Adaptive Floodplains: Re-imagining resilient Landscape on the Msimbazi River Basin in Dar es Salaam

The culture and practices of Tanzania must and will be preserved at all cost as a sense of cultural integrity. This project speculates about creating adaptive landscapes on the river basin by creating dynamic pond systems as a horizontal agricultural buffer. Natural landscape of the Msimbazi river basin will be manipulated to curve a system of attenuation ponds that also become a platform for aquatic and recreational activities.

Project is located east central Africa and Tanzania in Dar es Salaam, on the lower river basin of Msimbazi. Project investigation is mapped out in comparison of dry and rainy season. The montages portray the livelihoods of the sukuma and masaai ethnic groups who practice home mixed farming, their subsistence crops are mainly maize millet rice sugarcane cassava sweet potato and vegetables. To apply resiliency the floodplain is terrace to 3 levels where a series of ponds is created on the lowest level. This allows the floods to be contained up to a 100 year flood line. Mangrove trees are planted on the river edges while agricultural programs on the terraced levels take place as homage to mixed home farming. Recreation and play occurs on the upper terrace as a passive strategy to restrict encroachment.

The Major design project focuses on programs of aqua activities, agriculture and recreation to instil resiliency and sustain livelihoods of the informal settlers as the most affected citizens during a rainy season. Crops arrangements is as per study of evapotranspiration where the crops are planted in accordance to the amount of water they need. The agricultural crops as well as the materiality of the terraced seating, decking, shade and vegetation is vernacular to Tanzania.