Out with the old, in with the glitzy

From the days when Nairobi was nothing but a swampy railway depot to the present day when skyscrapers pierce the sky, a lot has changed about the city. Few people, however, know the history behind the architectural snippets the city has to offer, which is why there is rarely any hubris when some of the landmark buildings of yesteryears are brought down to accommodate the capitalistic appetites of the new Kenya.

But that should not be the case because the architectural heritage of the city is tightly tied to its character and history. Old pictures of Nairobi show its gradual evolution from a town dominated by railway men, Asians, and colonialists to the thriving business centre and seat of government that it has become in independent Kenya.

Yet, despite this rich architectural history, old buildings in the city are being pulled down at an alarming rate to pave the way for gleaming structures that announce the departure of Nairobi from its historical moorings.

For instance, Nairobi House, the first three-storey building in Nairobi which stood at the present parking lot that replaced Nairobi Stalls at the junction of Moi and Kenyatta avenues, is one of the significant buildings we have lost to demolition.

The art deco houses of Parklands, Biashara Street, and Ngara are also disappearing in favour of skyscrapers.

What many seem to have conveniently forgotten is that these old buildings represent an irreplaceable heritage that is an important legacy of the present generation to the later ones, especially in terms of culture, aesthetics, educational, and inspirational benefits.

Old buildings give a sense of cultural significance and allow us to experience architecture in a different way. They serve as memorials, providing continuity to earlier times.

One can tell a lot about a city from the history of its buildings, even about how a metropolis came to be. And preservation leads to increased dialogue among children, parents, and grandparents regarding our ancestors and history.

For instance, from studying the history of the railway and its Nairobi headquarters and the Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi, one is able to tell a lot about early life in Nairobi as the city is said to have developed around these two points. There is no understanding the history of Nairobi without knowing the history of the railway.

Old buildings also accentuate a city’s culture and character by keeping its distinguishing features. It is not Rome until you see the Colloseum, it is not the Vatican without St Peter’s Cathedral, neither is it Paris without the Eiffel Tower. Such is the significance of characteristic buildings to a city.

It is easy to duplicate the appearances of other cities by replacing old buildings with modern ones, but this means that little is left to remind people of the history of their city, and the city lacks any unique characteristics.

Historical preservation of buildings is a growing movement and adaptive reuse of those buildings is becoming popular. One only needs to tour cities like Hong Kong, Rome, and Cairo to appreciate the great charm and value that historic conservation of buildings can give to a city.

Hong Kong has been called the “most thrilling city on the planet”, partly due to its superb modern skyline, where modern buildings adapt to the needs of the densely populated city. Citizens here have recognised the need for their heritage and have preserved and protected it. A historic walking tour of Hong Kong or Rome is an amazing experience that emphasises the need for historical preservation.

The efforts of these cities have not been in vain. Real estate agents in the old towns use their historical district status as a marketing tool to sell properties.
Preservation of towns and buildings can also result in a positive economic impact for tourism. Properly maintained historical buildings or towns that are aesthetically cohesive and well promoted can be an important tourist attraction and, in that way, attract revenue from visitors.

In addition, historical preservation of buildings also comes with educational benefits similar to those derived from any historical preservation effort. Old buildings become a source of inspiration and technological advances, a record of our communities and us.

One cannot downplay the nostalgia that comes with looking at where one has come from. The feeling is almost comparable with the one we get when we look at old family photos or visit a place we have not been to in a long time.

While striving to preserve historical structures, it is also important to maintain the structure for continual use, so buildings are not just museum pieces but function as useful assets to the community.

Through adaptive reuse, the integrity of the building is not compromised, its economic value does not go down, and the space is not wasted.

A good example in Nairobi is Kipande House. Its present occupants, Kenya Commercial Bank, have renovated the inside of the building into a beautiful banking hall. Kipande House has maintained its ancient look on the outside, but changed the inside to meet the modern needs of its occupants.

This 1913 structure is gazetted as a monument, alongside the old PC’s office (now the Nairobi Gallery), the McMillan Memorial Library, and the National Archives.

Another example of how buildings can be preserved is Lonrho House. The 20-floor structure was founded on a three-storey 1940s building called Consolidated House, once the headquarters of the Standard newspapers. It consisted of two main three-storey blocks and two separate one-storey units on the side, and its tenants refused to move as they had leases expiring beyond the construction date.

The contractors decided to start building around it.

But the team had difficulties with conceptual design and thus structural engineer I. B. Patel was invited to offer his two cents’ worth. The problems included founding the office tower between the existing structures, putting up a five-metre grid along the length of the building dictated by the existing structures, and Nairobi City Council building and planning regulations regarding plot ratio, plot coverage, and light angles (based on adjacent buildings).

Today, Lonrho House stands tall as Nairobi’s flagship structure in terms of technical flexibility. The areas encompassing the retained building are remodelled as shops with self-contained lavatories and stores incorporated in the redeveloped area on which the spine of the office tower is founded.

The entrance to the lift and the main staircase were deliberately kept small. The width of the plot is 31 metres and the two pre-existing buildings are 12 metres and 14 metres wide, thus dictating the office space floor at 12 metres wide.

The fact that a highly complex design was required to solve many problems imposed by the existing structure will quickly be forgotten by the general public. However, this construction, despite being tasking, gave direction to how old buildings can be preserved within new ones.

It gives an option to building owners who feel a need to replace their small historical buildings with taller, modern ones, and shows that we can have our cake and eat it, too. We do not have to lose our heritage for us to have bigger space, modern buildings, or skyscrapers.

The Scott Kirk Church in St Andrews Cathedral is also a good pointer to how buildings can be preserved. When the expansion of Uhuru Highway got underway, it was evident that the church would have to be demolished. However, the church leaders approached British Liberal leader David Steel and minister of St Andrew’s, Nairobi, during the Mau Mau emergency for funds to move it. David Steel was the moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1974-75 and played a prophetic and decisive role in the life of the church, both in Africa and Scotland.

Scott Kirk Church was moved, stone by stone, from across the road to its present location, and it looks just like it did when it stood at its original location. It is presently a Lutheran address.

The historical and cultural foundations of the city should be preserved as a living part of our community life and development in order to give a sense of orientation to its residents. Without this, residents will continue to treat the city with apathy and have no emotional attachment to it.

Buildings that are of major significance require thorough historical research and knowledgeable attention. Such a property is worthy of preservation or restoration.

The National Museums of Kenya has taken the initiative to list and gazette old buildings that are of historical significance to the city. There is an established Architectural Heritage Advisory Committee that takes suggestions on buildings that should be preserved in Nairobi.

Dialogues have been going on and people are increasingly getting interested in the buildings of Nairobi. However, more needs to be done to preserve our city. It is a fact that Nairobi property owners would be more interested in historic preservation if there were benefits to preserving historical sites and keeping things as they were many years ago.

The government should provide incentives and resources to owners of historical buildings in order to promote their preservation.

Cities that have taken preservation seriously have provided incentives such as tax laws and financial benefits that favour owners of historical buildings.

They also provide tax credits for the restoration of commercial buildings listed as monuments. State and local grants and special tax deductions may also be available.

Case studies from cities that have successfully preserved their old towns and buildings might be of use if applied in Nairobi. This will help in ensuring that property owners do not feel shortchanged when their buildings are listed as monuments.

No building in Nairobi should be demolished or crudely renovated or replaced with another structure without paying attention to the immediate surroundings and architectural picture, as well as its importance as a heritage site.

If the mindless destruction of old buildings continues, Nairobi will soon change from a beautiful city rich in aesthetics and heritage to an impersonal concrete jungle.