Sustainable Urban Design in Nairobi’s Eastlands: the Case of Kaloleni Estate

Abstract

This study examines how sustainable urban design principles can be used to ensure a sustainable Kaloleni Estate. Kaloleni Estate is a case study in Nairobi’s Eastlands and shares similar chacteristics to other neighbourhoods within this part of the City. The paper examines the quality of built and open spaces in Kaloleni Estate. It also studies how the land in Kaloleni Estate has been utilized in relation to its proximity to Nairobi CBD. This study revealed that sustainable urban design principles entail components such as density, sustainable corridors, biophilia and high performance buildings and infrastructure. These components are tailored depending on the context in which they are applied. This study examines these sustainable urban design components in Nairobi’s Eastland, the case of Kaloleni Estate. In order to explore sustainable urban design in Nairobi’s Eastlands with the aim of ensuring a sustainable Kaloleni Estate, use of a local study was employed. This contextualized the sustainable urban design components and lessons were derived. Best practices from an international case study were used as a benchmark for the study. The study concluded that sustainable urban design for Nairobi’s Eastlands is an important factor in ensuring a holistic city for all classes of people. Compactness and Biophilia are the hallmarks of sustainable urban design in Kaloleni Estate and this can be applied to other neighbourhoods in Kenya. Considerations should be given to density and integration of landuses to ensure job creation is achieved. This should go hand in hand with achieving Biophilia (connecting human beings to nature) in Nairobi’s Eastlands. This study recommends the need to compact Kaloleni Estate and Nairobi’s Eastlands as a whole. This is with a view of optimally utilizing the land in Kaloleni Estate. The density in this area should be within a sustainable range depending on the proximity to Nairobi CBD. The government and Nairobi City County should take a leading role in ensuring sustainable neighbourhoods are achieved in Nairobi’s Eastlands.