Nairobi
is a fast-growing city, with many of the city’s neighbourhoods enjoying an
unprecedented property boom. With this growth comes destruction: old
residential buildings are replaced with apartment blocks and two to three
storey shops with office complexes.
The
pace and scale of development mean that Nairobi is losing its architectural
heritage – the structural representations of its history and the different
cultures that have shaped the city. Once lost, this heritage cannot be
regained.
Preserving
Nairobi’s architectural and cultural heritage begins with recognizing this
heritage. This requires identifying noteworthy buildings in Nairobi and
developing a formal list of them.