Mtoni Palace : nurturing identity through landscape architecture

Abstract

Zanzibar has become a well-known tourist destination with its spices, friendly people, beaches and year-round warm climate. The tourism industry has become one of the main economic sectors of the island and provides income to people from all economic backgrounds. Zanzibar’s World Heritage Site, Stone Town, is known for its small alleyways and plazas. Tourists often get lost in this maze of alleys. This public open space acts as a place to exchange ideas, as well as cultural and religious practices. It contributed to the amalgamation of a cosmopolitan people into the Swahili culture. Economic growth over the past 30 years has brought about rapid urban sprawl with a lack of well-designed public open spaces. The lack of public open space, as well as the negative impact of tourism on the local culture, is busy eroding the Zanzibari culture. This research investigates how landscape architecture can nurture identity and aims to showcase the ability of landscape architecture to act as a catalyst towards nurturing identity through a well designed public open space. Mtoni Palace is a national monument of Zanzibar and a site of high heritage significance. Today, the Palace lies in ruins and the aim of this study is to provide a new vision for Mtoni Palace.