Level 1- Master planning -A stretch of 1,085m from the Pumwani Road Bridge joining Landhies road and the

second pedestrian bridge near Meru Road

Level 2 -Project level- Market on fresh produce zone

CLIENT:

NEMA

NAIROBI CITY COUNTY

The Nairobi River as a natural resource falls under the National Government(Ministry of environment

and natural resource

Gikomba market falls under the Nairobi City County

A collaboration of the two as clients would help enhance the proposed project

Gikomba Riverfront market re-organization has its intention in creating a positive, vibrant co-existence between the

riverfront and the stalls fronting the river.

The facility will house the Gikomba riverfront economic activities and give the thousands of urban people a riverfront

recreational promenade and green recreational park at the furniture zone making the river sustainable.

This will be like a coil of rope unwinding and morphing into a gentle meander along the riverfront. `Berms to separate the

cycling and the walkway will be incorporated. To prevent a walk on the berms, street lighting bollards for accent lighting

will be incorporated.

This will eventually contribute to a healthy urban people and consequently an effective working people.

The market will feature primarily furniture and vegetable while incorporating secondary activities along the riverfront like

M-pesa outlets, food kiosks, confectionery shops, gift shops.

A landscaped riverfront for relaxation will be incorporated.

The thesis looks at the transformations of Gikomba market. In this study, it came to the fore that, Nairobi River is one of the

urban areas that have transformed due to various encroachments of economic activities onto the riparian way-leave

and dumping of market garbage along the riverfront.

Thus, the project seeks to an architectural answer to the problems identified in the written thesis and as existing

Nairobi rivers basin rehabilitation and restoration program, a publication by MENR (1998), enumerates the problems that

rhyme with the ones discovered by the research findings.

Rapid urbanization, industrialization, poor urban planning and weak enforcement of the environmental laws

leading to serious environmental degradation.

Untreated industrial effluents, raw sewage and waste from commercial activities drain into the river.

Considerable amount of solid waste is swept into Nairobi River during rain.

Inadequate sewerage systems leading to illegal discharges into the rivers

Encroachment onto the Nairobi River reserve for economic gain

The publication further points out how to Urban rivers should serve the urban population_

I. Providing livelihood through riverfront businesses

II. Aesthetics-to be enjoyed by the urban population

III. To have the aquatic habitat thrive with the riverine fauna and flora

For Nairobi River, this is further from the truth.

UNDP, (2010) in the best practices for environmental Conservation

for Nairobi river Basin

Outlines the initiative dubbed Nairobi River Basin Project (NRBP)

which is a collaboration of the NCC, UNEP, UNDP, UN-habitat,

private sector, civil societies and the GoK roles

The NRBP envisions restored riverine eco-system with clean water

for the capital city and a healthier environment for the people of

Nairobi.

The objective of the NRBP is to rehabilitate, restore and manage

the Nairobi River ecosystem in order to provide improved

livelihoods (especially for the poor) enhanced biodiversity, and

a sustainable supply of water for domestic and industrial,

recreational and emergency uses.

The publication identifies the Nairobi River basin problems as

follows:

I. Solid waste and raw sewage discharge into the river

II. Lack of environmental awareness within the urban poor

III. Inadequate waste collection, transport, disposal, and sanitation facilities

IV. Degradation of forest cover especially on Karura and Ngong forests.

This publication lists the weakness of the policy makers and implementation on the problems affecting Nairobi River.

Sewage spill slows Nairobi River clean up

The Nairobian Jan, 17, 2014

Points out to the raw sewage that hinders the Nairobi River rehabilitation programme at Machakos Country Bus station.

The paper admits that the Gikomba section remains a challenge as relocation of the business activities to another

location is usually discarded by the traders.

Traders count huge losses in Gikomba market fire

The standard Sept 9, 2010

A fire along the timber area stalls erupts and the fire takes a long time to put out. This is due to the narrow roads and the

illegal connections of electricity into the stalls.

Additionally, there are the stalls that have encroached right into the river banks.

Pleas to make permanents premises for the traders as the materials used are flammable are made by the traders

Small players suffer as trade in Gikomba booms

The star Feb, 21 11

The NCC demolishes stalls on the road reserves for expansion. There is a huge outcry from the traders.

The traders seek alternatives trading area, as they do not have anywhere to go for they have known this trading area for

a long time.

Alex Mutemi, the KCB Branch manager Gikomba Branch points out that Gikomba is largely informal and it has great

potential to become a modern commercial hub in the city.

What Gikomba needs is additional infrastructure like roads and other social amenities crucial for business to thrive.

He acknowledges that though the NCC has done a good job in improving the infrastructure though more needs to be

done like erecting permanent business structures for the traders

The furniture stall have their back to the riparian way leave making it underutilized purposely for recreation and for

economic gain. Moreover, there is a disconnect in the relationship between the business activities and the riverfront, the

businesses do not command a view of the water.

In addition, garbage on the fabric and mitumba clothes zone is strewn on the riparian way-leave and some in the river

with some traders even extending their stalls to the way-leave. This is attributable to the fact that the space is constrained

leading to a takeover of any available space.

The city river does not breathe because raw sewage and toxic chemicals are discharged without treatment into the river.

Additionally, street boys (chokoras) have already made the rehabilitated way-leave their home making the place

insecure.

All this have led to the following problems:

• Health problems such as increased water borne diseases, respiratory complications, among others.

• Stress on immediate aquatic ecosystems as well as downstream.

• Reduction of the economic value of premises along the river basin

• Reduction in the natural beauty of the river basin

This is a result of informal economic activities being carried out in any available space along the river’s riparian way leave

and discharging all the market garbage along the river.

To address these problems, the proposed project seeks to relocate the economic activities at the riparian way-leave to

the riverfront market thus leaving the reserve area for recreational activities. This will consequently render the river

rehabilitated and provide a space for public leisure.

After analyzing the written publications and the research findings, the following is the summary of the problems:

I. Inadequate premises to house the economic activities

II. Degradation of Nairobi River and its riverfront by various agents.

III. A lack of riverfront recreation for the urban population.

IV. Unsustainable construction materials and unplanned stalls leading to constant fires.

V. Encroachment on undesignated areas leading to chaos, wayfinding and circulation problems

1. TO CREATE A FACILITY THAT ACTS AN URBAN RIVERFRONT ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE.

To solve the existing back to river attitude of the market through promenades missing in the interaction

between the market, people and the river.

To offer the urban people an area that’s vibrant and highly pedestrianized that they can stroll on

2. TO CREATE A FACILITY THAT MEETS THE DEMANDS OF THE CURRENT RIVERFRONT ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES.

The spilling over to the riparian way-leave is a sign of inadequacy in the provision of more stalls. Thereby, solving

the existing informal trader issues by creating more market stalls.

This will also incorporate some hawking on platforms

3. TO OFFER A SUSTAINABLE WAY OF MANAGING WASTE IN THE MARKET TO PAVE WAY FOR THE RIPARIAN WAY-

LEAVE USE

The project seeks to provide a solution the inter-relationship and co-existence between the market and the

riverfront.

Circulation will be addressed in such a way that encroachment within circulation areas are looked into and

intervened.

Creation of defined landmark entrances to ease way-finding

The site for the proposed Gikomba Riverfront market Re-organization is located within Gikomba market Bounded by

Kamukunji Loop Road and Nairobi River.

The site is the under the management of NEMA as it falls under the 30m riparian way-leave for Nairobi River.

The riverfront recreational area is well located within Kamukunji Service lane and the river providing ample space for

recreation

Nairobi River lacks riverfront developments that make the urban population co-exist in an ecological symbiotic

relationship. If it is not the informal human settlements along its banks, it is the untreated sewage and chemical discharges

making the aquatic animals and plants die.

It lacks usable promenades, stalls fronting the river, vibrant boulevards, secure gardens and a physical interaction with

the waters.

The densification of informal stalls that discharge their waste and overspill into the way-leave should also be redeveloped

for a visible and harmonious relationship

To address these problems, the proposed project seeks

To relocate the economic activities at the riparian way-leave to the riverfront market thus leaving the reserve area

for recreational activities. This will consequently render the river rehabilitated and provide a space

With the redevelopment and regeneration of that section of Nairobi River, an opportunity to offer river front

shopping promenades that will house permanent stalls. The kiosk owners will environmentally look after their stalls

front thus attracting more customers.

Riverfront walks, green open areas, shopping promenades will be created.

The project encompasses riverfront development:

- The market

The fresh produce zone and the furniture are the primary stalls within the zone selected and thus become

the core stalls in the market

Other secondary stalls include, MPESA stalls, restaurant stalls, Offices, Fruit and juice stores, gift shops, curios

etc

- The Riverfront

Esplanades, green gardens, shopping promenades (market stalls fronting the riverfront)

I. that had the same

riverfront and economic activities along the riverbank and riparian way-leave.

THE OBJECTIVES of this multidimensional project were categorised under three topics-

Environmental Improvement: reduction in erosion and flood to safeguard the city; sewage diversion to

clean the river; water retention and recharge.

Social Infrastructure: rehabilitation and resettlement of riverbed dwellers and activities; creation of parks

and public spaces; provision of socio-cultural amenities for the city.

Sustainable Development: generation of resources, revitalisation

of neighbourhoods.

SIMILAR CHALLENGES THAT WERE OVERCOME

An integrated environmental improvement and urban revitalization for the redevelopment was put in place

to reduce the problems.

It is also reflected in the Gikomba riverfront where the market gives it back to the river

Industrial waste and sewage waste are discharged into the river.

The river's riverfront turning into walking promenade to connect the CBD and the Eastland’s.

The people need to enjoy the riverfront through recreational facilities and sports as well as the economic

activities that are taking place .

Infrastructural space needs redeeming to create a healthy environment

LESSONS LEARNT

1.) The zoning of the riverfront to provide for the needs of the people

2.) Preservation of the ecology and biodiversity of the rivers habitat.

3.) Providing the existing facilities with more organized areas. The markets, the recreational/plazas, parks/promenades

4.) Creating defined edges with boundaries and access points at regular intervals

5.) Making it an all time place with manned entry points to prevent chokoras/vagabonds from making it home and

proving it dangerous for recreation

The market covers a total area of 29,000 SqM on a rectangular plot oriented roughly northwest to southeast.

Around its periphery are shops that can stay open beyond the general opening hours of the market, animating

the city centre even when the market is closed.

These shops also articulate the boundary between the market and the rest of the neighbourhood. The market is

enclosed by the shop buildings around the periphery and by gates that are locked at night. It is bordered on

two sides by car parks, or more exactly Motorcycle Park.

12 public toilet blocks are regularly distributed along the eastern and western elevations, opening directly onto

the streets.

The meat market, an existing structure built with the help of the Dutch government, was kept on the site. Existing

trees were retained. Paved circulation areas occupy 13,837 square metres and the parking occupies 1,080

square metres.

A covered structure of nearly 3,136 square metres contains around 624 stalls, mainly for women vendors.

The stalls are made of benches of compressed earth blocks (BTC: Blocs de Terre Compressés) and have lockers,

allowing merchandise to be left overnight.

The two administrative buildings contain three offices, one meeting room, one machinery room and one

surveillance post. Fire safety devices include four fire posts and public fire extinguishers, and four fountains

connected by pumping engines to an underground water tank of 95 cubic metres. A covered sewage network

with 10,557 metres of pipe collects the market’s sanitary waste.

The construction was organized in phases and small ‘construction lots’ were distributed among a number of

contractors. Nine enterprises were selected to produce the earth blocks. All stages of construction were

monitored by master masons. Moreover, 140 masons were trained in the new techniques for constructing vaults

and arches without formwork.

The intended impact of the project was twofold. At the scale of the city, it was expected to enhance the urban

fabric and strengthen the commercial vocation of the neighbourhood. At the level of construction, the

innovative use of compressed earth blocks (which pushed the material to its maximum load-bearing capacity)

was intended to demonstrate the aesthetic and environmental potential of the local material.

LESSONS LEARNT

1.) Use of locally available materials with low embodied energy

2.) Giving circulation space special attention to avoid over-spilling of trading activities and extension of the display

area. Additionally, by covering the circulation path to prevent improvising of roof cover which destroys the

market image

3.) Borrowing from local architecture with a reliance on socio- cultural tendencies like religion and peoples way of

construction.

4.) Using the local population to reduce on cost and a training for them to become economically empowered

5.) Putting storage under the display lockers

LINK TO GIKOMBA RIVERFRONT MARKET

Sections of Gikomba have been gutted down severally by fires. This largely affects the small scale traders who eke a living

from the sales in Gikomba. Thus there is a strong need to re-organise the market to promote socio-economic activities

that are in sustainable and in the same manner give the City a riverfront for recreation

LESSONS LEARNT

1.) The Vernacular architecture and use of locally available materials

2.) Use of natural passive cooling techniques

3.) Creating a defined entrance and structure that stands out as a landmark

4.) Creating a circulation pattern that’s enhances familiarity, continuity, symmetry and hierarchical in nature.

4.

The Vinh Market is a ‘hot spot’ in the city’s urban economy

The Vinh Market is the social place par excellence in the city.

Unfortunately, the Vinh Riverfront has little usable space remaining on its banks and the area has become a popular

place for the disposal of solid waste.

In addition to merely expanding the floor area of the market, reconfiguration of the open space and increasing

accessibility (especially for emergency vehicles) were primary concerns of the reconfiguration proposal .

New market halls were proposed to both the west and south of the existing main

hall.

The ‘back’ side of the market was proposed to have a completely new function and appearance. In one possible

scenario, a large public platform would mediate the land-to- water threshold and provide facilities for informal market

activity and a water-based public transport system.

Activating the urban portion of the Vinh River would also strengthen the city’s relation to its rural western hamlets

strung along the banks of the waterway.

LESSONS LEARNT

1,) The need to take into account the existing activities and cater for them in design interventions i.e. the informal

activities taking place at the entrance and the garbage dumpIng at the riverfront

2.) Very defined circulation system for pedestrians, vehicles and boats. The need to cater for special lanes for

emergency services especially for a market like Gikomba which has many fire encounters.

3.) The need to create functional use of the riverfront by incorporating activities on the riverfront to avoid the

dumping

4.) The need to create an urban riverfront that connects and brings life to the city and urban dwellers. Provision of

promenades for recreation and passage is a lesson.

1.) SAFETY- PEDESTRIAN / VEHICULAR TRAFFIC/EMERGENCY

2.) RIVERFRONT RE-LOCATION AND ENCROACHMENT INTO ALREADY RECLAIMED LAND

3.) ENCROACHEMNET ON CIRCULATION PATHS/RIVERFRONT/RESERVES

4.) MARKET SERVICING- PEDESTRAINISED ROADS,/ENCROACHMENT

5. CONFLICTING LEGAL ACTS ON RIAPARIAN WAY- LEAVE

6.) GARBAGE MANAGEMENT

7.) CONTROLLING THE DENSE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC

The Gikomba riverfront rehabilitation seeks to release the pressure on the River as well as create a market on the riverfront

to accommodate the traders. The following activities will be accommodated:

THE MARKET

The market will be situated at the current vegetable sector and will accommodate furniture stalls and vegetable stalls

.On the Riverfront side, small supportive stalls selling confectionery, small shops, curio shops will be provided as well as

food kiosks

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

This will be for administrative and general cess collection and a reporting office for any problem that the traders might

encounter.

Its should be centrally located for easier communication and within reach.

It will also accommodate washrooms, clinic and a police post.

1.) SPATIAL ORGANISIONat BASED ON SITE ANALYSIS INTERVENTIONS

• Creating 3 frontages and channeling of people from all sides

• Ready/ordering goods and ready to go goods on hierarchical

2.) NODES IN TRANSITION POINTS

• Where convergence of different media/concentration of activity

• Transit to different media

3.) REGIONALISM /ORGANICITY FLOW AS A THEORY

• Meandering of the river

• Creating more surface area on the frontage/more space frontage

• Negative/positive space

• Informality is organic/borrow heavily on this

4.) CLIMATIC RESPONSE/environmental

• respect to wind breezes.

• In respect to temperature

• Sun path /orientation/direct solar

radiation and its harnessing to

warm/ cool the building

• The people’s comfort-devoid

ZONING

STALL INTERROGATIONS

MASSING