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JLutta

Jacob Lutta

College of Engineering and Technology

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

Biography

Jacob Lutta holds a PhD in Architecture from KU Leuven. His research interests are interior design, urban development, urban design, and space transformation in informal settlements. Since 2013, he has taught interior design and architectural courses at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 

Research Interest

My research interests lie at the intersection of interior design, architecture, and urban collective spaces, focusing on how spatial design influences social interactions, cultural expression, and sustainability within informal urban environments. I am particularly interested in exploring the role of interiors, public and semi-public interiors, such as community spaces, co-working spaces, and streets in shaping inclusive, adaptable, and contextually responsive urban experiences.

 

With rapid urbanization in developing cities and evolving societal needs, I aim to investigate how interior and architectural strategies can enhance the functionality and aesthetic quality of collective spaces while fostering a sense of identity and belonging. This includes examining materiality, spatial configurations, and user behaviour in diverse informal urban settings. Furthermore, I am keen on integrating sustainable design principles to create spaces that serve immediate communal needs and contribute to the long-term resilience of cities.

 

By bridging the disciplines of interior design, architecture, and urban studies, my research aspires to contribute to the discourse on human-centeredness in informal urban environments, ensuring that collective spaces remain dynamic, accessible, and culturally significant in developing cities.

Contacts

Email:

Projects

  • Proposed provision of front desk designing and technical assistance in the preparation of furniture requirements and their respective specifications at e-Gav Dar es Salaam zonal offices and Dodom Headquarters. The project was done through BICO (2018)
  • Proposed Rehabilitation of Prof. Mukandala's Office at REDET building at the University of Dar es Salaam (2017)

     

Publications

  • Lutta, J., & Schoonjans. (Accepted for publication) Uncovering Informal Urbanisation Process in the City of Dar es Salaam: Tracing from the Colonial Regime, by Planning Perspectives Journal, Tylor and Francis.
  • Lutta, J., & Schoonjans, Y. (2024). Growth of Urban Forms in Informal Settlements: A Study of Streetscapes in Mlalakuwa Neighborhood, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. https://doi.org/10.32350/jaabe.72.05  : https://journals.umt.edu.pk/index.php/jaabe
  • Lutta, J., & Schoonjans, Y. (2024). Streetscapes as Collective Spaces in Informal Settlements in Dar es Salaam. IN_BO. Research and Projects for Territory, City and Architecture15 (7s), 62–75. https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2036-1602/20408
  • Lutta, J. (2024). Exploring the Transformation of Sustainable Collective Spaces: A Study from Mlalakuwa Informal Settlement. Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology43(2), 204 - 222. https://doi.org/10.52339/tjet.v43i2.1019
  • Lutta, J. (2024). Introducing the Impact of the Rapid Change of Collective Spaces: Case of Mlalakuwa Informal Settlement in Kinondoni-Dar es Salaam. African Journal on Land Policy and Geospatial Sciences, 7(4), 915–932. https://doi.org/10.48346/IMIST.PRSM/ajlp-gs.v7i4.48009 (Original work published October 1, 2024)