The World Trade Centre masterplan vision is to create a cohesive urban environment which sets a benchmark for urban development in Nairobi, Kenya. The mixed-use development site is located on the prominent Ngong Road overlooking the Ngong Racecourse and comprises four primary precincts: 1. The Commercial Precinct optimises exposure along Ngong road. | 2. The Hospitality precinct creates a vibrant hub at the heart of the development | 3. The Medical and Mixed-Use Precinct includes a large hospital and other associate facilities, primarily located on the existing Nairobi Business Park land | 4. The Residential Precinct offers new urban mixed tenure living with views of the adjacent forest and racecourse.
The urban space between buildings becomes the defining and binding element and is key to the visual language of the development, and the masterplan's success.
The overall landscape concept is to create an organic thread through the development, a 'tie that binds', a ribbon of pedestrianised greenery with vehicular connectivity that shares a common aesthetic and provides access to this unique live-work-play environment.
Accessibility
The development is accessed via a clear hierarchy of roads. Ngong Rd is the primary vehicular spine to which the master plan responds. Service roads parallel to Ngong Rd give access to three entrances. Circulation roads within the site provide a clear and attractive connection to the various precincts. A security patrol road offers a low order path connecting the perimeter. The development has three separate and secure vehicular entrances. The main entrance provides easy access aligned to the new underpass at Ngong Rd. and offers convenient access to both the hospitality and residential precincts. The second entrance creates an attractive arrival point into both the commercial and medical + mixed-use precinct while the third entrance is dedicated to the medical + mixed-use precinct. Each precinct is serviced by a combination of surface and structured parking infrastructure. The surface parking adjacent to site circulation roads is designed to create attractive streetscapes, and easy vehicular flow is planned from the entrances to the various parking structures.
Urban Landscape
The landscape design is envisaged to take on organic lines that soften the built edge. It takes on various forms as it winds between buildings, and compliments the built environment. At the residential precinct, the top of the parking podium is animated with activity spaces, green pause areas and lifestyle amenities. This enhances the residential offering and is intended exclusively for the use of residents. A pedestrian landscaped sky bridge connects the residential podium to the rest of the development. At the hospitality precinct, this residential podium is activated by adjacent retail outlets. The podium takes on a more urban and structured quality while planting and key landscape features create a unique leisure environment. This solution is extended into the commercial precinct. The lower landscape creates a soft edge between access roads and structured parking. Key drop-off points make attractive pedestrian connections to the podium environment. The lower density of the medical + mixed-use precinct allows for a less structured, but complimenting urban landscape environment.
1. Commercial precinct
- Ngong Rd
- Ngong service road
- Entrance 2
- Entrance 3
- Commercial drop=off
- Surface Parking
- Hospitality Podium
- Commercial Tower 1
- Commercial Tower 2
- Commercial Tower 3
- Medical + Mixed-Use precinct
The commercial precinct is comprised of three commercial towers which flank entrance 2. Tower 1 connects to the hospitality podium. Tower 2 is positioned paralled to Ngong Rd and connected to Tower 1 via a landscaped parking area. Tower 3 overlooks Ngong Racecourse and can also be accessed via entrance 3 of the development. These three towers all have good exposure and easy access off Ngong Rd. All commercial buildings are serviced by a mix of surface and structured parking.
2. Hospitality precinct
- Entrance 1
- Surface parking
- Hospitality drop-off
- Service apartments
- Hotel
- Landscaped podium
- Podium Retail
- Conference Facilities
- Residential Apartments
A hotel, serviced apartments, retail, conference facilities and race-course facing residential apartments. The drop off area creates an impressive first impression of this precinct, flanked by the hotel and serviced apartments. Pedestrian connections are provided to the elevated podium environment, where boutique retail and restaurant facilities are located. The conference facilities are positioned at a level above, to allow for a soft roof to large span areas. Residential apartments afford attractive views of the Ngong Racecourse beyond.
3. Medical + Mixed-Use Precinct
- Service road parallel to Ngong Rd
- Entrance 2
- Medical Plaza
- Hospital
- Surface parking and entrance to Hotel
- Nurse’s residence
- Entrance 3
- GIS
- Rehabilitation Centre
- Mixed-use building
- Surface parking
- Commercial Tower 4
- Ngong Racecourse
The medical + mixed-use precinct is comprised of a large hospital with associated medical plaza, nurses residences, a rehabilitation facility, a mixed-use building and office tower, and the GIS facility which will service the whole development. The medical and mixed-use precinct largely occupies land currently developed as Nairobi Business Park. The hospital has good access for visitors and emergency vehicles, and occupies the predominant frontage on Ngong Rd.
4. Residential precinct
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- Clubhouse + Créche
- Private gardens [surface]
- Pedestrian connections to podium
- Surface parking
- Luxury apartment block
- Pedestrian ‘sky bridge’ to hospitality precinct
- Play/Leisure areas
- Private terraces [podium]
- Shared pedestrianised area [podium]
- Entrance 1
The residential precinct is comprised of a mixed typology of residential apartments. Apartments range from affordable housing to luxury living, with a range of offerings in between. Separate apartment blocks can be developed on top of the structured parking podium. The blocks are positioned to optimise views of the Ngong Forest and Ngong Racecourse.
| In partnership with HOK | |
| Registration | 2018 |
