NEW HIGHRISE DEVELOPMENTS ALONG JOGOO ROAD-MAKONGENI, JERICHO, JERUSALEM,KARIOKOR,ZIWANI,BAHATI. NAIROBI-GREEN CITY IN THE SUN

NEW HIGHRISE DEVELOPMENTS ALONG JOGOO ROAD-MAKONGENI, JERICHO, JERUSALEM,KARIOKOR,ZIWANI,BAHATI. NAIROBI-GREEN CITY IN THE SUN

The Kenyan Government recently approved for the demolition of dilapidated estates in Eastlands to pave way for high-rise residential units[source: NATION NEWSPAPERS KENYA]

Currently, these estates accomodate 15,000 families. The resultant will be an increase to 300,000 units. This will ease the housing shortage in Nairobi. The high-rise buildings will completely change the landscape to a concrete jungle.
ROOF AND FACADE GARDENS
Now that more ground surfasce will be covered by buildings, the vegetation cover can be compensated through the use of roof and facade gardens to keep the ‘GREEN CITY IN THE SUN’ image.

HANGING GARDENS OF BABYLON

From Drop Box

A 16th-century hand-coloured engraving of the “Hanging Gardens of Babylon” by Dutch artist Martin Heemskerck, with the Tower of Babel in the background. Courtesy of WIKIPEDIA.

The Architects can borrow a leaf from one of the Seven Wonders of The World: the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, near present-day Iraq. These were built by King Nebuchadnezzar in the year 600B.C.
The roof terraces were arranged in a cascade design. Each terrace supported a garden and the resultant was a very beautiful spactacle.

CITY PLANNING BYE-LAWS

Currently, cities in Developed countries have led the way in increase of roof gardens.
A recent survey in Singapore revealed that 80% of the city’s inhabitants supported more roof gardens to be implemented by the City Planners.[Source: Yuen, B, & Wong, N. (2005). Resident perceptions and expectations of rooftop gardens in Singapore. Landscape and Urban Planning, 73 (4). Retrieved June 19, 2009, from ScienceDirect database.]

The Nairobi City Council can greatly assist in this by puting in place bye-laws that ensure that a certain percentage of roof surface for high-rise residential buildings have gardens.

From Drop Box

Above: ACROS Fukuoka building, Japan, via Metaefficient website.

ADVANTAGES

Roof gardens have several advantags.
1. Insulation of the building from excessive heat from the sun.

From Drop Box

Above:A housing estate in Kunsthaus, Vienna. With a little bit more creativity, it will be possible for Recreational parks to be incorporated on house roof-tops.

This reduces the costs of air-conditioning for the interior rooms below the roof garden.

2. Reduction of the Carbon footprint. Roof gardens will result in the reduction of Carbon Dioxide gas from the atmosphere and hence curtail global warming .The advantages of these are obvous.

From Drop Box

3. Increase aesthetic appeal. Roof gardens make buildings unique and appealing to look at hence a resultant increase in value. Roof gardens will also make the high-rise building inhabitants feel relaxed and in-touch with the ground even though they might be 20 floors above ground level.

TECHNOLOGY

Design of roof gardens is only limited to the Architect’s imagination.

From Drop Box

Some roof gargens extend to the building facade.
Care should be taken to ensure hat the roof garden does not result in leakages to the Ceiling below.
Thermo-plastic sheeting and rubberised asphalt are common water-proofing materials used.

From Drop Box

Above: = School of Art and Design, Singapore. Photos: Sidonie Carpenter.

Careful choice of plant should be considered. Drought-tolerant plants that can withstand high winds do well in roof gardens.
The roof has to be specially designed to support the added weight by the Structural engineer.

Francis Gichuhi
Architect.
www.a4architect.com