Концепции проекта обновления парка Ухуру

The Uhuru Park Renewal Project Team is happy to start and implement initiatives together with Other Stakeholders to make Uhuru Park a vibrant and self-sustainable Public Space for its Users and Visitors.

Project Location: Uhuru Park https://goo.gl/maps/1ois12pHCMB2

Uhuru Park is strategically located within a walking distance from the capital city of Nairobi and borders Uhuru Highway, Kenyatta Avenue, Ngong Road, Cathedral Road and Nyerere Road.

The area between Cathedral Road and Processional Way is excluded from Phase 1 of this project.

We are looking for ZONED LANDSCAPING IDEAS each approximately covering 500 Square Metres which we can execute in any of the many areas within the park, possibly interconnected and working together. (Submissions can be on any of the simplified Themes or as per inspiration of Designers). The ideas shall be implemented in series as funds become available and that can fit into a greater Master Plan for the entire Park. The ideas proposed need to respect the principles proposed in the framing PDF document attached.

About Uhuru Park:
Uhuru Park is a 12.9 hectare recreational park adjacent to the central business district of Nairobi, Kenya. It was opened to the general public on 23 May 1969.
It contains:
An Artificial Lake
Freedom Corner
National Monuments
An Assembly Ground with a Podium
Processional Way across the Podium is a Popular Skateboarding Site on Weekends.

Political History of Uhuru Park:
In October 1989, Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai learned of a plan to construct the 60-story complex in Uhuru Park. The complex was intended to house offices, a trading centre, an auditorium,galleries, shopping malls and parking space for 2,000 cars.
Despite Maathai’s protests, as well as popular protest growing throughout the city, ground was broken at Uhuru Park for construction of the complex. Maathai sought an injunction but the case was thrown out. She was forced by the government to vacate her office. Foreign investors cancelled the project in January 1990.

To achieve our Objectives, we shall need a Master Plan with clearly demarcated Zones for the Multiplicity of Activities.
Our Architectural colleagues have proposed it possible to extract from Google Maps the greater plan and scale it off in CAD or Software like Sketch Up can be handy.

Some of the brilliant once executed will turn Uhuru Park into a hub where anyone can be inspired and borrow ideas for onward implementation in their homes.


The Rejuvenation of Uhuru Park will focus on the following themes:
Improve accessibility
Promote walking (From CBD to Upper Hill)
Promote Relaxation/Seating/Reflection/Book-Reading
Attractiveness
Promote historical value
Promote multi-functionality (Rallies,Light Games,Dating etc)
Promote variety of activities.

The competition is intended to solicit design concepts for the Renewal of Uuru Park that are aesthetically pleasing, pedestrian-oriented, sensitive to neighborhood context and the existing ecology, and attractive to the stakeholders.

We managed to come up with the following proposals as we went round the land. We are open to Public Space Renewal proposals from professional landscapers and designers that would enhance the ecological importance of Uhuru Park

(See attached photos for more ideas) - Feel free to design along these themes or others you might be inspired to propose
Largest and longest Public Seat in Kenya?
A walk-in open library overlooking the water feature?
Memorial Wall (For Weekly Fresh Artwork)
Skating Zone (Parking)
An outdoor gym that respects the ecology of the space? The Park with its grass and trees are a "lung" of Nairobi City and so keeping it green is a must.
Bicycle Challenge Course (Preferably elevated or Green: You have to be super inspired on this as we must navigate an old colonial provision prohibiting cycling within the park (To protect the green grass). We are thinking of a suspended cycling corner accessible from one of the main streets without disturbing the ecology. Open to counter-proposals
A Zip line
A Hammock Zone (Bring your own hammock - See photos)
Thinkers Corner (We currently have Freedoms Corner where protesters assemble). What would the idea of a Thinkers Corner Look Like?
Guided History Walks
Wire Sculptures
Public Seat over Open existing Giant Drainages (See Photo and Proposal)
Walking Routes
Mass Public Dining Experience (Bring Your Own Food-BYOF)
Free WiFi Infrastructure

The concepts and ideas proposed will form a substantial part of the Enriched Design Competition to be announced later in 2018.

Designs shall:
a. be solely the result of the design effort of the designer; and
b. be unique original and not infringe upon any copyright or the rights of any person.
c. Submitted images shall not identify names of individuals, firms or organizations.
d. Have a brief description of concept. Where arrows are inserted, kindly provide non-labelled designs.