Appearances

'Your look is your personality; allow us to serve you' encouraged the hand-painted sign advertising dry-cleaning services in Dar es Salaam. I suspected my one and only suit would be in good hands here but ditched this garment when I arrived in Dar. It is hot, humid and reminds me of February in Durban; my next visit to Dar will be in February...

I wondered how this strapline could apply to a urban management/town planning department of a city. How exactly do the appearances of cities match their personalities and how can we best serve them? Do cities have personalities?

Dar's turquoise ocean and palm trees convey a laid-back atmosphere; a city at ease with itself. Neglected colonial buildings are juxtaposed by clusters of construction that defy the current global economic crisis. These contrasts are discernable in the two informal settlements I visited. Manzese and Hana Nassif are small compared to Kibera in Nairobi. These are neighbourhoods where quirky (often unfinished) permanent structures interrupt rows of shacks; collector roads are flanked with economic enterprises that range from home-based sewing services to panel beaters and furniture vendors...and of course bars. The diversity of economic activity amazed me. Here people are serving themselves, despite the neglected infrastructure.