An Architecture of Enablement

An Architecture of Enablement’ creates a model for co-existence between top-down and bottom-up decision-making in the Global South. It suggests that current methods of housing production can be adopted in initial phases of construction, while participatory design, fundamentally rooted in informal practices of Addis’ dwellers, can take place at a later stage on a smaller scale. This ideological shift from ‘housing product’ to ‘housing process’ aims to create a win-win situation, meeting immediate housing demand and sowing the seeds for a cohesive and loved home for communities.