A few months ago, a Senior Nairobi County Government official stated that ‘Bus Rapid Transit cannot work because of the current population of the city.’ The statement drew a lot of attention and debate among the urban planning and design community in the city. Coincidentally, it was made around the same time that the Nairobi […]
Can Creative Methods set the tone for Urban Planning?
The recent past has witnessed a mass influx of mega-projects in several African cities. Evidence of these are the by-passes, light rail services, mass housing schemes and highways coming up. The projects are mainly funded by foreign ‘development partners’ via loans or grants. However, it is clear that during this time there has been minimal […]
Interview: The State of Urban Planning in Nairobi
NTV Kenya’s Victoria Rubadiri conducts an interview on ‘The State of Urban Planning in Nairobi.’ The interview appeared live on NTV Kenya on the 16th of January 2018
Creating vibrant urban communities in large cities: Kilimani Project Foundation
In the last decade, the pace of urbanization, especially in Africa and Asia, has been rapid. It is predicted that by 2050 about 64% of the developing world and 86% of the developed world will be urbanized. That is equivalent to approximately 3 billion urbanites by 2050. In many fast-growing cities in Africa, what constitutes an urban […]
Placemaking Week: Can Nairobi create “Places’ out of ‘Spaces’?
Over 30 community groups and professional organizations came together from the 15th to 19th of November 2017 for the second consecutive year to organize what is now the annual “Nairobi Placemaking Week. Although the term “placemaking is still strange to the ordinary city resident, there is nevertheless a deep appreciation and understanding among citizens of the […]
Nairobi City: Moving Backwards in Mobility and Access?
The City of Nairobi is believed to experience some of the longest personal travel time periods globally. This situation applies regardless of the means used; public, private or non motorized. The result is perennial delays in public and personal schedules, time wastage in transit, human stress and occasional accidents as road users try to force […]
NTV Kenya Documentary on Nairobi Transport
‘How powerful cartels ruined Nairobi’s transport sector’ A very good Documentary produced by NTV -Kenya. It gives an in depth analysis of Nairobi’s Transportation, explaining its transformation from a well organized public system to a paratransit.
Upper Hill, Nairobi: Growing as Africa’s Financial Capital!
Nairobis Upper Hill District is a slightly elevated highland area in Nairobi that borders the hot and dry Kapiti plains. In the early 20th Century, it was established as a serene residential area, then known as “The Hill area, for senior railway staff. As the city has grown and expanded, Upper Hill has gradually transformed […]
African Cities, Please Change the Narrative on Non Motorized Transit!
Non Motorized Transport means have gradually gained popularity in several of the world cities. In countries like the Netherlands, modes such as cycling are a way of life. In other cities such as Bogota, pedestrianization of streets has been promoted as a means of improving mobility and retail business. The promotion of Non Motorized Transport […]
Likoni Cable Express Line: Transforming Coastal Mobility
The recent announcement of the proposed launch of the Likoni Cable Line Express comes at a critical time when mobility at the coast is in dire need of a transformation as well as an upgrade. Continuous urban sprawl at the coast coupled with increased population and a projected busier port has created further demand for […]
