Towards a minor global architecture at Lamu, Kenya

Lamu Old Town exemplifies a 'minor global architecture' where local strategies subvert dominant global narratives. This study reveals how Lamu's historic spatial protocols—rooted in coastal geomorphology and land-sea entanglements—are deployed to resist the construction of a new deep-water port, reflecting long-standing practices of negotiation between local, national, and global interests. The research analyzes these strategies through a longue durée perspective, highlighting Lamu's unique role as both a site of major global infrastructure (port, free economic zone) and minor architectural resistance. This duality challenges conventional accounts of globalization that prioritize global cities and celebrity architects.

Bremner, L. (2013). Towards a minor global architecture at Lamu, Kenya. Social Dynamics, 39(3), 397–413. https://doi.org/10.1080/02533952.2013.842340