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Pedestrian itineraries in Kinshasa : on shortcuts, permeable walls, and welded shut gates in a former colonial hospital

(2021) SPACE AND CULTURE. 24(1). p.113-127
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Abstract
This article deals with the way urban planning during colonial times affects the mobility of pedestrians today. In Kinshasa, a green belt cuts the oldest part of the city right in two, and this hinders a smooth traffic flow. The belt is what remains of the neutral zone the colonial authorities implemented to separate the European from the African neighborhoods; it consisted of several large walled-off facilities, such as a zoo, a park, and a hospital. In this article, we explore how pedestrians in Kinshasa deal with these obstructions to their mobility. We show that they forge their pedestrian itineraries through walls designed to be impermeable, in particular by shortcutting through a hospital. These alternative itineraries have solidified through time, revealing the effectiveness of their persistent daily walks. As we argue, the pedestrians actively redefine the mobility patterns of their city.
Keywords
Kinshasa, pedestrian, mobility, neutral zone, hospital infrastructure

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Citation

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MLA
Geenen, Kristien, and Simon De Nys-Ketels. “Pedestrian Itineraries in Kinshasa : On Shortcuts, Permeable Walls, and Welded Shut Gates in a Former Colonial Hospital.” SPACE AND CULTURE, vol. 24, no. 1, 2021, pp. 113–27, doi:10.1177/1206331218797037.
APA
Geenen, K., & De Nys-Ketels, S. (2021). Pedestrian itineraries in Kinshasa : on shortcuts, permeable walls, and welded shut gates in a former colonial hospital. SPACE AND CULTURE, 24(1), 113–127. https://doi.org/10.1177/1206331218797037
Chicago author-date
Geenen, Kristien, and Simon De Nys-Ketels. 2021. “Pedestrian Itineraries in Kinshasa : On Shortcuts, Permeable Walls, and Welded Shut Gates in a Former Colonial Hospital.” SPACE AND CULTURE 24 (1): 113–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/1206331218797037.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Geenen, Kristien, and Simon De Nys-Ketels. 2021. “Pedestrian Itineraries in Kinshasa : On Shortcuts, Permeable Walls, and Welded Shut Gates in a Former Colonial Hospital.” SPACE AND CULTURE 24 (1): 113–127. doi:10.1177/1206331218797037.
Vancouver
1.
Geenen K, De Nys-Ketels S. Pedestrian itineraries in Kinshasa : on shortcuts, permeable walls, and welded shut gates in a former colonial hospital. SPACE AND CULTURE. 2021;24(1):113–27.
IEEE
[1]
K. Geenen and S. De Nys-Ketels, “Pedestrian itineraries in Kinshasa : on shortcuts, permeable walls, and welded shut gates in a former colonial hospital,” SPACE AND CULTURE, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 113–127, 2021.
@article{8574059,
  abstract     = {{This article deals with the way urban planning during colonial times affects the mobility of pedestrians today. In Kinshasa, a green belt cuts the oldest part of the city right in two, and this hinders a smooth traffic flow. The belt is what remains of the neutral zone the colonial authorities implemented to separate the European from the African neighborhoods; it consisted of several large walled-off facilities, such as a zoo, a park, and a hospital. In this article, we explore how pedestrians in Kinshasa deal with these obstructions to their mobility. We show that they forge their pedestrian itineraries through walls designed to be impermeable, in particular by shortcutting through a hospital. These alternative itineraries have solidified through time, revealing the effectiveness of their persistent daily walks. As we argue, the pedestrians actively redefine the mobility patterns of their city.}},
  author       = {{Geenen, Kristien and De Nys-Ketels, Simon}},
  issn         = {{1206-3312}},
  journal      = {{SPACE AND CULTURE}},
  keywords     = {{Kinshasa,pedestrian,mobility,neutral zone,hospital infrastructure}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{113--127}},
  title        = {{Pedestrian itineraries in Kinshasa : on shortcuts, permeable walls, and welded shut gates in a former colonial hospital}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1177/1206331218797037}},
  volume       = {{24}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}

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