Nairobi’s climate-resilient central station design unveiled
The flagship project will sit at the heart of the wider Nairobi Railway City redevelopment programme, which is championed by President Kenyatta and supported by the UK government.
The final design of Nairobi’s new Central Railway Station and public spaces has been unveiled.
The buildings and structures will have climate adaptation built in and the project will support the Kenyan government in its commitment to deliver jobs, as well as green and sustainable infrastructure.
Railway city project
The design, which was completed by design, engineering and project management consultancy, Atkins UK, and handed over to Kenya Railways and the Ministry of Transport, is part of the wider Nairobi Railway City redevelopment programme, championed by President Kenyatta and supported by the UK government.
“Great cities like Nairobi will need to become more climate-resilient, but also more climate-friendly – less carbon intensive to build, to travel around, and to live in,” said the UK prime minister’s G7 sherpa, Jonathan Black. “That is why it is such a pleasure to be here for the launch of the design for the new central station and public realm that will sit at the heart of Nairobi Railway City.”
The Nairobi Railway City and Central Station Project is a flagship project to redevelop 425 acres of central Nairobi. In January 2020, the president asked the prime minister for UK support to progress the project.
Since then, a team of UK-funded experts have worked with various Kenyan stakeholders to develop a viable implementation plan, including advice on urban planning, climate-resilient green building principles, financial structuring, and investment mobilisation.
“Great cities like Nairobi will need to become more climate-resilient, but also more climate-friendly – less carbon intensive to build, to travel around, and to live in”
Design director for Atkins, Chris Crombie said: “Nairobi Railway City is a hugely important, flagship project in the heart of the city and the gateway to East Africa. The design and vision we have created, working alongside Howard Humphreys [consulting engineers], is a real case study example of how to create transit-orientated development with climate adaptation built in.
“The railway city project will support the Kenyan government in its commitment to deliver jobs, as well as green and sustainable infrastructure that drives regeneration.”
At the launch event, the senior representatives of the UK and Kenyan Governments also announced that they were in negotiations for the provision of up to KES 220 billion of UK Export Finance for projects in Kenya, with the new central station likely to be a first mover.
Leave A Comment