IDN Steering Group member Ian Haywood writes: 

The Department of Architecture in the University of Khartoum celebrated its Golden Jubilee in November 2007 with a three-day conference bringing together past and present members of staff and other invited guests under the theme of ‘Rethinking our Design’.

The Department of Architecture was established by Alick Potter in the Faculty of Engineering shortly after Sudan became independent in 1956. Originally the aim was to provide the country with qualified architects; planning was added as a separate discipline with the setting up of a Masters Degree in Physical Planning in the 1980s.  In 2003 the Department of Architecture was granted full Faculty status and split into four departments comprising Architecture and Design, Planning and Urban Design, Building Management and Housing.

Students at the School of Architecture, University of Khartoum, Sudan

Papers presented during the conference ranged widely: a review of the architectural and planning history of Sudan, an examination of a major development project in Khartoum, the relevance of GIS, and lessons learned from the Bauhaus. What brought the papers together was the general concern of the built environment professions in Sudan to establish a new theoretical approach which would avoid fads and fashions and help bring together the best of imported experience with the most positive aspects of the indigenous culture.  My own paper was entitled 'The Sustainable City', and examines developed world experience in terms of its relevance to building the planning capacity of developing countries.

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Ian Haywood is an architect and planner and was Professor of Physical Planning in the Department of Architecture of the University of Khartoum from 1979-1985 where he set up the MSc in Physical Planning.

Author:

Judith Eversley

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

04-Jan-08

Categories:

Networks & Associations 

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