Progress Report, Period June 1975- May 1976

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The last meeting of the Joint Advisory Board was held on Tuesday 15th of July 1975. The main subject of the meeting was the sta~us of the Housing Research and Development Unit. The proposal to transform the Unit into a Department was agreed on by the Board. The budget of the HRDU was circulated later. A number of activities have been completed since the last meeting of the Board. These are: Design for Medical Buildings, Housing By-Laws in the Kenya Building Code, Roofing Tiles for Low-Cost Houses, the Future Planning of a Majengo - Swahili Village, Masaku and the Explanatory Notes on the Kibera Experimental Self-Help Scheme. The director Jon Skakke left the Unit in September 1975 on the expiry of his contract and in October 1975 I took up the post as director of the HRDU. The staff situation is as critical as ever: Otto Kaszner is leaving the Unit in August when his contract expires. The vacancies: economist, services engineer and architect planner have yet to be filled. (The post of architect planner has been offered, but not yet accepted). The secretary Alice Justin has left the Unit and the post of secretary is now vacant. On a positive note one can add that Marja Hoek-Smit will remain attached to the Unit in an associate researcher's capacity, supported by the Dutch Government to study further the Majengo urban settlements. A sociologist Ita Muller has taken up her duties in the Unit. It is the intention of the Unit to utilize the growing number of graduates from the various departments and faculties within the University in an attempt to africanize some of the posts in the Unit. Students have already indicated interest in pursuing research and it it hoped that suitable candidates can be identified. The HRDU has been invited to attend a number of conferences and seminars during the last 9 months. A section describing these activities is attached. There has been a growing demand for service teaching from the Faculty of Architecture Design and Development. This activity is considered important and has been given due attention.