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Making Use of Leftover Spaces Under Railway Paths in Addis Ababa

Published in Advances (Volume 4, Issue 3)
Received: 12 February 2023    Accepted: 13 June 2023    Published: 31 August 2023
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Abstract

Leftover spaces are spaces in a city can be defined as spaces that exist without clear assigned uses and poorly managed space. The development of the urban railway in Addis Ababa has resulted in a huge number of leftover spaces in the intermediate spaces produced by these concrete structures. Although the space found in the city center, it has received less attention by rising issues with regard to usability, social interaction, integration, etc. This research assessed the characteristics of this leftover spaces under railway paths in Addis Ababa, by selecting three segments in the city where the problem is seen more, and studied their functional and physical characteristics and the existed problems in detail. The research was conducted using a case study approach with different data collection methods such as observation, interviews and document review. The data are presented through images, tables, and maps. The data was collected, primarily from three types of people: those who were seen using the space, those who live near the space and who were passing through the space, and those who work place found in front of the leftover space. Because these people engage with the space on a daily basis and are most likely to notice its effects. The research finding indicated that the existing status of the space is not contributing to urban life, rather it is found that the space works against the urban life by serving as a catalyst for the spread of negative influences like attracting homeless peoples. In response to these findings, the study confirms the importance of enhancing the functionalities of the space in order to create a livable space by making use of the leftover space to contribute to the urban community by adapting the surrounding neighborhood context. In general, the study forwards recommendation for enhancing the current status and forwards new possible design typologies that shows different ways to make the space more useful, functional and attractive without eliminating the neighborhood character.

Published in Advances (Volume 4, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.advances.20230403.13
Page(s) 93-110
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Elevated Railways, Urban Life, Left-Over Spaces, Possible Usage

References
[1] AACRA, Addis Ababa City Road Authority. (2016) ethiopia transport systems improvement project – transip: ewsdata. rightsin development.
[2] Barter, P., (2004). Transport, urban structure and „lock-in' in the Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan Area. International Development Planning Review.
[3] Clements, G. R. (2013). The environmental and social impacts of roads in Southeast Asia (Doctoral dissertation, James Cook University).
[4] Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
[5] Crisman, P. 2009. Inhabiting the in-between: architecture and infrastructure intertwined. Site Out of Mind. University of Virginia School of architectures.
[6] Cybrisky, 1999. Infrastructural Urbanism Addressing the In- between. Berlin: DOM Publishers.
[7] Doron, G. (2000). The dead zone and the architecture of transgression. City.
[8] Franck, K. A. (2011). Occupying the Edge and the Underneath- “Other” Urban Public Spaces. In New Jersey, Berlin: DOM Publishers.
[9] Hans Viljoen, (2018) Urban movers – elevated railway structures and urban life. degree project in the built environment, second cycle, 15 credits stockholm, Sweden.
[10] Harnack, M., & Kohler, M. (2011). Use, meaning and re-appropriation of contentious urban spaces. Infrastructural urbanism–Addressing the in-between.
[11] Jaffe, E. (2015). Reviving the Dead Space Under Elevated Structures. https://www.citylab.com/design/2015/06/bringing-the-dead-spaces-under-an-elevated-back-tolife/396236/. Latest accessed 25/08/2022
[12] Jane, J. (1961). The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New-York, NY: Vintage.
[13] Lawson, W. (2017). The Woman Who saved New York City From Superhighway Hell. https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2017/04/jane-jacobs-citizen-jane-documentary.:accessed 25/08/2022
[14] Marshall, C. (2016). Story of cities #50. The Reclaimed Stream Bringing Life to the Heart of Seoul. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/may/25/story-citiesreclaimed-stream-heart-seoul-cheonggyecheon. Latest accessed 25/08/2022
[15] Mohamed, H. (2022). Rehabilitation of the Lost Urban Spaces below the Elevated Movement Axes within the City: International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 12.
[16] Peterson, S (1980). Space and Anti-Space: The Fabric of Place, City and Architecture http://petersonlittenberg.com/Architecture-UrbanDesign/Space_Anti Space_TOC_files/Space%20and%20Anti-Space.pdf
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  • APA Style

    Fuad Muhada Kemal. (2023). Making Use of Leftover Spaces Under Railway Paths in Addis Ababa. Advances, 4(3), 93-110. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.advances.20230403.13

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    ACS Style

    Fuad Muhada Kemal. Making Use of Leftover Spaces Under Railway Paths in Addis Ababa. Advances. 2023, 4(3), 93-110. doi: 10.11648/j.advances.20230403.13

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    AMA Style

    Fuad Muhada Kemal. Making Use of Leftover Spaces Under Railway Paths in Addis Ababa. Advances. 2023;4(3):93-110. doi: 10.11648/j.advances.20230403.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.advances.20230403.13,
      author = {Fuad Muhada Kemal},
      title = {Making Use of Leftover Spaces Under Railway Paths in Addis Ababa},
      journal = {Advances},
      volume = {4},
      number = {3},
      pages = {93-110},
      doi = {10.11648/j.advances.20230403.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.advances.20230403.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.advances.20230403.13},
      abstract = {Leftover spaces are spaces in a city can be defined as spaces that exist without clear assigned uses and poorly managed space. The development of the urban railway in Addis Ababa has resulted in a huge number of leftover spaces in the intermediate spaces produced by these concrete structures. Although the space found in the city center, it has received less attention by rising issues with regard to usability, social interaction, integration, etc. This research assessed the characteristics of this leftover spaces under railway paths in Addis Ababa, by selecting three segments in the city where the problem is seen more, and studied their functional and physical characteristics and the existed problems in detail. The research was conducted using a case study approach with different data collection methods such as observation, interviews and document review. The data are presented through images, tables, and maps. The data was collected, primarily from three types of people: those who were seen using the space, those who live near the space and who were passing through the space, and those who work place found in front of the leftover space. Because these people engage with the space on a daily basis and are most likely to notice its effects. The research finding indicated that the existing status of the space is not contributing to urban life, rather it is found that the space works against the urban life by serving as a catalyst for the spread of negative influences like attracting homeless peoples. In response to these findings, the study confirms the importance of enhancing the functionalities of the space in order to create a livable space by making use of the leftover space to contribute to the urban community by adapting the surrounding neighborhood context. In general, the study forwards recommendation for enhancing the current status and forwards new possible design typologies that shows different ways to make the space more useful, functional and attractive without eliminating the neighborhood character.},
     year = {2023}
    }
    

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    AB  - Leftover spaces are spaces in a city can be defined as spaces that exist without clear assigned uses and poorly managed space. The development of the urban railway in Addis Ababa has resulted in a huge number of leftover spaces in the intermediate spaces produced by these concrete structures. Although the space found in the city center, it has received less attention by rising issues with regard to usability, social interaction, integration, etc. This research assessed the characteristics of this leftover spaces under railway paths in Addis Ababa, by selecting three segments in the city where the problem is seen more, and studied their functional and physical characteristics and the existed problems in detail. The research was conducted using a case study approach with different data collection methods such as observation, interviews and document review. The data are presented through images, tables, and maps. The data was collected, primarily from three types of people: those who were seen using the space, those who live near the space and who were passing through the space, and those who work place found in front of the leftover space. Because these people engage with the space on a daily basis and are most likely to notice its effects. The research finding indicated that the existing status of the space is not contributing to urban life, rather it is found that the space works against the urban life by serving as a catalyst for the spread of negative influences like attracting homeless peoples. In response to these findings, the study confirms the importance of enhancing the functionalities of the space in order to create a livable space by making use of the leftover space to contribute to the urban community by adapting the surrounding neighborhood context. In general, the study forwards recommendation for enhancing the current status and forwards new possible design typologies that shows different ways to make the space more useful, functional and attractive without eliminating the neighborhood character.
    VL  - 4
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Author Information
  • Department of Architecture, College of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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