Konza Tech City was initiated in 2008 as a flagship Kenya Vision 2030 project. The aim of Vision 2030 was to support development within Kenya, increase the quality of life, and cultivate a globally competitive nation. Located 60 kilometres south of Nairobi, Konza was envisioned as a ‘smart city’ that would revolutionise Kenya’s ICT sector. It is a planned 250,000 person city, located 60 kilometres outside of Nairobi and implemented by the Government of Kenya in partnership with private corporations.
Konza was originally proposed as a technology park with world-class infrastructure that would support its growth. In 2012 a comprehensive plan was developed that expanded project into ‘Africa’s Silicon Savannah.’ The city is designed with the goal of being a sustainable, world-class city and technology hub that will serve as an economic driver for the whole nation. The master plan follows the planning concepts of liveability, density, and walkability and focuses on the vibrant, green urban environment that will integrate a broad range of inhabitants. It also involves the construction of a business centre, retail services, universities, colleges, and 9,400 residential units.
The urban fabric is composed of a mixed-use “bar” that runs east-west and is intersected by a series of program “bands” that run north-south. This pattern is designed as a framework for the later growth of the city, which will be made up of crisscrossing horizontal and vertical lines. The intersection of the bars and the bands create vivid connections, where special programs and higher density occur. They become points of interest that seed neighbourhoods of distinct characters.
)
)
)