The Lamu house - an East African architectural enigma
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Date
Authors
Steyn, Gerald
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Art Historical Work Group of South Africa
Abstract
Lamu is a living town off the Kenya coast. It was recently nominated to the World Heritage List. The town has been relatively undisturbed by colonization and modernization. This study reports on the early Swahili dwelling, which is still a functioning type in Lamu. It commences with a brief historical perspective of Lamu in its Swahili and East African coastal setting. It compares descriptions of the Lamu house, as found in literature, with personal observations and field surveys, including a short description of construction methods. The study offers observations on conservation and the current state of the Lamu house. It is concluded with a comparison between Lamu and Stone Town, Zanzibar, in terms of house types and settlement patterns. We found that the Lamu house is the stage for Swahili ritual and that the ancient and climatically uncomfortable plan form has been retained for nearly a millennium because of its symbolic value.
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Keywords
African architecture, Lamu, Kenya, World Heritage List, Architectural conservation, Stone Town, Zanzibar, Land settlement patterns, Swahili dwellings, African courtyard houses
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Steyn, G 2002, 'The Lamu house - an East African architectural enigma.' South African Journal of Art History, vol. 17, pp. 157-180.