Multifamily Housing in Somaliland

Hargeisa, the capital of self-declared state Somaliland, has doubled in size since 2002. The majority of the growth happens in low-density single-family residential neighborhoods. This prevailing typology in combination with surging land speculation makes housing unaffordable, and forces lower-income households to the periphery of the city. As people have little access to essential amenities such as schools, hospitals, shopping, and workplaces without a car, this development is promoting inequality and impeding social mobility.

The project aims to show that a change in planning practice, from single-family detached housing to multifamily apartment buildings can promote sustainable urban development for all of its citizens. With this in mind, the introduction of this new typology in Hargeisa and Somaliland is dependent on the inclusion of the civil society.

The project establishes a digital platform between academic institutions and stakeholders in the Global South and North, bringing research on housing from three continents and three distinct urban conditions in Los Angeles, Copenhagen, and the Horn of Africa. It stages three significant events, between four universities, Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), Abaarso Tech University in Somaliland, The Royal Danish Academy of Arts (KADK), School of Architecture, Design, and Conservation, and Copenhagen University.

In its first yearly cycle, the research focused on affordable housing in the city of Hargeisa, on the Horn of Africa. Research was conducted primarily by students and coordinated by faculty from each of the participating universities.

The second year cycle was dedicated to the exploration of the public imagination and media representation of three specific housing typologies in Hargeisa, Los Angeles and Copenhagen. Students from four universities investigated the evolution of dwelling patterns and preferences and created research catalogues that captures the change in needs and desires of the population.