-peer learning. For each theme we derived five observations, that were synthesised to formulate four overarching design principles for cross-cultural and inter-institutional collaboration. These are: 1) employ relevant technologies and techniques through learning design; 2) acknowledge students-as-partners to promote student agency and well-being 3) consider flexibility through multiple interlinked learning settings and modes; and 4) recognise humanity, humour, culture, and community. The proposed design principles address current critiques on architectural studio education globally, related to socialisation, asymmetrical power relations, the mental health of students, and, in online spaces specifically, aspects of social presence, authenticity and embodiment.
Necessary transgressions in Architectural Education in Uganda
(Routledge, 2022-10-28) Olweny, Mark
Acknowledging that architectural education in many parts of the world is built on specific traditions, there is little argument about its embedded epistemologies. The strong adherence to tenants of the past is regarded as the success of architectural education. However, it is here, beyond its evident virtues that the limitations become apparent, more so when considered in the context of the global south, particularly sub-Saharan Africa. Here, historicized perspectives compel instructors to buy into pedagogical approaches that often sideline indigenous built environments, an act that serves to alienate local traditions and exacerbates the challenge of seeking contextually appropriate and sustainable architectural solutions. Through the transformation of an architecture program in an architectural school in Uganda, I challenge norms related to what constituted an appropriate architectural educational approach often applied without question. Through examples derived from transformational activities, the chapter suggests how architectural education in Uganda and sub-Saharan Africa can be revised regardless of ever-present professional and bureaucratic constraints. Building on the lessons derived from these experiences, the chapter concludes with a call to architectural educators to explore possibilities that will define the decolonizing processes in architectural education.
Towards an ecosystem-of-learning for Architectural Education: reflecting on a network of six pedagogical clusters
(Association of Architectural Educators (AAE), 2021) Morkel, Jolanda; Delport, Hermie; Burton, Lindy Osborne; Olweny, Mark; Feast, Steven
This research is situated in the context of our collective exploration of a new ecosystem-oflearning for architectural education, as a catalyst for change following the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. To move online architectural education beyond emergency remote teaching, requires a total reset of current thinking and practices. In this essay, we propose a complex network of six new pedagogical clusters, namely Anthropy Pedagogy, Catalytic Pedagogy, Synergic Pedagogy, Cogenerative Pedagogy, Spatio-temporal Pedagogy, and Meta-morphic Pedagogy. We approached our research using an iterative and reflective narrative inquiry method. Examining the development of these complex pedagogical clusters, we highlight the most promising potential contributions towards a responsive, resilient, and replicable ecosystem-of learning approach for architectural education.