Urban Types in Rapidly Urbanizing Cities: Analysis of Formal and Informal Settlements in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

DESPITE THE FACT that few rapidly urbanizing cities are as old as the historic stone towns, settlements in these cities constitute layers of development characterized by certain urban types and neighbourhood spaces which are yet to be systematically identified, classified and analyzed. Whilst the “colonial” city reveals some kind of regulated patterns of city growth, the post-colonial city is largely unregulated, influenced by the rapid growth of informal settlements.

The objectives of this academic dissertation are both knowledge-seeking and normative. They are knowledge-seeking in the sense that inherent changes in the case study settlements are examined; normative in the sense that baseline recommendations on how these settlements ought to be developed are being sought. The main objective, therefore, is to identify and analyze “urban types” and inherent spatial qualities within a rapidly urbanizing city. The study explores theories of urban typological classification and analysis, and examines their applicability in the context of a non-industrialized country. Policy options and possible future urban types are discussed. Specific research objectives are:
- to identify, classify and analyze urban types within a rapidly urbanizing city context;
- to examine urban types with respect to house forms, density, spaces and space uses, plot characteristics, and spatial characteristics within formal and informal settlements; and
- to develop basic recommendations as a basis for effective planning, improved special qualities and containment of city sprawl.
The dissertation is organized into three main parts and 11 chapters. The first part consists of five chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the problem area, research questions and objectives of the study. Chapter 2 discusses the theoretical framework for understanding, classifying and analyzing urban types. Chapter 3 characterizes urbanization trends and influencing factors for the growth of Dar es Salaam. Chapter 4 provides a classification of urban types in Dar es Salaam. And Chapter 5 elaborates issues of research design and methodology.

The second part consists of four chapters recounting empirical investigations from the four case study settlements of Kariakoo, Mbezi, Msasani and Ubungo. The third and final part consists of Chapter 10, which provides a cross-case analysis of issues, and Chapter 11, which discusses issues emerging from the theoretical premises and case studies. Also included in this chapter are policy and planning recommendations and conclusions. The main thrust of this work is a call for re-examining density, house forms, plot characteristics and effective planning responses as a way of addressing problems associated with city sprawl.