Resilience for the Bakiga: Architecture as a Means for Cultural Preservation

Abstract

In Western Uganda, Kikiga culture is disappearing due to its dependence on storytelling and folk songs to transfer knowledge. Preserving tradition is essential because it creates a sense of belonging and continuity in a rapidly changing world. This thesis explores how the Bakiga’s vernacular architecture can be sustained through spaces of agriculture and commerce. The thesis borrows ideas from critical regionalism and investigates our understanding of the intangible dimensions of our settlements to develop an appropriate architecture for the Bakiga. Through an analysis of macro and micro systems that influence the morphology of the Bakiga’s traditional farming and residential spaces, the thesis proposes a hybrid typology that combines farm and market.