ACCRA AIRPORT CITY. A Phronetic Study of Urban Development Theory, Practices and Forms at the Intersection of Global and Local: the Case of a West African Central Business District

In the field of African urban studies, contemporary authors tend to agree upon the fact that current research should focus on its ability to have ‘a real impact’ on the urban environment. Academic research has in fact the power to provide better analytical tools for its quantitative and/or qualitative understanding, which would enable the practitioners and stakeholders in charge of its development to make better-informed decisions. In time, the academic world and the world of practice seem to have grown farther apart, something that is evident from the instruments that they utilize. The market reports upon which Real Estate developers and governments base their decisions use first-hand data and interviews to give a ‘feel’ of the market, while academic literature mostly relies upon theory and abstraction. Scientific research has the power to shed the light on otherwise inexplicable trends and dynamics, but it somehow seems fail to connect with the decision makers that have the actual power to affect the evolution of the contemporary urban environment. Recognizing the values of both worlds, this thesis attempts to counter this phenomenon by reversing the traditional deductive approach of urban research. Here, the forms and dynamics that shape the urban environment are investigated by combining the instruments of market analysis and academic research, using a problem-driven and phronetic approach that starts from local practices and later reframes them within scientific literature. This thesis first analyzes the scientific theory about African and Global cities and then, a specific case study, the Airport City business district in Accra (Ghana) to investigate what are the specific characteristics that influence its urban and architectural development, starting from the analysis of its practices and forms. These are elaborated to form what Clifford Geertz’ conceptualized as a ‘thick description’, which is used to contextualize the issues that emerge from the analysis within its specific social and cultural context. Interviews, photographs, first-hand data and documents are utilized to illustrate the characteristics of the case study, outlining its specificities and the power dynamics behind them. The themes that emerge from the analysis of theory, practices and forms are successively integrated within the broader scientific discourse. Ultimately, they are evaluated according to the phronetic planning research method with the goal to elaborate proposals for practical action towards their improvement. This research’ purpose is to expose, understand and effectively communicate these issues, improving on the specific knowledge about African cities, Accra, and the implications that the local dynamics that it unearths might have within the global urban picture.