Unique cities’ natural elements are a fundamental component of the urban fabric, as they help to shape urban identity. Urban identity contributes to the creation of a sense of place and belongingness among residents and eventually enhances both the quality and vitality of urban spaces. However, there has been limited scholarly focus on the sustainability of the unique natural elements that define a city’s identity. Existing studies suggest that urbanisation processes are significantly altering the urban landscape by transforming its dominant natural elements, which erodes their identity and meanings. This study assesses the impact of urbanisation on the urban identity of Mwanza City in Tanzania. Data were collected from 33 respondents, urban planning officer, urban developers and local elders from Mwanza City. The questionnaires, in-depth interviews, field observations, and documentary reviews were the data collection methods used in this study. Respondents were selected using a non-probability sampling approach, where the convenience sampling technique and the purposeful sampling technique were used. The findings indicate that the respondents perceive that Mwanza City is well represented by its rocky landscape and that it is the most significant symbol of Mwanza City’s urban identity within the spatial identities of the Tanzanian cities. Also, the findings reveal that the rocky landscape is associated with certain significance physically, socially, and culturally within the city’s urban context. In addition, the results show that urbanisation is transforming the rocky landscape of Mwanza City through rock clearance to get building sites, quarrying for building materials, and building on top of rocky outcrops, thereby changing the nature of the landscape. Moreover, the findings indicate that the existing urban planning frameworks are inadequate in protecting the rocky landscape of Mwanza City. Therefore, it can be concluded that rapid urbanisation in Mwanza City is causing substantial transformation to the rocky landscape due to the ineffective spatial planning interventions. Thus, there is a need for Mwanza City authorities to establish strategies to protect and preserve unique natural elements for the sustainability of Mwanza City’s urban identity.
References
[1]
Anastasiou, D., Tasopoulou, A., Gemenetzi, G., Gareiou, Z., & Zervas, E. (2022). Public’s Perceptions of Urban Identity of Thessaloniki, Greece. UrbanDesignInternational,27, 18-42. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41289-021-00172-8
[2]
Askarizad, R., & He, J. (2022). Perception of Spatial Legibility and Its Association with Human Mobility Patterns: An Empirical Assessment of the Historical Districts in Rasht, Iran. InternationalJournalofEnvironmentalResearchandPublicHealth,19, Article 15258. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215258
[3]
Bernardo, F., Almeida, J., & Martins, C. (2016). Urban Identity and Tourism: Different Looks, One Single Place. ProceedingsoftheInstitutionofCivilEngineers—UrbanDesignandPlanning,170, 205-216. https://doi.org/10.1680/jurdp.15.00036
[4]
Beyhan, Ş. G., & Çelebi Gürkan, Ü. (2015). Analyzing the Relationship between Urban Identity and Urban Transformation Implementations in Historical Process: The Case of Isparta. InternationalJournalofArchitecturalResearch:ArchNet-IJAR,9, 158-180. https://doi.org/10.26687/archnet-ijar.v9i1.521
[5]
BMG Media (2024). Jiji la Mwanza laendeleakutekelezaMpangoKabambewa Maendeleo. BMG Media.
[6]
Boussaa, D. (2018). Urban Regeneration and the Search for Identity in Historic Cities. Sustainability,10, Article 48. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10010048
[7]
Danesh Sedigh, M. A., & Goodarzparvari, P. (2018). Analysis of the Role of Urban Elements in Urban Identity (Case study: Rasht City). Journal of Innovative Research in Engineering Sciences, 4, 87.
[8]
Dassen, T., Bijlsma, L., Pols, L., van Rijn, F., & van Schie, M. (2017). The New Urban Agenda: Opportunities for Inclusive and Green Urbanisation. PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency.
[9]
Guo, S., Jang, K. M., Duarte, F., Kang, Y., & Ratti, C. (2025). Urban Visual Uniqueness: A Landmark-Free Framework to Quantify City’s Identity and Distinctiveness from Everyday Scenes. Computers,EnvironmentandUrbanSystems,122, Article ID: 102351. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2025.102351
[10]
Guzman, P., Pereira Roders, A., & Colenbrander, B. (2018). Impacts of Common Urban Development Factors on Cultural Conservation in World Heritage Cities: An Indicators-Based Analysis. Sustainability,10, Article 853. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030853
[11]
Kaganga, L. S. (2023). Data on Land Use Land Cover Changes of Urban and Peri-Urban Areas: The Case of Mwanza City in Tanzania. CurrentUrbanStudies,11, 604-618. https://doi.org/10.4236/cus.2023.114031
[12]
Kaymaz, I. (2013). Urban Landscapes and Identity. In I. M. Özyavuz (Ed.), AdvancesinLandscapeArchitecture (pp. 739-760). InTech. https://doi.org/10.5772/55754
[13]
Lehmann, S. (2020). The Unplanned City: Public Space and the Spatial Character of Urban Informality. Emerald Open Research, 1. https://doi.org/10.35241/emeraldopenres.13580.1
[14]
Liombo, E. J. (2012). Effects of Urban Morphological Transformation on Legibility of the City of Dares-Salaam, Tanzania: Case of Kariakoo Area. Master’s Thesis, University of Dar es Salaam.
[15]
Lynch, K. (1960). The Image of the City. The Massachusets Institute of Science and Technology Press.
[16]
Mankuri, D. P. A., & Dönmez, Y. (2022). Assessment of Urban Identity and Its Components: A Case Study of Erbil. BartınOrmanFakültesiDergisi,24, 157-176. https://doi.org/10.24011/barofd.955905
[17]
Mansour, H. M., Alves, F. B., & da Costa, A. R. (2023). A Comprehensive Methodological Approach for the Assessment of Urban Identity. Sustainability,15, Article 13350. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813350
[18]
Mwanza City Council Report (MCCR) (2017). Mwanza City Council, Socio-Economic Profile, 2016. United Republic of Tanzania.
[19]
Nursanty, E., Rusmiatmoko, D., & Widiantara, I. W. A. (2024). Shaping City Identity: The Role of Built Environment Quality. E3SWebofConferences,533, Article ID: 04028. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202453304028
[20]
Oktay, D., & Alkan Bala, H. (2015). A Holistic Research Approach to Measuring Urban Identity: Findings from Kyrenia Area Study. InternationalJournalofArchitecturalResearch:ArchNet-IJAR,9, 201-215. https://doi.org/10.26687/archnet-ijar.v9i2.687
[21]
Penko Seidl, N., Šmid Hribar, M., Hudoklin, J., Pipan, T., & Golobič, M. (2021). Defining Landscapes, and Their Importance for National Identity—A Case Study from Slovenia. Sustainability,13, Article 6475. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116475
[22]
Qazimi, S. (2014). Sense of Place and Place Identity. EuropeanJournalofSocialSciencesEducationandResearch,1, 306-310. https://doi.org/10.26417/ejser.v1i1.p306-310
[23]
Relph, E. (1976). Place and Placelessness. Academic Press.
[24]
Shao, Y., & Liu, B. (2016). Losing of Local Identity in Rapid Developing China. In Proceedings of the 2nd Annual International Conference on Social Science and Contemporary Humanity Development (pp. 63-168). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/sschd-16.2016.32
[25]
Shao, Y., Lange, E., & Thwaites, K. (2017). Defining Local Identity. Landscape Architecture Frontiers, 5, 24-41.
[26]
Surchi, Z., & Nafa, H. (2021). Appraisal of Place Identity through Tangible Elements of Cultural Features in Erbil City. CivilEngineeringandArchitecture,9, 2528-2541. https://doi.org/10.13189/cea.2021.090736
[27]
Ujang, N. (2012). Place Attachment and Continuity of Urban Place Identity. Procedia—SocialandBehavioralSciences,49, 156-167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.07.014
[28]
Umar, F., Winarso, H., & Kustiwan, I. (2024). Urban Identity and Planning: Conceptual Study on Identity of Urban, Identity in Urban, and Identity for Urban. Spatium,No. 51, 11-20. https://doi.org/10.2298/spat230828002u
[29]
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024. United Nations. https://population.un.org/wpp/
[30]
United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) (2023). Voluntary Local Review: City of Mwanza. A Review of the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Mwanza City Council. https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2023/06/mwanza_2023_en.pdf
[31]
United Republic of Tanzania, President’s Office—Regional Administration and Local Government (2022). Strategic Plan 2021/22-2025/26. Mwanza City Council.
[32]
Wan Mohd Rani, W. N. M. (2016). Evaluating Natural Elements Potentialin Urban Land-Scape(MRSS1123—SustainableUrbanLandscapeDesign).
[33]
Wasonga, G., Naliaka, R., & Schulz, B. (2022). JustCityinAfrica. The Transformative Value of Urbanisation. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Kenya Office, Nairobi, Kenya. https://kenya.fes.de/
[34]
Yaldız, E., Aydın, D., & Sıramkaya, S. B. (2014). Loss of City Identities in the Process of Change: The City of Konya-Turkey. Procedia—SocialandBehavioralSciences,140, 221-233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.04.413
