Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, is experiencing a surge in urbanisation that is difficult to control. The extension of private zones reduces public space, resulting in the formation of overpopulated neighbourhoods with few leisure and meeting spaces. This rapid expansion also affects traffic, heightening mobility challenges in the city, where travel is becoming increasingly complicated.
To mark World Cities Day, which is celebrated every year on 31 October, we are highlighting the Antananarivo Urban Fabric Initiative project, funded by Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and conducted by GRET and Cabanon Vertical. This innovative project addresses several urban issues by designing urban initiatives with inhabitants.
Interview with Rina Soafara Andriambololomanana, project manager at GRET.
What approach does the project take to urban development?
The Antananarivo Urban Fabric Initiative is a project supporting initiatives for collaborative design of public spaces. We focus on collaboration between citizens, local actors and local authorities. Through participative initiatives, we create spaces that are suited to inhabitants’ needs, while facilitating concrete, visible changes in the city. This approach makes it possible to contribute to urban transformation in an inclusive, sustainable manner.
You mentioned an innovative approach to citizen participation. Can you tell us more about this?
Absolutely. We implemented systems of participation to involve residents from the outset of the project. These systems helped us to design developments with inhabitants and local actors (associations, community organisations and leaders), who are subsequently involved in management and facilitation of newly developed public spaces. This approach makes it possible to create the most appropriate facilities, while at the same time strengthening social cohesion in neighbourhoods.
Where are the sites at which the project intends to create facilities?
We are going to develop five sites in four districts of Antananarivo (the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th districts). These sites will be multi-purpose places where inhabitants can meet to practise sports, organise cultural events and share enjoyable moments thanks to the facilities installed.
The project also includes actions to promote soft mobility. What are the objectives of this component?
We have planned tactical urbanism actions in the 3rd and 5th districts that are aimed at facilitating and improving travel on foot. The objective is to test solutions before they are replicated and integrated in a more ambitious AFD-funded soft mobility programme in Antananarivo. These experimental interventions are designed for rapid implementation and replicability by the Antananarivo Urban Council. Ultimately, the goal is to reduce traffic congestion and improve street users’ travel.
This is a three-year project. What are the main stages ahead?
Work started at the first site this month, and two other projects should be launched in the coming months. For the remaining sites, we will soon be starting co-design workshops with inhabitants. The objective is to finalise the majority of facilities by the end of 2025. After that, we will concentrate on supporting local communities to ensure better ownership and sustainable management of these spaces, in collaboration with the Antananarivo Municipal Council.
What impacts do you hope to generate for the city and its inhabitants?
We hope that this project will serve as a model for the development of other public spaces in Antananarivo and beyond. By combining social innovation and participative urbanism, we believe it is possible to create a more resilient, more inclusive city which is more pleasant to live in. The impacts we are aiming for concern improvement of the urban environment and inhabitants’ quality of life over the long term.
