BUILDesign Magazine Issue 008 by BUILDesign Magazine

Issue No. 003/2014 |Ksh. 300 | Tsh. 5600 | Ush. 8600

REVIEWING ARCHITECTURE IN KENYA AND THE REGION

Building Reviews: Boma Hotel Nairobi and Red Pepper House Profiles: Vetle Jorgensen and Prof. Alfred Omenya Feature: Building owners must now install solar water heaters www.buildesign.co.ke

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

CONTENTS Issue 002/2014

FEATURES

28 08

MAIN FEATURE

ARCHITECTURAL MEMOIRS

FEATURED PROJECT

FEATURED ARCHITECT

ADVERTORIAL

Demonstration of how time and client can influence design to birth exclusivity.

Tales of global adventure and appreciation of arts.

Redefinition of architectural basics - Red Pepper house Hotel.

Meet Professor Omenya, the urbanization enthusiast .

Singing in the rain.

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

EDITORIAL

Editor: Martin Tairo tairo@architecturekenya.com Editorial Wendy Kinya Assistant: wendy@architecturekenya.com Marketing Felister Mugambi Executive: felister@architecturekenya.com Layout Lawrence Odawa Design: odacitysolutions@gmail.com Photography Maridad lea.kilenga@gmail.com Advertising:

(+254) 722 387 110 (+254) 720 650 898 (+254) 725 075 993

Publisher: Architecture Kenya Media Ltd Suite 16, 5th floor, Vision Plaza P.O.Box. 60540-00200, Nairobi info@architecturekenya.com Copyright:

Architecture Kenya Media Ltd

DISCLAIMER No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form or stored on a retrieval system without the permission of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors that may appear or for any consequences of using the information contained herein.

orgensen, Vetle Wesnaes is one of Kenyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

excelled in the profession and contributed

exceeds 100 litres per day to install solar water

renown architects. He is also one of the

immensely through his various research works.

heaters. We have reviewed these regulations in

oldest having practiced in Kenya since

On buildings feature, we have reviewed two

detail.

1972. Our interactions revealed a man who

great hospitality projects, completely different

We have also carried many other interesting

is not shy to give his opinion, and a near

in all aspects but sharing a lot in terms of design

features on slum upgrading and informative

perfectionist. He knows exactly what he wants

ingenuity and innovativeness. One of the

write-ups from some of our partners on their

and you would have to give it to him. In this

projects, the Red Pepper House Hotel, recently

products and services.

issue of the BUILDesign magazine, we are

won an award as the best hospitality industry

We welcome you to be our guest and endeavour

privileged to run his architectural memoirs;

project during the AAK Awards of Excellence.

to provide you with the most useful information

detailing his journey from childhood to the

We also spoke to an engineer regarding the

on architecture and construction in Kenya.

architect he is today.

solar water heating regulations recently put in

We have also featured an accomplished

place. These regulations compel all building

architect, Prof. Alfred Omenya, who has

owners whose consumption of hot water

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

LETTERS

Dear Editor,

I have been sifting through numbers of late.

I recently visited the University of Nairobi -

Architecture is becoming very scary. I am

Italy has a shockingly high percentage of

Kenya Science Campus, formerly the Kenya

currently detailing body trays and cadaver

architects in its population: for every 414

Science Teachers College, along Ngong Road.

storage facilities in a morgue. I have received

Italians, one is an architect. Portugal, Denmark,

The campus is a masterpiece as a composition

this brochure from a supplier and have realized

Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Greece all have

as well as each building individually. The

that they classify bodies into three varieties;

ratios of less than 1,000 to one. Of course,

placement of different buildings and open

normal size, semi obese and obese. I am just

there are plenty of other ‘architect-heavy’

spaces of different scales and the alternation

wondering, what on earth don’t architects

places not mentioned like Chile, a country

of soft and hard landscaping, the play of levels

know?

that – according to its latest census - has one

in different areas and the choice of materials

architect per 667 inhabitants, and Mexico

is nothing but meticulous. This puts to shame

which has about 724 inhabitants per architect.

all the university and college campuses under

On the other end of the spectrum, China has

construction now. The architects of these

only one architect for every 40,000 persons.

new projects really need to learn from this

The official BORAQS list of registered architects

institution.

Austin Ayara

stands at 1,062 against a population of about 41 million. That’s one architect in every 41,000

Arch. Kyaka Kyalo.

Kenyans. Wes Gideyi.

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

THE BOMA Nairobi

Location

CONSULTANTS Architects – Morphosis Ltd Quantity Surveyors – North Wind Consulting Limited Electrical/ Mechanical Engineers – Serv Consult Structural & Civil Engineers – Metrixs Consultants Interior Design – Studio 62 Limited Financial Consultant – Oryxwealth Investment 8

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

trategically located half way between Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Wilson Airport, Boma Hotel

Nairobi is a master piece of its kind, with an intricate design that not only depicts architectural acumen but also a humane expression strongly attached to the people of Kenya in context to the state of the nation during the conceptual stages of the project. The building sits beside KRCS head office along Red Cross road off Popo and Mombasa roads in South C. This

Design client (KRCS) wanted a 150 room five star

the political differences in the country at

together in the open around a fire place.

hotel with modern facilities. This is part of

the time. On another side, it is a mimic

This

the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expansion plan of their

of the coastal theme also representing

architectural acumen and a humane

business establishment after Red Court

a clash of elements in coastal regions -

expression that brought several factors

hotel and Boma Inn, Eldoret. With such a

water, rocks, sand, vegetation, cultures,

into consideration, among them two

generic brief, the architect was left with a

colors and birth of civilization. All eating

major; first the architect had to put into

good problem to explore the details and

areas (with the exception of the bistro)

account the timing, which was towards

create a timeless edifice.

are open to sky - the two atria and main

the end of post election violence and

project was commissioned to Morphosis Ltd as a winning entry at the tail end of the Post Election Violence in early 2008. The

he design of Boma hotel is lathed

restaurant. This is the concept behind the

in a multiplicity of meanings. On

name â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bomaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which means an African

one part, it is a representation of

homestead where people sat and ate design

combination

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

Main Feature second was the client, Kenya Red Cross

other community, ideology, belief system

in the following ways. The wing close

Society, which was arguably the only or

hence the deeper you focus on the other,

to the road is designed like a ship. It is

among the few trusted organizations in

the more you see a reflection of yourself.

surrounded by 'rivers' which drain their

public service at the time. This project

Of note is that Kenya needed to do lots

water in the two 'oceans' one at the entry

would never have taken the form it did

of self introspection. We needed to focus

and the other near the restaurant. One

without this particular mix of client and

within ourselves, looking at other Kenyans

'ocean' is loud blue and crisp, with the

timing.

who, much as we may think of them as

water fall designed as a sheet of glass, the

The building has three main wings,

different than us, are the best reflection of

other â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;oceanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is calm, rustic and quiet. The

each with two sides and all the sides are

ourselves.

colors of the building are ocean blue for

different with an atrium at the intersection

The atrium at the intersection of all these

the glass and pale creamy for the marble

of the different forms. This is symbolic

forms is the eye of the storm, in this

which is the color of beach sand. The main

to the different political affiliations,

case the Red Cross, which was the one

restaurant mimics a coconut plantation

ideologies, parties and preferred leaders

organization accepted and trusted by all

complete with young and mature palms

that caused a tribal clash among different

during the PEV experience. It was idealized

formed by the columns. The 'Makuti' is

communities hence the country itself in

in the circle. It has a transparent roof to

symbolized by the roof structure. The art

a storm. The Red Cross was then the one

bathe in 'heavenly' light, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where all

in stained glass reinforces this.

single unit that had a sense of stability

other forms meet in perfect harmony. The

Planning of this building was very

offering relief and peace interventions to

symbolism here is that we all as Kenyans

complex because it had to respond to

the people. This concept is well expressed

must maintain our unique individuality

various site factors. The building was on

in the various forms of the Boma hotel

but can come together harmoniously

a flat site with no interesting highlights

such that, when in one wing, your views

inspired by one philosophy and unity of

but the architect intended for the spatial

are directed to another wing within the

purpose and a sense of nationhood. This

experience to be rich in levels, internal

building and through that, you see a

individuality and uniqueness is clearly

views, scale, textures, light intensities

beautiful reflection of the wing you are in

expressed in the different forms hence

and meaning. He achieved this by use of

from the facing facade. In this case, the

maintained deliberately.

interesting design features to create wide

beauty of the other wing would mean the

The Coastal theme was pushed further

internal views and levels that stimulate

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

Main Feature

SITE PLAN |

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

Main Feature

introspection and adventure. Also from the rooms, one can have a pleasant over view of Wilson Airport and the Ngong Hills at a distance. Another factor was heights of the different wings; despite their different forms, all the wings had to create a balanced tone in height as well as give a similar appearance to that of the luring buildings in the neighborhood. Technology was another factor and the biggest challenge. It was not a simple form (as the art of peace making is never quite as simple as it may seem). The team of consultants made several computer

simulations

and

physical

models on specific details of the building in trying to understand its practicality and functionality. For instance, the steel contractor made a model of the dome for the great atrium, large enough for 7 people to stand inside. But construction methods are still not fully computerized which made it a bit challenging but it was actualized. Sustainability was the other

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

Main Feature

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Main Feature

A view of the atrium surrounded by rooms

factor; the architect applied north south

The complete project has a capacity of

There are two executive meetings rooms

orientation to cut off direct sunlight into

148 rooms with a presidential suite on

available and a main conference centre.

the building during the day. The building

the top floor.The contemporary deluxe

Construction

also maximizes on natural lighting on all

facility also has a fully fledged Spa, a gym

completed in the year 2012 and the hotel

the open places e.g. restaurants. The large

and a dedicated aerobics studio, a pool,

officially inaugurated in January 2013.

glass windows also ensure that the rooms

two main restaurants, two bars, a coffee

The estimated cost was 1.6 billion.

are well aerated all through.

lounge and an executive club lounge.

Though the names Red Cross, business

HF Fire International (K) Ltd

this

project

we are a leading System integrator in the Field of "Life Safety and Security Systems" l Fire Detection & Evacuation System l BMS System l Fire Suppression System;- FM200, CO2, WET CHEMICAL & FOAM SYSTEM l Baggage scanners l Portable Explosive Detectors l Gate Systems l UVSS l CCTV l Integrated Access Control & Security Systems

WE ARE PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE BOMA HOTEL, NAIROBI.

Contact us for more Information; 308 Apple Wood Park. Off Wood Avenue, Kilimani Area, Nairobi. P.O. Box 73825-00200, Nairobi, Kenya. Tel: 0202419197, 0737702072, 0775082292, 0705321211

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

Email: hffirenai@wnanachi.com

was

Main Feature

Palm tree concept in the main restaurant

and hotels are not always considered compatible in the same sentence, the Red Cross Society of Kenya has changed that and all profits from the hotel operations are dedicated to the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s humanitarian and emergency services programmes. Evidently, the hospitality industry proves to be a perfect complementary to KRCS humanitarian work.

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

ARCHITECTURAL MEMOIRS By Vetle Jorgensen

The ‘’Grand Canyon ‘’ walls of the Lakeview Birdwing Plan House

orn 1933, the year when modernistic

buildings, row houses, individual residences

State Broadcasting House with its projecting

architecture was killed off in one of the

and factory buildings. We never talked about

concert hall and administration wing with the

most important countries for modern

architecture at home, but from 10 years of

long gallery windows (1937-1945).

architecture, Germany, but I have despite this

age I came to the construction sites. It was

had a lifelong love for the white buildings

however during WW II and the first years

It was not clear that I would like to be an

with flat roofs and horizontal windows and

after, and because of material restrictions it

architect. Unrelated to the fact that my

furniture of chromium plated steel pipes

was traditional building methods of bricks and

Danish grandfather had been around the

with rounded corners, and of course Piet

wood, not concrete and steel that dominated.

world and came home as first mate on a

Mondrian paintings (1920-1940).

Denmark had or has much fine architecture,

foreign ship and my Norwegian grandfather

the maybe finest castle in North Europe,

had been captain on ships going to England, I

Both my parents were architects, the mother

Kronborg Castle of Shakespeare’s

Hamlet

wanted to be a sailor and even still have the

from Norway and the father from Denmark.

fame built in Dutch renaissance in Elsinore

written proof, that I was betting with a friend

From the early 1930s they had private

north of Copenhagen and in Copenhagen one

that I would be a captain within 10 years. I

practice, with main projects such as apartment

of the finest modern buildings I have seen, the

wanted to be a missionary, not in religion but Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

ARCHITECTURAL MEMOIRS

The architect in front of one of his Colorgraphics paintings

in environmental topics, such as not spoiling

building not having been destroyed during

was hard for us to be admitted, but it would

and killing living parts of nature from trees

the war and le Corbusier’s the Swiss Pavilion

be still harder (if ever) to pass the school.

and flowers to animals. And of course as the

in the Cité Universitaire, Paris, and later his

Later when I was teaching in USA I was told

‘’real’’ missionaries, I had to start in Polynesia

Marseille building now near completion. The

that the architect school in Copenhagen was

and for that reason I had to be a sailor !

next year, 1952, it was to Italy where I saw

considered the hardest in the world. (We had

I became a ships boy 15 years old (for 13

‘’everything’’ from the Milano Cathedral and

36-hour tests without leaving the school,

months) with my father asking if I would

the tilting tower in Pisa to the ultra modern

doing outside surveys in frost and snow and

not rather be a naval architect. Anyway, in

central railway station in Rome and of course

water colour work outside in the rain for

Portugal I got a letter in which he said, that,

the famous Greek temples and theatres in

preparing us for the real work).

if I come to Marseille, I had to see the big

Sicily and South Italy.

building by an architect called le Corbusier

We were told that the British were the best in

! That was in 1949 with the building having

Before attending the architect school I

prefabricated schools and in town planning

reached 13th floor. Up in the building on

had already for myself designed a factory

but residential design had been stressed in

one of the raw walls there was a wall sized

with assembly lines and staff showers, a

Denmark from before WW II. After the war to

modern painting. Obviously by le Corbusier

prefabricated room module to be installed

speed up the building of individual residences

who was as much an artist as an architect.

or taken out from huge concrete skeletons, a

the government would give fine, low-interest

This painting must now have disappeared in

small steel house lifted up one floor on steel

loans. The drawings submitted were by the

the finishing and seems not to be described

columns and with outside walls of primary

government architects considered no good

in the literature on the building. On the same

coloured porcelain-enameled steel plates and

and 400 of them were given to our National

travel I also came to Pompei.

a motor boat with toilet room at the far rear

Building Research Institute for investigation

to go to Polynesia made from a new British

of what was wrong, but here they were

Two years later, 1951, hitchhiking through

salt water resistant aluminium alloy.

(I also

busy with the new building designs such as

West Europe I had as the red thread the gothic

made toy cars for sale with tail fin as on the

ground levels without basements, roof slopes

cathedrals (Cologne, Paris Notre Dame,

Czechoslovakian Tatra car in the 1930s).

less than 45 degrees, standard windows, etc.

Reims, Amiens and in England, the year of

I was admitted to the Architect School at the

They, then brought the 400 sets of drawings

Festival of Britain, Canterbury Cathedral) but

Royal Academy of the Fine Arts (founded

to the architect school having the second year

I also came into buildings as different as the

1754) Copenhagen, September 1953. At the

reserved for single family house design. It

Volkswagen factory with the 1.3 km long main

introductions one of the professors said that it

was just the year when I went to that class

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

ARCHITECTURAL MEMOIRS and as we were 40, each of us got 10 sets of drawings. The conclusion was that most of the plans could be put in one of 6 plan principles with most made worse than they needed to be. After that, the government required furniture plans for all residential projects for which public support was applied for. We had to have practical construction site training 8 months divided up into two 4 months summer vacations either as masons, carpenters or cabinet makers. I selected to be a mason apprentice which now has the advantage that on a site meeting I can tell a main contractor that this and that is not difficult at all ! In the following vacations I continued my studies of architecture around in Europe. One travel was mostly to study the famous housing estates in Germany from the 1920s including the Weissenhof exhibition buildings from 1927 with visit upstairs in le Corbusier’s duplex but also in Stuttgart seeing Erich Mendelsohn’s fine department store having changed name from Kaufhaus Schocken to Kaufhaus Merkur. The school had a close relationship to the finest universities in USA and we had lectures by both Buckminster Fuller and Charles Eames. Our own professors and teachers went to the USA and also visited Frank Lloyd Wright. When we should design a small summer house the 38 out of the 40 students designed a small wood house with sloping roof. One designed the house as a little 1950s villa with yellow brick walls without windows and full height windows elsewhere. The roof flat with overhangs. I myself designed an aluminium house with sloping sidewalls continuing over as a slightly curved roof and window walls in each end. Also when we should design kitchen cabinets I differed: The 39 students designed traditional wood cabinets whereas I had borrowed home from an exhibition American white-baked steel cabinets related to the white refrigerators and cookers, and of course I designed my own version of steel cabinets. My first city council submission for buildings work, a renovation with internal drainage

was in 1954, a job I got through another

before the High-Dam inundation, from the

student, a girl, who felt she could not do it.

Danish Secretariat for Developing Countries

My 16 months military service was in the

(now Danida) for studying traditional Arab

Danish Corps of Engineers with site surveys

construction methods in North Africa and

of bridges and where it would have been

Middle East as theoretical preparations for

possible on our chalk cliffs for somebody to

new settlements in Algeria having found oil,

come up with tanks !

and in Egypt considering developing the

Later after finishing the architect school I

Second Valley, and from the Ever’s Foundation

applied for and also received several large

for research into traditional building methods

travel grants. To document what I had done

in South East Asia as preparation for

before I enclosed articles I had already got

reconstructions after the Vietnam War. On all

published in the Danish Arkitekten magazine

the travels I made survey drawings apart from

on sliding windows and sliding doors and

taking photographs. On my own travels I was

on Roman aqueducts in Italy and France. I

seeking out modern architecture wherever I

received money from Larsen’s Foundation

came to, but it was first on a late travel 1998

for studying Egyptian temple pylons in Nubia

that I finally came into the Rietveld-Schröder Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

ARCHITECTURAL MEMOIRS been involved in several of these ‘’satellites’’ ! For fashion design I had a tailor employed. It is good to have a background both in private and public employments doing architectural design. My own public employments include Greenland

Technical

Organization

with

travels in Greenland,(Schools and housing) United Nations in Western Samoa (South Pacific), Alaska State Housing Authority with travels to the remote parts of Alaska and Danida for Ministry of Works in Kenya (Prisons

staff college, etc ). Shorter UN

consultancies would bring me to Somalia, Ethiopia,

Comores

and

Uganda.

Other

work or research related travels would be to Djibouti, Rwanda, Congo (Zaire), Tanzania and Burundi. Private clients considering ordering building materials to Kenya from abroad took me to West Europe, Dubai and China. Work in private employment would in Denmark include factories, cold storage and housing of different kinds. In USA airport expansions, schools and department stores. Work in self- employment in Europe, America and Africa would include schools, hospital departments research institutes, museum departments, hotel wings, churches, factories, shops and showrooms and a big variety of residential jobs. All together big fun and with a fine variety of clients: Africans, Indians, Europeans including Americans and other and of all backgrounds. House, Villa Savoye and Fallingwater House.

the local building research institutes and in

With a client, in Spain I saw Gaudi’s work

the towns can be found interested architects

Teaching has included lectures, but sitting

and came into the reconstructed German

with good information on the advantages of

with the individual students in the design

Barcelona Pavilion. I checked perfectionism

traditional building methods and that is true

studios

in the toilet rooms in the Seagram Building.

from Sweden to Thailand ! My first tropical

lecture on Roman aqueducts was given to

design is for the Aiavao House in Western

engineering students in Denmark. In USA

My special interest for building in extreme

Samoa. Architecture is a broad field with

I was a Visiting Lecturer 1969-71 at the

climates

(and areas with natural disaster

many related side fields employing architects.

University of Washington in Seattle. Several

risks) may also help for good design in

The centre in this architectural ‘’solar system’’

of my students got something special out of

temperate climates. For example, better

is of course building design but with satellites

it. One got an award from the Smithsonian

entrance conditions in cool climates may be

such as building research, town planning, site

for low cost furniture. Another part time

learnt from the arctic and more pleasing living

supervision, teaching, building department’s

paid employment and travel to Canada

rooms and bedrooms in mild climates may

work,

design,

on arctic research, a third a travel to South

be learnt from the hot deserts and the humid

landscaping, industrial design, furniture and

Pacific, a fourth publicity on a house type

tropics. The study of traditional indigenous

lamp design, graphics design and fashion

for West Africa, a fifth newspaper publicity

housing which still can be seen in remote

design. I feel stronger or maybe more happy

on his involvement in my coastal aquarium

villages and small towns is important. Also in

because circumstances have done that I have

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

archeology,

interior

has

been

especially

joyful.

ARCHITECTURAL MEMOIRS proposal, etc . In Kenya at the University of

outside

Denmark

Nairobi I have given a couple of lectures

registration

USA

designed to follow a sloping mountain

and 2013-14 been sitting with the last year

registrations in the States of Washington and

ridge on the side of Godthaab/Nuuk, the

architect students discussing their mostly very

Alaska and the NCARB (National Council of

capital of Greenland, but because of the

fine projects.

Architectural Registration Board) certification,

short construction season replaced with

where

not

architectural

required:

storey Quaqssunguaq apartment building

Washington DC, which helped me to be

the huge 6 storey Block P on flat land, the

Meeting the famous architects is definitely

registered in Australia, a requirement for

largest building in the arctic, mentioned a

a joy : Le Corbusier when I was only 17 to

submitting a proposal for the competition for

couple of times in the National Geographic

get his personal permission to come into the

their new parliament building in Canberra.

Magazine. The volunteered proposal for the

Marseille building being in the finishing stages

In East Africa registrations in Kenya, Tanzania

Seattle Coastal Public Viewing and Research

and closed for all visitors, Ralph Erskine, who

and Uganda and also in United Kingdom.

Aquarium published in The Architect (Kenya)

was considered the finest architect for arctic

4th quarter, 2008, and the Hill Plaza office

work and who the AIA in Alaska asked me to

Several of my projects have been on

building, Nairobi, designed in subcontract

take care of one afternoon, Hassan Fathy who

exhibitions in Denmark, Kenya, USA and

for George Vamos. Of church projects,

understood better than anybody else

how

England. Residential jobs have got awards in

the Kariokor Methodist Church, Nairobi is

to build in the hot deserts and who invited

Europe, America and Africa: The Fingerplan

important for me, and as a letter to the editor

me for dinner in his classical town house in

House,

in a local newspaper wrote ‘’… it is unique’’

Cairo, and the two most famous architects

City Council award, the H-Plan House

! But also my proposal for a Rift Valley

in Denmark: Arne Jacobsen with his St.

for the Eskimo population in Alaska, got a

Visitors’ Centre.

Catherine’s College in Oxford, England, who I

HUD (Department of Housing and Urban

the radiotherapy building at the Nairobi

called on behalf of an architect in Switzerland

Development) award, Washington DC, USA

Hospital, was of course demolished when

and Jørn Utzon with the Sydney Opera House

and the Lakeview Birdwing Plan House,

new architects did not even try to fit it into

and who allowed me to study from outside

Nairobi got an award by the Architectural

some new development. But such has also

his own house , the first house in Denmark

Association of Kenya. Publicity was received

happened for the greatest architects !

with a full height window wall.

through articles, reports, interviews and radio.

Other famous people met would be: Colonel

The architectural projects , built or not built,

awards are respectively for the Parliament

Joe Fletcher who discovered T-3, Fletcher’s

having had most influence in my mind as an

House, Canberra, Australia and for the Grand

Ice Island, the largest ice island in the North

architect whatever made in employment or in

Egyptian Museum, Cairo, Egypt. In both

Pole Basin and who arranged for me to come

own business would include: the snaky 3-4

cases I feel sorry, not for myself, but for the

Elsinore,

Denmark

received

One of my best designs,

Two competition projects for which I got no

up to T-3 for some of my arctic studies and the two maybe most prominent American women: Dixie Lee Ray, marine biologist, Director of Pacific Science Center, Seattle, later Director of the American Atomic Energy Commission and later again Governor of the State of Washington, who supported my proposal for a coastal aquarium, and Margaret Mead , cultural anthropologist, author of ‘’Coming of Age in Samoa’’, who I talked with about my own social housing survey in Western Samoa. In the USA I worked in New York, Alaska and in Seattle 1967 to 1972. Of

professional

memberships

and

architectural registrations I have and have had memberships of the Federation of Danish Architects (MAA/DAL), the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) and registrations

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

ARCHITECTURAL MEMOIRS for cars from Denmark to Sweden ! and on the Radburn principle separating pedestrian paths from streets with motorized traffic. For the Nairobi City Convention 1993, all the maps were made in my office incl. my 1978 Transit map, 1985 and 1987 Pedestrian Street maps and my 1993 Matatu Loop map for the dominating minibuses. Of conferences I have been to, are the international conference for Disaster Area Housing, Istanbul 1977, the international engineering conference held in Arusha, Tanzania 1991 to which I gave a speech on Alleviation of Natural Disasters, later published in Architecture (Kenya), issue 1, people in the two countries not getting some

Kenya the unique Tower Plan House originally

1992, and to the First International High

new unique architecture never seen before

designed for Greenland for allowing drifting

Speed Train conference in Bruxelles, Belgium

! Both were published in the same issue of

snow and melt water to pass underneath but

1992. As well as the Weissenhof exhibition

The Architect mentioned above. In Kenya, I

in Kenya perfect for black cotton soil sites for

had influence on architecture in the western

feel good about the original Makini School

minimizing the foundation system, also the

world I did propose (2012) that Kenya

buildings on sloping land with a staggering

Roof Plan House making a 2-storey house not

should sponsor an international housing

of the classrooms giving one dominant

looking like a bulky box but with the special

estate exhibition also by famous architects

sloping roof surface. Also my plan proposal

interlocking roof system blending nicely into

demonstrating the best residential designs for

for the Djibouti ISERST research center with

the forest site.

the warm-humid tropics.

daylight between the split-up corridor parts

Several other residential houses have got

My hobbies has

and with the research laboratories in a clear

special plans reflecting very special and

camping with real igloo building of hard wind

2- dimensional modular grid on the outsides.

different client requirements. They would

packed snow in the high-mountains above

The principle being that any laboratory

include the 9-9-14 House in Alaska and in

the timber line, total three 3–week travels, but

can be extended outwards in 360 x 90

Kenya the X-Plan House, the Corner Room

I have also been skiing on T-3 Fletcher’s Ice

cm installments with no influence on the

House and the African-European House.

Island near the North Pole and in Greenland.

neighbouring laboratories. A principle I later

Variations over the Fingerplan houses, such

Other hobbies are within geology and

used for the two extensions of the Zoological

as the Accordion Plan House and 2-storey

engineering, such as glacial geology and

Science Building at the National Museum of

Cobweb Plan House and over the Birdwing

glaciology including the special features of

Kenya in Nairobi.

plans such as the 1-storey original Birdwing

huge icebergs; and desert geomorphology

Plan and the Lakeview Birdwing Plan are also

with its escarpments, canyons, plateaus and

Of residential jobs the most important for

important for me. Many of the plans have

mesas and the dune shapes: barchans and seif

me may be the Stepplan House with every

been published in the architectural journal

dunes, and within engineering underground

room on a lower level built in a 240 x 90 x

of Kenya having changed name incl. as Build

railways/metros/subways

40 cm modular grid and which came on the

magazine, Architecture and The Architect.

freeways. The closest to a doctor title would

Y-shaped corridors giving landscaping and

prestigious Charlottenborg exhibition (later

and have included ski

and

motorways/

be my world wide study of classical verandah

also accepting Kariokor Methodist Church

My very best design may be the 1958 Square-

for exhibition ), and the Fingerplan House in

Overlapping-Square Swimming Pool Building

Elsinore also strictly modular in a different

designed for a sloping site, published in the

Of the articles and reports I have written the

way accepting extensions without change

(Kenya

one giving me most satisfaction may be the

in the architectural expression. The H-Plan

1991 issue.

one not describing my own work, the 130

House in Alaska satisfying both the Eskimo

A special interest is transportation and both in

picture cavalcade ‘’Modernism, Streamline

and climatic requirements, built both as a

Europe and in Africa I have published articles

and Modern Art’’ in The Architect (Kenya)

few rammed earth houses and in a 200 unit

and reports on ships and rail transport and

magazine, 4th quarter 2009 with the fine

housing estate of wood studs and plywood. In

on my 1956 proposal for an aerial ropeway

introductory editorial by M.S. Mwacharo.

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

) Architecture, August-September

houses throughout the tropics.

SPECIAL FEATURE

BUILDING OWNERS MUST NOW INSTALL SOLAR WATER HEATERS

n the early eighties, the government

regulatory

realized the significant role renewable

section 4(1) of the Energy Act 2006.

and which have hot water requirements

energy

The ERC was tasked with the responsibility

exceeding 100 litres per day must install

national development and made it a

for economic and technical regulation of

and use solar water heating systems.

policy to promote the development and

electric power, renewable energy and

Simply put, the above requirement affects

utilization of renewable energy resources.

downstream petroleum sub sector.

all developers, especially for residential

In the policy, the government intensified

Currently, the ERC is widely known for

developments

the

technologies

development

can

and

play

utilization

agency

established

under

within the jurisdiction of local authorities

multiple

unitsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

its efforts in controlling the prices of fuel

developments which are the norm in

renewable energy by encouraging and

in Kenya with its monthly review of fuel

the sector mean that every development

promoting private sector initiatives in

prices setting the maximum buying price

will have a much greater hot water

the development and expansion of the

for fuel in the various towns in Kenya.

requirement than the cap of 100 litres per

renewable energy markets.

day. There have however been other efforts

The Government allocated resources

in regulating and controlling the energy

For existing buildings, a five year grace

to complement self-help groups and

sector, especially renewable energy, with

period from the date of effecting the

private sector efforts in rural energy

the coming to force of various regulations

regulations was given to comply.

supplies. In addition, a department of

in 2012, some of which have direct

To enforce this, electric power distributors

renewable energy was established within

impact on the construction sector as it is

and suppliers have been directed not to

the ministry of energy to spearhead the

one of the major consumers of energy.

provide power supply to premises where

renewable energy resources development

The

solar water heating systems have not been

and deployment initiatives.

Regulations which were effected in 2012

installed as per the regulations.

Recent efforts to reinforce the earlier

has some specific requirements which

Consultants in the construction industry,

policies have been made with the

directly affect construction projects, both

specifically architects and engineers, have

establishment of the Energy Regulatory

new and even existing ones.

been directed to ensure that any designs

Commission

The first requirement is for premises

for construction of new buildings

(ERC),

single

sector

Energy

(Solar

Water

Heating)

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

SPECIAL FEATURE and extension or alliteration of existing

Solar collectors

When this temperature difference falls

premises shall incorporate solar water

Solar collectors are specially fabricated

below another set value, the controller

heating systems. The other requirements

panels that are designed to capture the

stops the pumps. Active systems are not

have more to do with the standards and

radiant energy of the sun and transfer the

very common in Kenya and are generally

codes for which the installations must

same to a heating medium (air, water or

required when large water quantities (in

comply. These also require installers to

special fluid) that could be used directly

excess of 1000 litres) are to be heated.

be registered by the ERC as technicians or

as in water heating or could be used to

contractors.

transfer the heat through a heat exchanger

Back-up heater

to the targeted medium. Normally solar

Solar Energy

A back-up, conventional heater may

Collectors are configured in a header

be required to ensure availability of

Kenya is endowed with very good solar

or manifold and riser arrangement, with

adequate hot water supply for cloudy

irradiation

5kWh/mÂ˛/day,

the risers joined together by a steel,

days or when the solar system is down

throughout the year. This substantial

aluminum or copper fin. The fins may

for service. In general, an electric heater

resource can be utilized to provide

be painted black or may have a selective

element inserted into the storage tank is

electricity utilizing photovoltaic (PV)

surface bonded onto them to improve

used for back-up heating. Types of Solar

technology. The same resource can also

heat absorption.

Water Heating Systems. There are several

averaging

be used to provide hot water utilizing solar water heaters.

Solar Water Heating Systems Solar water heating is a reliable and renewable energy technology used to heat water. Sunlight strikes and heats an "absorber" surface within a "solar collector" or an actual storage tank. Either a heat-transfer fluid or the actual potable water to be used flows through tubes attached to the absorber and picks up the heat from it.

types of solar water heating systems. The The fin, header and riser grid is usually

choice of SWH systems depends on the

encased in a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;boxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; made of aluminium or

application.

galvanized iron sheet, insulated on the inside walls and bottom, and covered with glass at the top. Low iron glass is used for maximum light transmission through glass. The light passing through the glass is turned into heat as it strikes the grid/selective surface, and the glass prevents heat loss by holding the hot air below it in continuous contact with the grid surface.

and tank systems. By virtue of their construction, they are suited for use only as long as there is direct sunshine e.g. daytime salons and restaurant use. Since the collector also serves as the storage tank, these systems rapidly lose heat radiation with the open sky, and are less

Systems with a separate heat-transferfluid loop include a heat exchanger that

Hot water storage is generally required

heats the potable water. The heated water

to couple the timing of the intermittent

is stored in a separate preheat tank or

solar resource with the timing of the

a conventional water heater tank until

hot water load. Storage can either be

needed. Although solar water heating

potable water or non-potable water if

systems all use the same basic method for

a load side heat exchanger is used. For

capturing and transferring solar energy,

small systems, storage is most often in the

they do so with three specific technologies

form of galvanized steel tanks. There are

that distinguish different collectors and

systems that do not require storage such

systems.

as swimming pools or solar pre-heating

efficient because they are incompatible

of water to be fed into the conventional

In general solar water heating systems

Batch solar heaters are integral collector

through transmission through glass and

Hot water storage

Solar Water Heating System Components

Batch Solar Heaters

boilers.

with the use of selective surfaces.

Thermosyphon Systems The thermosyphon systems work by the principle of heat transfer through convection - hot water expands as it heats up, occupying more space and therefore getting less dense, weighing less than cold water. This principle is used in solar collectors to circulate water between a storage tank and a collector. In the mornings as the sun heats the collectors, the hot water inside rises by natural

comprise three main components and

Controls

other installation accessories and fittings.

Active

temperature

water flows into the collectors by gravity.

These are the solar collectors, storage

difference controller to start and stop the

Thus the circulation loop is automatically

tanks and controls.

pumps. If the temperature in the solar

established whenever there is sufficient

collector outlet exceeds the temperature

sunshine, and circulation automatically

in the bottom of the storage tank by a set

stops during insufficient insolation when

amount the controller starts the pump.

the upward buoyancy force is unable

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

convection and the colder storage tank systems

have

SPECIAL FEATURE to overcome the fluid friction losses

of the collectors and if small volumes

heated in the collector. In indirect systems,

inside the plumbing. These systems are

of water (less than 1000 litres/day) are

a heat transfer fluid (normally propylene

also called passive SWH systems. Flat-

needed.

glycol) in the collector is heated and the

plate, evacuated tube (both selective

Where the collectors are installed at a

fluid transfers heat to the water through

and

absorber)

higher elevation than the storage tank

a heat exchanger. Direct systems are

and other types of solar collectors can

non-selective

coated

or volumes are high or storage is not

normally used in small domestic systems

be used in thermosyphon systems. Flat

necessary, then natural convection flow

and are the most common in Kenya.

plate thermosyphon systems are the

is not possible. In such systems, pumps

Indirect systems are recommended where

most common SWH system installations

are incorporated in the water circuit to

water quality is poor and in large facilities

in Kenya. Thermosyphon systems work

circulate the water through the collectors

such as institutions and industries.

only if the storage tank is installed at an

and back to the tank. These systems are

appropriate height above the level of

also called active SWH systems.

the collectors. If the height is too high

In most applications both direct and indirect systems have water storage

or capacities large (beyond1000 litres),

Flat-plate, evacuated tube (both selective

incorporated

then flow rate considerations may not

and non-selective coated absorber) and

only

be optimal for heat transfer. In such

other types of solar collectors can be used

for

situations, thermosyphon systems do not

in active systems. Active SWH systems are

applications.

work.

rare in Kenya.

Pumped systems

Direct and Indirect SWH systems

As seen above, Thermosyphon systems

Both passive and active SWHs can be

work only if the storage tank is installed

further classified as direct or indirect SWH

at an appropriate height above the level

systems. In direct systems, water is directly

into

exceptions swimming

the are

pools

system. systems and

The meant

industrial

Eng. Edward Nyaga Engineering Manager, Suntech Power Limited

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

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Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

You can visit RSP showroom or website on www. rhinospecialproducts.co.ke or watch a video/ YouTube on expert advice on décor in our website.

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

The whole design and construction process was engineered to be as eco-friendly as possible. The footprint using the open spaces avoids cutting down the mangroves

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

FEATURED PROJECT

THE

Red Pepper HOUSE HOTEL

Decorative wall recess

THE SITE

LOCATION

Most successful projects in the developing countries are those that respect the vernacular architecture of the region and fuse them together with the tenets of modern design to achieve a hybrid design. And so, with a client that has great love for both nature and architecture, this project demanded respect to the natural features onsite â&#x20AC;&#x201C; mainly the mangrove forest,

which

influenced

the

highly

organic layout of the entire design. The result was a series of open and closed, sunny and shadowy interplay of spaces that create a memorable experience as one walks through the project. Red Pepper House is a small yet a very exclusive and luxurious hotel that gives one the sense of being outdoors, in the open, even when the space youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in is completely covered. The small coral stone masonry houses on the sandy beach create a scattered urban pattern which has a completely organic shape, undulating with soft curves.

Wash hand basin

It is located in Lamu Island towards the

architecture and at the same time, great

north end of the town, on a plot that is

respect for the environment and hence

immersed in vegetation and bordered

needed that the design process preserved

by the beach on its southeast slopes. The

the forest as much as possible. Likewise,

forest, consisting mainly of mangroves,

the construction process and eventually

provides very few open spaces in between

the running of the building were to share

and hosts an abundance of chirping

the same attribute.

birds. These natural features enable the development of a building whose design creates a harmonious dialogue with its surroundings. Without being completely isolated

from

the

local

population,

its location provides a space where privacy is safeguarded by the nature that

CHALLENGE & RESPONSE

surrounds it. Red Pepper House was presented as a chance to create a form of

The challenge was to give response to very

organic architecture that had a balance of

specific requests not specifically related

traditional craft and modern requirements,

to the local tradition and to do it using the

such that the building would be integrated

local construction systems, workmanship,

with the history and nature of the island.

and sense of space looking towards the

The client, Fernando Torres, wanted

future yet having one leg grounded in the

past.

private

residence

that

shared

connection with Lamu but secluded from

This made it necessary to revisit the Swahili

the main town itself. He had a passion for

traditional catalogue of solutions to give

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

FEATURED PROJECT

Site Plan

response to the very specific demands. Gaining knowledge from local Lamu

DESIGN

construction, the project was approached

roof provides protection from the elements and taking a step further out onto the open concrete platforms. Apart from providing

in a similar way and, paying great respect

The architect incorporates different levels

the shaded outdoors, the Makuti roof also

to the surrounding environment.

of closure that create a transition between

performs best in the hot and humid coastal

indoors and outdoors.

climate acting as insulation as opposed to

surrounded by an acacia forest, the

The basic elements of this project are the

other conventional roofing materials.

architect did the actual drawing of the

solid platforms covered with continuous

In the Swahili architecture, the Makuti

house in the open spaces between the

lightweight roof and Makuti. The platforms

roof is used as a structure over the roof

trees.

are done in a free form using different

of the house or detached as a temporary

cube-shaped coral and lime stones and

construction. In this project, it has been

In respect to the client’s passion for nature,

Makuti, a lighter structure that make up

enlarged to cover the dispersed layout of

the architect took advantage of all the big

the roof for shading and coverage.

the rooms under a single space protecting

trees on site and used them to

Makuti is comprised of palm trees, a

from sun and rain and such that in the

create a disposition of open/closed and

traditional plant on Lamu Island that has

external spaces one can share a close

sunny/shadowy areas. The footprint of the

been used for centuries. It is very light yet

connection with nature.

house is the result of building only in the

also very strong. It is widely available,

areas not occupied by trees. This footprint

easy to maintain and replace.

Because

the

eight-acre

plot

was

corresponds to the area covered by the

The one floor design enables easy access to all the spaces without the need for

roof structure with no walls, the only

Makuti is also very good for thermal

provision staircases. The bedroom’s solid

enclosed spaces are the bedrooms which

insulation (cooling). In the past, it has

roof presents a sense of security and

are linked together under the continuous

been used in a very “static” way – the

intimacy. The trees provide a continuation

roof. The relation between the traditional

architect stretched this very flexible

of the outdoor spaces complementing

elements has been altered to meet the

material to the limits, to see what shapes

the entire design other than acting as an

client’s requests.

and forms he could generate. The Makuti

afterthought addition. The use of lime

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

FEATURED PROJECT

Lounge instead of cement allows the walls to

possible. The footprint using the open

open spaces on the windward and lee

breathe and to absorb humidity while

spaces avoids cutting down the mangroves.

sides of the building allows airflow across

providing a fantastic, very tactile texture.

The project has also used locally available

the space. This naturally cools the room.

Lime is also long lasting, and as an organic

materials in the entire building which are

Winds passing over the sea will bring a

element, it changes with the weather,

not just eco-friendly but have an overall

cool breeze into the house and the lack

giving it a sense of life. Local craftsmen

low embodied energy levels. The use of

of energy usage in this process makes the

intricately

purely manual labour and local materials

building very sustainable. The materials

such as timber and coral stone ensured

used play a part in keeping the building

that the project had minimal impact on

cool. The traditional makuti roof provides

Windows and large open spaces on the

the environment with a very low carbon

a barrier from the sun and is also a good

windward and lee sides of the building

footprint. In order to exploit the sunny

thermal insulator. The coral stones used

allow airflow across the space enhancing

climate of Lamu, the project hosts two

for construction share the same quality

good air movement and good cross

different solar energy collection devices.

keeping the rooms cool. The house

ventilation.

Solar water heaters absorb the sunlight

accommodates a water tower that uses

This naturally cools the room and

and use the energy to heat water. The

the theory of gravity to send water to the

eradicates the need for air-conditioning

advantage of these solar heaters is that hot

taps and showers and eradicates the need

systems, often required in this climate.

water is available on demand throughout

for a pressure pump.

The use of a bio digester, work towards

the course of the day without negatively

managing and purifying waste water so

affecting the environment. The same idea

One of the most interesting aspects in this

that it can be recycled and used elsewhere

is incorporated in generating power and

project was how the local craft by use of

in the building.

thus the project also uses photovoltaic

manual labor from the locals was merged

The layout and material used for the

cells to provide electricity to the house.

with modern comfort to complete the

completed

the

traditional

handiwork.

setting out of the bedrooms, the only fully

intricate traditional handiwork detailing.

enclosed spaces in the house, present

Since Lamu can get very hot during

This makes the project appealing to both

a sense of security and intimacy. The

both day and night, passive means of

the locals and foreigners to varied levels

whole design and construction process

ventilation have been employed. Cross

but with agreeable high levels of human

was engineered to be as eco-friendly as

ventilation by having windows or large

comfort.

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

PROFESSOR ALFRED OMENYA " My one question to every architect is their definition of Sustainable Architecture, and to Alfred sustainability in architecture is a culture to the people that is conscious to their needs and space efficiency, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what matters most "

rof. Alfred Omenya is a practicing

of Architects and Quantity Surveyors

architect,

(BORAQS)

designer,

an a

environmental

sustainable

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

2010

and

Chairman,

urban

Board of Governors, Majengo Secondary

consultant and the Principal Researcher at

School since 2008 to date. He is also a

Eco-build Africa. He is also an Associate

Board Member, Climate Network Africa

Professor and the Dean, School of Built

since 2007 to date. He was the founding

Environment at the Technical University

Chairman, Kenya Climate Change Working

of Kenya.

Group in 2009 and a trustee, Eco-Build

Alfred holds a bachelors degree in

Africa Trust since 2008 to date. Alfred

Architecture

is also a Board Member, Shelter Forum

Nairobi, a Masters in Environmental

since 2011. He has also been an external

Designs and a PhD in Sustainability and

examiner at Department of Architecture

Urbanism,

Witwatersrand

& Environmental Design, Kigali Institute

University of Johannesburg, South Africa.

of Science and Technology (KIST) since

from

both

the

from

University

2009

date,

Malawi

Polytechnic,

Alfred is also a registered architect in

Department of Architecture since 2010

Kenya since 1999 and a member of the

to date and formerly at Tswane University

Architectural Association of Kenya since

of Science and Technology from 2004

1997. He has also been a member of the

to 2007. Alfred has supervised several

Council of the Architectural Association of

Masters and PHD students from both the

Kenya since the year 2010 to date, served

University of Nairobi and University of

as an examiner at Board of Registration

the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

FEATURED ARCHITECT He has also published several research

exams and was registered an architect.

Urban Management program. At the

contracts,

conference

He continued working with PSS. His first

same time, he practiced at Green Arch

proceedings, journals and book chapters

projects as a registered architect included

Architects and Environmental Designers.

mostly on topics of urban planning and

extension of Gandhi at UoN and artwork

Some of the projects he undertook at

housing among others.

of murals of the Gertrude’s Children

Green Architecture include design of

Alfred’s childhood played a major role in

hospital at Muthaiga. Alfred then left the

the University of Nairobi Tower, Diani

his pursuit for architecture. The professor

firm in 2000 to take a new job as a tutorial

Hotel Development for Shaanti, design

has a very solid background in arts. In

fellow at UoN.

for ‘Hotel Lamu Queen’, Scripture Union

international

Pry school and only at STD 6, Alfred was

Retreat Centre, Avenue Produce Go-

already creating landscape drawings and

Not long after, he got a scholarship and left

collage that were exhibiting at provincial

the country in mid 2001 for South Africa

level. In high school at Alliance Boys, he

to study his Masters. While doing his

In 2008, Alfred started his architectural

would make illustrations of nature based

Masters at Johannesburg, Alfred worked

and research firm, Eco Build Africa, based

sketches and sell - that was at Form 2.

with Sync Consultants - a job he got upon

in Nairobi that is involved with extensive

The other influence was two of his uncles

winning a practical class project that the

research and other architectural projects.

and with whom he lived during school

university funded dubbed “Eco Villages”.

holidays - both were practicing architects

This commission came up as a housing

With his firm, Alfred has been involved in

working with the government and so

project in slum elimination by the South

various projects offering environmental

he drew a lot of inspiration from them.

African government where they required

designs

Another aspect would be his academic

environmentally

models

architectural firms – he has partnered with

brilliance - Alfred was the second best

generated within their budget. Alfred

firms such as MMI, Symbion International,

student overall in KCSE at Alliance Boys

won this project which was showcased

PSS and Waweru & Associates among

and consequently in the country. He

in World Summit for Sustainable Designs.

others. He is also working on Sustainable

maintained top academic performance

Alfred also did low cost housing projects

Urban development models for Kenya

to his Masters studies which saw him

and

development

through SymbioCity as a Mentor in the

awarded two scholarships for his PhD

framework for the City of Johannesburg.

Program, collaborating with ICLD and

studies.

At Sync Consultants also, Alfred together

SKL International. This project involves

with one of his lecturers created a mini-

development of a framework for waste management

sustainable

sensitive

urban

dubbed

“Definition

Downs at JKIA, Nairobi.

other

urban

areas,

and

In 1990, he joined the University of Nairobi

encyclopedia

for a bachelor’s degree in Architecture.

Housing and Building Terms for the

power energy use in public areas and

Due to unknown consequences of the

Republic of South Africa” a government

sustainable urban development of some

first multi-party elections in Kenya that

initiative to acquaint its citizens with

county governments, spearheaded by

year, all public institutions were called

information about the built industry and

vision 2030. Alfred is also working as

off indefinitely, leading to two unstable

its common terminologies.

a consultancy with the government on

academic years. It is then that Alfred

architects

solar

National Slum Upgrading policy on a

sought a job and started working with

Alfred graduated with his Masters in

concept to review Advisory for urban

Planning Systems and Services (PSS) at

2002 as the best postgraduate student in

civil societies(NGOS) Other of his current

the end of his first year in campus. At

the School of Architecture and Planning,

projects include injecting new ideas and

PSS, he was involved in development

Wits University. Due to extremely high

platforms to the TUK environment among

of the master plan and models of Kigwa

performance in Masters, he was awarded

many other research and design projects.

Ridge which Windsor Golf and Country

a PHD scholarship in 2003. During his

club is a part. Alfred was also part of the

second semester of PHD, Alfred got a

Short term and long-term goals for Alfred

team in charge of design of City Bank

job as a part-time lecturer in charge of

are an expansion plan for Eco Build

headquarters in Nairobi and Uganda

coordinating the PHD students in the

Africa to give better professional support

House in Kampala. He also helped with

School of Architecture and Planning. He

to the government and para government.

design of Serena Hotel in Zanzibar and

completed his PHD studies in 2005 and

He is also working on a new project

Rahimtullah Towers in Upper hill.

came back in Kenya in 2006. Upon his

dubbed SUFI (Sustainable Urban Future

return, he joined the University of Nairobi

Institute) – this will be a training hub for

After the elections, schools resumed and

as Senior lecturer in the Department

development of home grown policies to

Alfred continued with his studies. He

of Architecture, mainly in charge of

expand impact in practice and academic

graduated in 1997, did his professional

Sustainability Designs and Master of

training in partnership with universities,

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

FEATURED ARCHITECT

Dandora land fill gas project

Community work

practices and government collaborations.

may be able to perform to a certain

services. A city in Africa is necessarily

The professor is very passionate about

number of people the artists will then

not an African city. Fix the new cities first

urban planning and sustainability, but the

take on the massive small projects. This

before building new cities.

environmental enthusiast however finds it

is to standardize all building systems and

•

a challenge to realize the dream for the

instill formality in all levels. The client can

uniqueness to attract domestic tourism.

Kenyan urban spaces due to practices

then get the architect on a personalized

We need a cultural revolution. We need

such as the prevalence of single projects

level of choice.

to educate people about housing and land

way below urban levels by architects. For

•

use.

cities and neighborhoods to grow, Alfred

acting

challenges architects to encourage big

Works and Housing, NEMA, County

settlements

scale operations where there is broad

Council etc) involved on matters land

planning requirements of cities and

involvement with the larger communities

use to avoid power clashing and in turn

equally receive basic infrastructure and

of an area. He is also concerned about the

creating dysfunctional cities. This can be

services that the city has .The solution

large scale legal work weakness among

implemented through an effective central

to informality is formality. Planners

architects. Alfred calls on architects to not

body in place in charge of all the acting

should consider low income earners and

be confined by the industry trends and

agencies.

informal settlements as an opportunity not

instead let the profession back them up

•

and work for them.

i.e. categorization of cities and towns.

Coordination on roles of the agencies

Urban

(Ministry

integrated

Public

planning

•

Every city should have its own

Both informal and formal should

subjected

a liability.

The authorities to give a clear outline

His advice to everyone is passion comes

With a wealth of ideas on how to get an

on how local people can participate in

before pay so become passionate for what

economy fully urbanized, here are some

development projects. To have a properly

you do and ensure it pays back.

of the professor’s insights:

framed integrated system, we need to

My one question to every architect is their

•

The Jua kali sector should be

fuse short term plans e.g. what county

definition of Sustainable Architecture, and

turned into a modern industrialized

leaders plan to achieve within their terms

to Alfred sustainability in architecture is

sector. This will enhance competitiveness

of service and long term plans e.g. Vision

a culture to the people that is conscious

hence end up organizing the country into

2030 into one plan.

to their needs and space efficiency, and

minor industrial parks. However, there

•

that’s what matters most.

has to be massive retraining activities;

people are affected by their locality.

by creating a national outreach program

Cities should spur local growth, its people

and carrying out the training in centers

should own it. The government should

spread countrywide. While architects

engage its people by seeking to offer

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

Planning is a local matter;

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Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

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Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

SPECIAL FEATURE

KOUNKEY DESIGN INITIATIVE the kibera public space project

rbanization in Kenya has been

knowledge of design professionals, the

uneven

political will of local government, and

The

the investment capacity of the private

development of informal settlements are

sector. Sectoral integration refers to the

reflective of this asymmetrical development

amalgamation of physical, social and

and they continue to multiply in number.

economic strategies into an integrated slum

Over the decades there have been several

improvement project.

big

and

cities

concentrated

Nairobi.

approaches to slum upgrading ranging from large-scale, top-down, public sector

Together, multi-stakeholder participation

approaches; to small scale, self-help and

and sectoral integration optimize the

enabling strategies.

potential for networked change. This networked

Discussions

surrounding

change

describes

KDIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

development

approach to addressing macro-scale issues

within informal settlements have gained

through the development of a network of

traction as traditional approaches to slum

micro-interventions. This physical network

upgrading have not been holistic enough

is supported by a human network of slum

in addressing the lived realities of slum

residents and institutional collaborators.

dwellers, nor effective enough to meet their social and economic needs. Drawing on

KDI has developed and employed this

lessons learnt from these slum upgrading

method in collaboration with communities

precedents, Kounkuey Design Initiative

in need by creating low-cost, high impact

(KDI), an international NGO specializing

environments called Productive Public

in the practices of architecture, landscape

Spaces (PPS).

architecture,

A PPS is a community-driven intervention

engineering

and

urban

planning, has developed an approach

that

to slum improvement based on multi-

hazards, provide public space amenities,

stakeholder

build social networks and develop small

participation,

sectoral

integration and networked change.

seeks

mitigate

environmental

business enterprises. Together, these layers of design address numerous environmental,

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

In the context of KDIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approach, multi-

social and economic needs for the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

stakeholder participation is defined as an

surrounding residents, villages and the

interactive and open design process that

settlement as a whole.

mobilizes community groups (and their

In 2006, KDI began working in Kibera to

knowledge of the context), the technical

assist communities in transforming their

surroundings through a bottom-up approach

Each PPS begins with the vision that

water and sewer infrastructure, followed

to slum upgrading activities named the

residents

community.

by the completion of the structures. Kibera

Kibera

KDI

Public

Space

Project

(KPSP).

have

their

organizations

residents and community partners lead all

KPSP is a series of micro-interventions

throughout Kibera to identify potential

of the construction work and fabrication,

that work together to create a network of

PPS through submitting formal requests

which guarantees financial investment

public spaces and communities which

for Proposals. This process helps KDI

within the informal settlement.

collectively address the macro-challenges

understand the community’s vision for the

Upon completion, KDI monitors and

of poverty reduction, river remediation,

proposed space and future community

provides non-financial support to the project

waste space reclamation, social cohesion,

activity within the space. Once KDI selects

for one year, ensuring that the members

and general quality of life in the settlement.

a community partner, the NGO seeks

have the capacity required for project

To date, KDI has completed six KPSPs and

consent from the surroundings’ residents,

sustainability.

is working towards developing its seventh

youths and local authorities.

KDI exits; allowing the community to

project in the network.

During implementation, KDI and the

independently and sustainably operate the

community

project.

The Design and Development Process

solicits

for

participatory

community

partner design

hosts

interactive,

workshops

with

community members. With the guidance

When it is appropriate,

PROJECTS

KDI’s participatory planning and design

of KDI’s technical team, these workshops

methodologies are key to the success of the

include discussions about the physical

KPSP01

KPSP. Each project takes about two years

planning of the facilities and the design of

KPSP01 lies at the border of Silanga

from inception to implementation. This

the social programs that will activate the

Village and Soweto East, adjacent to the

process includes organizing community

public space.

Nairobi Dam. For decades this site was

members, securing the necessary backing

unbuildable, used as a dumping ground,

from local authorities, designing the space

Installation of KDI’s projects typically takes

and impassable because of flooding. KDI

and associated businesses in collaboration

about 6 months. The construction process

and the New Nairobi Dam Community

with their community partners, as well as

begins by building up the waterway (as

(NNDC)

construction and implementation.

projects

tributaries

reclaim the site in 2006 by controlling the

passing through Kibera) and connecting to

persistent flooding with a new waterway

occur

along

river

began

working

together

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

and developing the landscape. The site now

KPSP03

groups came together to develop the

hosts a community centre that functions

This is KDI’s third project and one of its

space: Slum Care, Ndovu Development

as a school during the week and is home

largest projects. It is located in Gatwekera

Group and Usalama Bridge Youth Reform.

to several churches on the weekends. The

along the Ngong River at a key pedestrian

This project became KDI’s first site with a

walls of the building can be opened to

access point into Kibera. The length of the

large association of youth. The collective

serve as a covered stage with amphitheatre

river in this area was under constant threat

partnership supported the development of a

seating for special events. Also present on-

of flooding, and was a common hideout

riverbank gabion system, a formal, improved

site is a large urban agriculture facility that

for thieves. Residents rarely passed through

water and sanitation block, a daycare centre,

the community operates.

the area during evening hours for fear of

and a garbage collection and recycling

robbery. In 2010, KDI partnered with Bridge

program.

KPSP02

Community Group and the Kibera Christian

KPSP02 is located at the Mashimoni-Lindi

Initiative (KCI) to design and build a PPS

KPSP05

Bridge in the heart of Kibera.

that would address these environmental and

KDI’s fifth project in partnership with

had four make-shift toilets that drained

social challenges surrounding the site.

Empowerment to the Community Foundation

into the river, and was devoid of activity.

Today, the site includes several drainage

(EMCOF) presented a number of challenges.

The Riverside Usafi Group emerged as a

channels and 75 metres of flood-mitigating,

While the community indicated that a

productive community group, which began

stone gabions.

This river remediation

toilet block was the highest priority, this

working together with KDI to transform the

enabled the construction of a school,

project location at Daraja Ya Masista (Sister’s

space. Today, a clean, hygienic sanitation

two business kiosks, a public laundry

Bridge), Gatwekera sits at a low elevation,

block providing improved water, six toilets

washing facility, a small poultry farm and a

which makes a municipal sewer connection

and four showers that are connected to

playground for neighborhood children.

impossible. Over many months, KDI and

The site

the sewer line replace the polluting toilets.

EMCOF worked together to research, design

Adjacent to the sanitation block are three

KPSP04

and construct a septic tank solution for the

community business kiosks and a children’s

KDI’s fourth project lies at the border of

community. The entire site was completed

playground. The revenue generated from

the Lindi and Laini Saba villages, which

in February of 2014, now hosting a public

this project generates enough income for

is located along the confluence of two

laundry washing facility, a day care centre,

community driven expansion efforts.

large tributaries. In 2012, three community

barber shop, and DSTV viewing theatre.

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

SPECIAL FEATURE KPSP06

Kibera have been representative of top-

Designed as a second phase to KPSP01,

down methods, KDI has been paving the

KPSP06 was initiated in response to the

way to develop a methodology that brings

dire need for on-site sanitation option.

residents’ concerns and creative potential

Without any improved toilets in the area,

to the forefront of the design process.

the project was one of the major priorities

Larger interventions are often needed to

for KDI’s community partner, NNDC. The

address such challenges as those presented

primary challenge was similar to KPSP05; it

by Kibera. Small scale, grassroots methods

was impossible to connect to the municipal

however can limit the negative effects of

sewer

large scale developments while ensuring

line

elevation.

because Through

the

numerous

project’s design

unified, unanimous project support.

workshops, KDI and NNDC determined

KDI’s work has been published in numerous

an alternative composting toilet system as

architectural and academic journals and

the best option for the community. Human

further referenced by peace building

waste is collected and mixed with various

organizations as an example of ways that

dry materials to create humanure compost.

design can bring communities together to

After a 6-8 month maturing process,

realize shared visions to transform their

NNDC will be able to begin use and sell

environments. In subsequent issues, we

the organic fertilizer for local farms and for

will be documenting KDI’s individual

added community income.

projects to provide a further in-depth analysis of design and construction within

While some of the larger efforts surrounding

the informal setting.

the needed improvements in and around

Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

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Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

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Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

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Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke

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Buildesign Magazine | Issue 003/2014 | www.buildesign.co.ke