A variety of quality of
life improvements have been brought to bear on difficult urban environments,
including in some of the fastest-growing cities in the developing world, such
as Bamako, Cairo and Delhi. The aim of these projects has been to improve the
quality of life in rapidly urbanising cities, not least by creating green space
for inhabitants. AKDN has built ten parks and gardens, demonstrating in
the process that even in the most challenging contexts, parks can have a
positive impact on a city if there are mechanisms put in place for their
sustainability. In several locations, AKTC has also demonstrated that, under
the right conditions, parks and gardens can also be economic generators that
drive – directly and indirectly – a broad advance of positive change. At the
same time, the AKDN also restores historic structures, creates or rehabilitates
public spaces and supports community-based planning and upgrading projects.
Individual project briefs go beyond mere technical restoration to address the
questions of the social and environmental context, adaptive re-use,
institutional sustainability and training.