Katja SCHÄFER

katja.schafer@dpu-associates.net

Specialisation

Housing, urban development, strategic urban planning, decentralization, urban governance and management; urban upgrading and reconstruction with emphasis on community-based participatory processes; institutional development and organisational capacity building in post-conflict situations and the context of emergency support, disaster mitigation and rehabilitation; also on innovative, participatory and responsive design in development and upgrading of urban areas through socially and culturally acceptable, economically viable and environmentally sustainable interventions.

Country experience

Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Austria, Eastern and South Eastern Europe; Russia, Azerbaijan; India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh; Syria, Jordan, Yemen, Egypt and Libya; Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia (Somaliland and Puntland), Rwanda; Jamaica.

Languages

German (mother tongue), English (fluent), Russian (basic), Arabic (basic).

Educational and professional qualifications

2003

MSc Development and Planning: Building and Urban Design in Development, Development Planning Unit London/United Kingdom.

2002

Registered Architect, Thuringia/Germany.

1992-99

Diploma in Architecture, Bauhaus University Weimar/Germany.

1991-92

Course in Urban and Regional Planning, Hochschule für Architektur und Bauwesen University Weimar/Germany.

EMPLOYMENT

2010-

Human Settlements Officer for Arab States, UN-HABITAT Cairo Office. Contribute to the implementation of UN-HABITAT’s vision, work programme and advocacy role, particularly in urban governance and secure tenure, within the scope of the emerging Regional Office for Arab States. Develop programmes and projects of strategic importance in Egypt and Libya in partnership with other UN-Agencies, bilateral/ multilateral and national partners and supervise the execution of those. Provide expert advisory services to Strategic Urban Plans for Small Cities and Strategic National Development Support Project in Egypt and Institutional Development and Capacity Building of the Urban Planning Agency in Libya, especially relating to issues of strategic urban planning and decentralization as well as participatory budgeting and local Action Plans. Monitor ongoing project activities with regards to achieving Millenium Development Goals and UN-HABITAT Midterm Strategic and Institutional Plan.

2008-2010

Urban (Heritage) Management Expert, GTZ Project for the Development of Historic Cities in Yemen. Managing Component 3 of the Project – Other Historic Cities, in addition to supporting project activities in Shibam and Zabid. Providing support to national authorities, local administrations and residents in sustainably managing the development of cities in Yemen, emphasizing local economic development and the conservation for Yemen’s extensive urban heritage as an integral component of a multi-sectoral integrated urban development program. Implementation of the decentralization policy and poverty reduction strategies for Yemen. Promotion of networking between local, regional and national levels and between key actors in government, local business and the population. Responsible for developing approaches to addressing
sustainable urban development in Yemen and the supervision of the result-based monitoring systems.

2006-07

Urban Planner, UN-HABITAT Somaliland Urban Development Programme. Providing substantive inputs to the elaboration of Urban Development Plans in key cities of Somaliland and facilitate urban planning processes alongside capacity building activities. Priority attention to the issue of informal settlements/IDP settlements and rehabilitation of market areas. Promoting participatory planning strategies at city and neighbourhood levels by strengthening the involvement of civil society and communities.

2005-06

City Rehabilitation Advisor, UN-Habitat/UNDP Sri Lanka Rebuilding Community, Infrastructure and Shelter Project under the Urban Governance Support Project. Providing support to tsunami affected communities and assistance in meeting their immediate needs through community-based reconstruction in partnership with local authorities in response December 2004 Tsunami. Coordination of post-tsunami permanent housing (re)construction in Galle District, in collaboration with Tsunami Housing Reconstruction Unit [THRU], Galle/Sri Lanka.

2004-05

Part time Lecturer (part-time) Department of Architecture and Spatial Design, London Metropolitan University/UK. Diploma & Postgraduate courses Landscapes of Change - Everyday Conversations in Space and Time; Design as Process, Sustainability of the Built Environment.

2003-05

Lecturer and Course Coordinator for MSc Development and Planning: Building and Urban Design in Development, Development Planning Unit, University College London/UK. Coordination MSc and teaching in Form and Formation of Cities, Participation in Urban Planning, Appropriate Building Design, Transforming Local Areas.

2000-02

Project Architect, Peter Inskip + Peter Jenkins Architects, London/UK. Following work packages, production of working drawings on conservation projects and new developments, project management and site supervision responsibilities. Development of urban master plans.

1999-2000

Project Architect, Architect Bruno Rubner, Bruneck/Italy. Responsible for the design and development of low cost housing projects.

1998

Project Architect, Architect Stephan Hitthaler, Bruneck/Italy. Housing projects with focal point on ecological design of buildings, site supervision.

CONSULTANCY, RESEARCH & TRAINING

2009

Germany: Contribution to the GTZ conference on Regionalisation, Decentralisation, Communal and Urban Development on financial decentralization and communal finances – good financial governance and mulit-level approach; presentation on result-based monitoring system for the Project for Development of Historic Cities of Yemen [PDHCY].

2008

France: Contribution to the GTZ conference on Regionalisation, Decentralisation, Communal and Urban Development on the region as a conjunction for sustainable development: the case of the Project for Development of Historic Cities of Yemen [PDHCY].

2007

Somalia (Somaliland): Shelter Cluster Workshop focusing on shelter issues in Hargeisa, Somaliland and humanitarian responses to temporary shelter for IDPs/returnees within the IDP working group and Joint Programme, facilitated by UNHCR and NRC.

2005

Sri Lanka: workshop and training on Good Practices for Formulating Guidelines for Sustainability in Post-tsunami Reconstruction [Ministry of Housing and Reconstruction, Ministry of Urban Development and Water Supply, Reconstruction and Development Agency [GTZ].

Bangladesh: training on community based disaster preparedness and reconstruction Rebuilding Community Infrastructure and Shelter - a community based approach to post-tsunami Reconstruction in Sri Lanka [Department of Architecture, BRAC University].

Sri Lanka: workshop and training on Community based Rebuilding. Presentation on Community Contracting and Implementation of Reconstruction Programme - the Rebuilding Community Infrastructure and Shelter Project in Galle and facilitation of discussion [UN-HABITAT].

Sri Lanka: training on Permanent Housing For Tsunami Affected Communities. Facilitation of workshop on viable and sustainable permanent housing processes relevant to Sri Lanka to foster common understanding amongst Development Partners on a people-centred approach to resettlement and housing of families affected by the tsunami [UN-HABITAT].

2004

Jamaica: consultancy, in collaboration with DPU students; Parade Gardens: An Alternative to the National Housing Trust Proposal; urban upgrading and provision of housing for two low income communities in Central Kingston/Jamaica [National Housing Trust].

United Kingdom: consultancy in collaboration with Bohn & Viljoen Architects; Thames Gateway: A proposal for implementing Continuous Productive Urban Landscapes (CPULs); typological study of Daggenham/East London [Greater London Authority].

Russia: competition; Shrinking Cities - Reinventing Urbanism; strategic ideas towards urban regeneration and poverty alleviation for Ivanovo/Russia.

2003

Sri Lanka:Urban Heritage in Transformation; community based urban conservation of the World Heritage Site Galle/ Sri Lanka (MSc thesis project).

1999-2000

India: research; The Indian City between Tradition, Change and Destruction: Rehabilitation of the Old City of Jamnagar, Gujarat.

1999

Yemen: research; Traditional Clay Architecture in the Yemen; vernacular architecture in arid climate on the Arabian peninsula, urban rehabilitation projects in Sana und Shibam/Yemen.

1997

Syria: consultancy; Analysis of Bab Quenesreen quarter in Aleppo and feasibility study for Bimaristan Arghoni in the context of the rehabilitation of the walled town of Aleppo [Architectural Department at University Aleppo; Office for the Rehabilitation of the Old City of Aleppo - GTZ].

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