- Email: [email protected]
The home of habitat
HABITATINTL. Pergamon Press.
Vol. 3, No. 3/4. pp. 221-225 1978. Pnnted in Great Rr~fam
The Home of Habitat ERICA MANN With the increasing growth and spread of Nairobi, the siting of projects requiring large tracts of land is ever more difficult. Following the decision of the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1972, the UNEP Secretariat was installed in Nairobi in the second half of 1973 in rented premises, under an agreement whereby the Kenya Government undertook to subsidize 50% of the rental costs for a five-year period ending on 1st January 1978, or until permanent UN premises were constructed in Nairobi, whichever would be earlier. The time limit on the rental subsidy and the Government’s offer of free land for an eventual permanent headquarters, led to considerations for the construction of permanent buildings to house the UNEP Secretariat and other UN offices in Nairobi. For various reasons, it soon became apparent that the permanent headquarters for UNEP could not be completed before 1982 and the Executive Director in consultation with UN Headquarters realised that the most economical proposal would be for UNEP to construct temporary accommodation at or near the site to be provided by the Kenya Government for the permanent headquarters (Fig. 1). The time constraints were such that the building programme permitted a total of five weeks for taking the clients’ brief, evaluating requirements, design and preparation of tender documents. Contractors were allowed three weeks for completion and submission of documents, a report was made to the clients five days after receipt of the tenders and work on the site actually started another six days later. (Surely a worthy entry into the Guinness Book of Records.) The site offered to UNEP by Government, is an area of approximately 40 hectares, part of an existing large coffee estate at Gigiri, some 9 km from the City Centre on a good tarmac road-incidentally one of the main arteries out of Nairobi. Typical of all coffee land, the site is of top-quality “red-coffee” soil, well drained and excellent for building and landscaping. In order not to jeopardise the future planning of the site for the permanent headquarters, an area of approximately 7 hectares was set aside, on one corner of the plot, for construction of the temporary premises. Of this, approximately 2 hectares was under coffee (Fig. 2), the rest consisting of dense bush. There were no mature trees within the perimeter of the site although some old, large trees existing to the north and west of the site were used as a backdrop for the siting of the buildings. At present, magnificent views can be obtained of Mount Kenya from the eastern end of the site and another very beautiful view is over an existing artificial dam on the eastern boundary of the site. Whilst this whole area was once part of a mountain forest of indigenous trees, all these have disappeared. The main characteristic of the landscape within the site and its immediate surroundings is that of the typical multi-stem coffee bushes planted in neat 221
Erica Munn
222
L
KAAURA
KARURA FOREST
FORES1
Fig. I.
rows with occasional clumps of indigenous trees. Because of the constricted area to the site for the temporary offices and the relatively simple buildings proposed, a positive attempt was made to mould the landscape so as to create an environment that reduced the harsh intrusions of manmade physical forms on what is very gently rolling topography. Having building,
therefore a design
established the total area requirements for immediate and was prepared prior to the commencement of construction
future that
The Home of Habitat
Fig. 2.
223
Photograph by Tony Carlson.
designated the appropriate area for soil disposal and soil-borrowing pits, so that the relatively fertile top soil was separated from the sub-soil. The overall effect of the ground moulding is that of creating sound and sight barriers and backdrops in changing combinations. Now, almost exactly three years later, when all the water supply and/or drainage canals are functioning perfectly, when vegetation along and in them has established itself and the very sensitively planned and executed planing of vast areas (by a well-known Swiss horticulturalist) is flourishing, the site has already become a show-piece and almost a “demonstration plot” of how well man and nature can work together. In fact, within the limits of this 7 hectare plot, it is difficult to imagine that the landscape was ever any different from what it is now, except of course, for the buildings. But one development engenders another. Having found the sale of part of the coffee farm profitable, its owner has released a further 40 hectares, close to the UNEP site, for development as a Technical Teachers’ College. This new College results from a partnership project between the Canadian International Development Agency and the Kenyan Ministry of Education and follows a Canadian study which recognised that Kenya, as a rapidly industrialising nation of 14 million people, had a critical and urgent need of properly-trained technical teachers over a broad spectrum of disciplines and specialisations. The College opened officially in January this year and, since most of the courses are residential, staff and student housing forms an integral part of the complex. That means accommodation for 500 students in residence, another 200 “day” students and 100 teaching, administrative and maintenance personnel grouped in three senior
224
Erica Mann
staff and two junior staff categories. The building also designed by Mutiso, Menezes International, the firm responsible for the UNEP complex, will eventually be integrated into the landscape. It is too early yet to say how this will be accomplished or how successful it will be, taking under consideration the use to be made of the available open spaces between buildings and the intensity of the ecological involvement in each of these two developments. Notwithstanding the fact that housing is provided within the site for the full complement of staff, most of the remaining coffee plantation is rapidly changing into a housing estate, complete with commercial, service and social amenities commensurate with such a large population. The residential development is still, however, in the “high- and medium-density” category. Possibly this is due to the fact that whilst the higher echelons of both institutions can afford to commute, the lower ones cannot and the provision of regular free bus-transport is not totally satisfactory. The new housing areas could have developed into high class, high-income, low-density neighbourhoods similar to an older existing one nearby, where individual “architectured” mansions nestle on manicured lawns amidst swimming pools and tennis courts. It is, however, socio-economically right that whatever land in this area is available should be put to the use of those of lower incomes who find the inclusion of transport in
The Home qf Habitat
225
their budget hard. The new estates are geared to medium and high density and the development presently taking place, is in the form of maisonettes, terrace and semidetached houses, very close to each other. Naturally, with the housing estates, there are all the other developments connected and indeed necessary to the functioning of human communities. Already there is a network of roads - high standard, i.e. wide - commensurate to the economic standard and car-size of its users; two petrol service stations, one on each side of the entrance to the UNEP Headquarters vie for customers from either direction. No doubt, when building is finished, there will be gardens here too, but the man-made environment will definitely predominate. Whereas the UNEP buildings are inconspicuous and not intrusive on their surroundings, this new adjacent development-within what is still left of the coffee plantationhits the eye. Not that it is unaesthetic in any way: anywhere else it would be quite pleasant and certainly acceptable. But here, in this position, it is almost a negation of what the developers of UNEP Headquarters -and UNEP itself for that matter-had tried to achieve. This is not integration, it is imposition; a statement of man’s superiority and dominance. It is not possible, at this stage, to say anything about the new Habitat Foundation, except that it will be sited on the remaining 33 hectares of the site given by the Kenyan Government for the UNEP complex, and will have to fit in with the planned permanent quarters of UNEP. Since negotiations and discussions are still going on, no material is yet available for publication. There are only three things that one can say now with a reasonable degree of certainty: since the architects are likely to be the same, the buildings should achieve the desired amount of harmony and relationship with each other and with those existingso difficult to attain under other circumstances; the degree of urbanisation of the surrounding areas will undoubtedly escalate and authorities might well be advised to set standards for buildings and densities now, before it is too late; and finally, judging by the ecological standards achieved within the present UNEP development (Fig. 3), it is hoped that the whole complex will become an oasis of manmade nature to enjoy, admire and emulate.
Vol. 3, No. 3/4. pp. 221-225 1978. Pnnted in Great Rr~fam
The Home of Habitat ERICA MANN With the increasing growth and spread of Nairobi, the siting of projects requiring large tracts of land is ever more difficult. Following the decision of the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1972, the UNEP Secretariat was installed in Nairobi in the second half of 1973 in rented premises, under an agreement whereby the Kenya Government undertook to subsidize 50% of the rental costs for a five-year period ending on 1st January 1978, or until permanent UN premises were constructed in Nairobi, whichever would be earlier. The time limit on the rental subsidy and the Government’s offer of free land for an eventual permanent headquarters, led to considerations for the construction of permanent buildings to house the UNEP Secretariat and other UN offices in Nairobi. For various reasons, it soon became apparent that the permanent headquarters for UNEP could not be completed before 1982 and the Executive Director in consultation with UN Headquarters realised that the most economical proposal would be for UNEP to construct temporary accommodation at or near the site to be provided by the Kenya Government for the permanent headquarters (Fig. 1). The time constraints were such that the building programme permitted a total of five weeks for taking the clients’ brief, evaluating requirements, design and preparation of tender documents. Contractors were allowed three weeks for completion and submission of documents, a report was made to the clients five days after receipt of the tenders and work on the site actually started another six days later. (Surely a worthy entry into the Guinness Book of Records.) The site offered to UNEP by Government, is an area of approximately 40 hectares, part of an existing large coffee estate at Gigiri, some 9 km from the City Centre on a good tarmac road-incidentally one of the main arteries out of Nairobi. Typical of all coffee land, the site is of top-quality “red-coffee” soil, well drained and excellent for building and landscaping. In order not to jeopardise the future planning of the site for the permanent headquarters, an area of approximately 7 hectares was set aside, on one corner of the plot, for construction of the temporary premises. Of this, approximately 2 hectares was under coffee (Fig. 2), the rest consisting of dense bush. There were no mature trees within the perimeter of the site although some old, large trees existing to the north and west of the site were used as a backdrop for the siting of the buildings. At present, magnificent views can be obtained of Mount Kenya from the eastern end of the site and another very beautiful view is over an existing artificial dam on the eastern boundary of the site. Whilst this whole area was once part of a mountain forest of indigenous trees, all these have disappeared. The main characteristic of the landscape within the site and its immediate surroundings is that of the typical multi-stem coffee bushes planted in neat 221
Erica Munn
222
L
KAAURA
KARURA FOREST
FORES1
Fig. I.
rows with occasional clumps of indigenous trees. Because of the constricted area to the site for the temporary offices and the relatively simple buildings proposed, a positive attempt was made to mould the landscape so as to create an environment that reduced the harsh intrusions of manmade physical forms on what is very gently rolling topography. Having building,
therefore a design
established the total area requirements for immediate and was prepared prior to the commencement of construction
future that
The Home of Habitat
Fig. 2.
223
Photograph by Tony Carlson.
designated the appropriate area for soil disposal and soil-borrowing pits, so that the relatively fertile top soil was separated from the sub-soil. The overall effect of the ground moulding is that of creating sound and sight barriers and backdrops in changing combinations. Now, almost exactly three years later, when all the water supply and/or drainage canals are functioning perfectly, when vegetation along and in them has established itself and the very sensitively planned and executed planing of vast areas (by a well-known Swiss horticulturalist) is flourishing, the site has already become a show-piece and almost a “demonstration plot” of how well man and nature can work together. In fact, within the limits of this 7 hectare plot, it is difficult to imagine that the landscape was ever any different from what it is now, except of course, for the buildings. But one development engenders another. Having found the sale of part of the coffee farm profitable, its owner has released a further 40 hectares, close to the UNEP site, for development as a Technical Teachers’ College. This new College results from a partnership project between the Canadian International Development Agency and the Kenyan Ministry of Education and follows a Canadian study which recognised that Kenya, as a rapidly industrialising nation of 14 million people, had a critical and urgent need of properly-trained technical teachers over a broad spectrum of disciplines and specialisations. The College opened officially in January this year and, since most of the courses are residential, staff and student housing forms an integral part of the complex. That means accommodation for 500 students in residence, another 200 “day” students and 100 teaching, administrative and maintenance personnel grouped in three senior
224
Erica Mann
staff and two junior staff categories. The building also designed by Mutiso, Menezes International, the firm responsible for the UNEP complex, will eventually be integrated into the landscape. It is too early yet to say how this will be accomplished or how successful it will be, taking under consideration the use to be made of the available open spaces between buildings and the intensity of the ecological involvement in each of these two developments. Notwithstanding the fact that housing is provided within the site for the full complement of staff, most of the remaining coffee plantation is rapidly changing into a housing estate, complete with commercial, service and social amenities commensurate with such a large population. The residential development is still, however, in the “high- and medium-density” category. Possibly this is due to the fact that whilst the higher echelons of both institutions can afford to commute, the lower ones cannot and the provision of regular free bus-transport is not totally satisfactory. The new housing areas could have developed into high class, high-income, low-density neighbourhoods similar to an older existing one nearby, where individual “architectured” mansions nestle on manicured lawns amidst swimming pools and tennis courts. It is, however, socio-economically right that whatever land in this area is available should be put to the use of those of lower incomes who find the inclusion of transport in
The Home qf Habitat
225
their budget hard. The new estates are geared to medium and high density and the development presently taking place, is in the form of maisonettes, terrace and semidetached houses, very close to each other. Naturally, with the housing estates, there are all the other developments connected and indeed necessary to the functioning of human communities. Already there is a network of roads - high standard, i.e. wide - commensurate to the economic standard and car-size of its users; two petrol service stations, one on each side of the entrance to the UNEP Headquarters vie for customers from either direction. No doubt, when building is finished, there will be gardens here too, but the man-made environment will definitely predominate. Whereas the UNEP buildings are inconspicuous and not intrusive on their surroundings, this new adjacent development-within what is still left of the coffee plantationhits the eye. Not that it is unaesthetic in any way: anywhere else it would be quite pleasant and certainly acceptable. But here, in this position, it is almost a negation of what the developers of UNEP Headquarters -and UNEP itself for that matter-had tried to achieve. This is not integration, it is imposition; a statement of man’s superiority and dominance. It is not possible, at this stage, to say anything about the new Habitat Foundation, except that it will be sited on the remaining 33 hectares of the site given by the Kenyan Government for the UNEP complex, and will have to fit in with the planned permanent quarters of UNEP. Since negotiations and discussions are still going on, no material is yet available for publication. There are only three things that one can say now with a reasonable degree of certainty: since the architects are likely to be the same, the buildings should achieve the desired amount of harmony and relationship with each other and with those existingso difficult to attain under other circumstances; the degree of urbanisation of the surrounding areas will undoubtedly escalate and authorities might well be advised to set standards for buildings and densities now, before it is too late; and finally, judging by the ecological standards achieved within the present UNEP development (Fig. 3), it is hoped that the whole complex will become an oasis of manmade nature to enjoy, admire and emulate.