The Street Image - An Urban Study of Nkrumah Road, Mombasa

8/17/2019 The Street Image - An Urban Study of Nkrumah Road, Mombasa

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THE STREET IM GE

AN URBAN ANALYSIS OF NKRUMAH ROAD, MOMBASA

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The Street Image: An Urban Study of Nkrumah Road, Mombasa. Maseghe T. M. B02/0267/2003

THESIS DECLARATION:

This is my original work and has not been presented for the award of a degreein any other university.

Signed:........................................................................................Maseghe Tairo Martin - Registration Number B02/0267/2003

The thesis is submitted in part fulfillment of the university examination for thedegree of Bachelor of Architecture of the University of Nairobi.

Signed:......................................................Adnan Mwakulomba Abdi - Tutor

Signed:.........................................................Erastus Omil Abonyo - Year Coordinator

Signed:.................................................Kigara Kamweru - Chairman, Department of Architecture and BuildingScience, University of Nairobi, Kenya.

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To my mom, Eva Makafui Tairo and Dad, Aggrey Mazdin Maseghe.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In the course of my investigation, I have incurred many debts of gratitude and Icannot possibly acknowledge all of the support and the indebtedness but this ismy chance to at least try.

Firstly, to the love and support of my family; beloved mum, dad and sisters Maryand Vicky for your steady encouragement, moral and financial support, and tothe love of my life, Kathambi for always being there for me. We are this farbecause of the faith that we live.

In the course of my research, I have built up intellectual relationships of which Icould not have dreamed of. I would like to thank the lecturers in the Departmentof Architecture and Building Science, at the University of Nairobi: My tutor

Adnan Mwakulomba Abdi and year master, Erastus Omil Abonyo for theirdiligent guidance. I owe as much to all the other lecturers in the department.

Like most scholars, I was inspired by precedent research and documentation inthe course of my investigation. I could write much about all of those authorswhose published work influenced my thinking, but I hope that the list ofreferences truly reflect what I learnt from them. I am also very grateful to Said,the Kenya National Museum’s Mombasa Librarian and Tabitha, the University ofNairobi’s Department of Architecture and Building Science technologist foraccording me all the help and support I needed.

I acknowledge the support and criticism from my friends in academic and non-academic circles. To my classmates Kimmy for all the help and support, to

Waggz for always being willing to sort out our computer troubles and the rest ofmy buddies for a time well spent together.

Whilst every effort has been made to acknowledge all contributions, the point isclearly made that those whose help has made this study possible are in no wayresponsible for the views expressed or its shortcomings.

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Table of Content:

Cover Illustration...................................................................................................IThesis Declaration...............................................................................................IIDedication...........................................................................................................III

Acknowledgements............................................................................................IVTable of Contents................................................................................................V

Chapter One: Proposal........................................................................................11.1 Introduction....................................................................................11.2 Problem Statement........................................................................11.3 Aims and Objectives......................................................................21.4 Scope and Limitations....................................................................31.5 Significance of the Study................................................................31.6 Research Methods.........................................................................41.7 Structure of the Research Paper....................................................6

Chapter Two: Urban Study Methods....................................................................72.1 Urban Study Theories....................................................................72.2 Methodology for an Urban Study of Nkrumah Road....................12

Chapter Three: Urban Analysis of Nkrumah Road............................................153.1 Historical Analysis of Mombasa...................................................153.2 Visual Analysis of Nkrumah Road................................................253.3 Legibility Study of Nkrumah Road................................................463.4 Summary of Findings...................................................................62

Chapter Four: Conclusions and Recommendations..........................................654.1 Conclusions..................................................................................654.2 Recommendations.......................................................................68

Chapter Five: References..................................................................................705.1 Published Sources.......................................................................705.2 Unpublished Sources...................................................................71


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Chapter One: Proposal

1.1 Introduction

Before the twentieth century, cities were better in terms of legibility. Important

places were well articulated and ‘looked important’. This was achieved byhaving the largest open spaces relating to the most important public facilities.Places of the greatest public relevance could be easily identified as they stoodout from the rest.

The legibility of the modern city however relies on the principle that ‘buildingscannot lie’; this is seen through the position occupied by large companies withfinancial muscle, they own the largest, most imposing buildings which occupykey city centre positions (Figure 1.1). Such structures, which are highlyirrelevant of how people use the cities, visually overwhelm publicly relevantplaces and facilities thus confusing important activity patterns. In addition,

important public buildings and publicly irrelevant private ones often look alikeworsening the confusion.

This research focuses on Nkrumah Road on the contemporary part ofMombasa and evaluates the legibility of its environment at the levels of physicalform and activity patters.

1.2 Problem Statement

Nkrumah Road, which runs approximately one kilometre East from its junctionwith Digo Road, Nyerere Road and Moi Avenue to Fort Jesus Museum, is a

street of major significance in Mombasa due to its function and the nature ofactivities it hosts.

Despite its seemingly strong character and prominence, it suffers fromunderutilization as other streets viewed as less prominent seem moresuccessful as having images that users can easily identify such streets with.

Figure 1.1: TSS Towers at the centre of Mombasa CBD.Despite this building having less public relevance to theresidents of Mombasa, it occupies an important location and ishighly imposing, reflecting the financial muscle of the owners.Source: Author.

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It is with this background that this research ventures into a legibility study ofNkrumah Road (Figure 1.2) and identifies the aspects that make it prominentand investigates whether these have been utilized to the maximum in anattempt to make the street more legible to its users. The street has beenvisually analysed and then studied under the formal elements of paths, nodes

and landmarks as described by Kevin Lynch in the Image of the City.

1.3 Aims and Objectives

The main objective of this study is to carry out an analysis that would determinethe legibility or otherwise of Nkrumah Road with the view of identifying forcesthat influence development along the street as well as predict the future of itsurban fabric.

Before the evaluation of the urban qualities of Nkrumah Road, a historicalreview of the form of Mombasa urban setting is done with an aim of assessing

its impact on the current urban form. This is an attempt to determine how thecurrent urban setting may have evolved.

The urban qualities of Nkrumah Road are then evaluated through a visualanalysis and a legibility study in accordance with the methodology developedfrom various urban study methods.

Finally, conclusions are arrived at on the image of Nkrumah Road andrecommendations are made on how this could be enhanced in laterdevelopments along the street so as to maximize its legibility potential andincrease its prominence in the minds of the users.

Figure 1.2: An image of Nkrumah Road as it approaches theTreasury Square. This street is the subject of study. Source:

Author.

Figure 1.3: The NSSF building plaza, an open space adjacentto Nkrumah Road which changes the spatial quality of thestreet at this point. Source: Author.

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1.4 Scope and Limitations

1.4.1 Scope

The research paper is limited to a discussion of urban design concepts with

particular focus on the following

I) A generic overview on the imageability of a city and its formal elementsII) A discussion on the above elements in relation to Nkrumah Road in

Mombasa.

1.4.2 Limitations

Nkrumah Road is exceedingly expansive and complex owing to its generalstructure and form comprising of elements from the late 1800s up to date. Anin-depth analysis of the entire street would involve far much more than can be

adequately covered within a thesis. The author has therefore chosen to dwellon the concepts of urban design around which the image of the street evolves.

The analysis is also limited to the effects of physical, perceptible objects despiteknowledge of existence of other influences on imageability, such as the socialmeaning of an area, its function, its history or even its name. These are onlyglossed over.

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is largely an urban analysis of Mombasa and specifically a visual and

legibility analysis of Nkrumah Road. The analysis adds to the already existingstudies of Mombasa and may thus set the basis for further research in thiscoastal city.

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Mombasa is also the second largest city located off the Kenyan coast. It is thecentre of the Kenyan Coastal tourism industry and the main entry port to Kenya.Its rich historical background and current cultural and architectural diversitymakes it a very unique and interesting city to study.

The study brings to the fore the characteristics of Nkrumah Road that make itmore prominent to the minds of observers and thus improves the image of thestreet. It then analyses the success or otherwise of these uniquecharacteristics, thus assessing the legibility of Nkrumah Road with an aim offorming a basis for future developments within the study area.

1.6 Research Methods

1.6.1 Literature Review on Published Materials

Urban study methods that are core in this study have originated from various

books and have been compiled with a view of developing a framework for thestudy of Nkrumah Road. These books include:-

I) Urban Design: Methods and Techniques by Moughtin C. et alII) Image of the City by Lynch K.III) Responsive Environments: A Manual for Designers by Bentley I. et al

Several critical books and documents have aided in the provision of backgroundinformation on Mombasa and, to some extent, Nkrumah Road. Thesedocuments include:-

I) Mombasa: The Friendly Town by Jewel J. H. A.II) The 1926 Mombasa Planning SchemeIII) The 1962 Mombasa Master PlanIV) The 1971 Mombasa District Physical Development Plan

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1.6.2 Literature Review on Unpublished Materials

This includes contributions from papers generated both as academic researchmaterial as well as from professional consultancy, precedent thesis papers onurban design elements of a city image and research papers on current trends in

planning and design urban centres. Of particular interest were the followingpapers:-

I) Munyua A. (1999), Discerning the Urban Design elements in NairobiII) Birol G. (2004), An Alternative Approach for Analysis of Traditional

Shopping Spaces

1.6.3 Internet Sourcing

Much of the published and unpublished material is sourced from the internet

resource; these include all support documentation and articles unavailablelocally, graphic representations in form of photographs and drawings of existingcase towns as well as icons of relevance in urban design and planning.

1.6.4 Visits to Mombasa Town

Official calls to the town will include documentation of Nkrumah Road as itexists; this will provide information regarding the status of the street, itsstructure, its layout, its size and the functions it accommodates. This in turn isaimed at aiding an evaluation of the street’s image in context, enabling an indepth grasp of the real concerns affecting the image of the street and the

possible solutions or means of intervention to address the issues so unveiled.

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1.7 Structure of the Research Paper

1.7.1 Chapter One: Proposal

This chapter introduces and gives a background of the study discussing the

aims and objectives of this study, its significance, its scope and limitations andthe various research methods utilised in the study. It also gives a summary ofthe structure of the research paper.

1.7.2 Chapter Two: Urban Study Methods

This chapter examines various methods of analysis of urban spaces. It looks atthe various theories developed by different urban design experts includingKevin Lynch’s image of the City, Bentley’s Responsive Environments andMoughtin’s Townscape Analysis in Urban Design Methods and Techniques. Itthen formulates a method for the urban analysis for the study of Nkrumah Road

which has been used to develop chapter three of this paper.

1.7.3 Chapter Three: Urban Study of Nkrumah Road

This chapter presents an urban analysis of Nkrumah Road according to themethodology developed in chapter two. A historical analysis is done followed bya visual analysis and a legibility study in that order. A summary of the findings ofthe urban analysis is also presented.

1.7.4 Chapter Four: Conclusions

This section of the Research paper outlines relevant conclusions logicallydeduced from the study and the recommendations regarding the futuredevelopment of Nkrumah Road.

1.7.5 Chapter Five: References

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Chapter Two: Urban Study Methods:

2.1 Urban Study Theories

Some critical theories investigating spatial values in cities that have been

studied in this report include; Image of the City by Lynch (1960), ResponsiveEnvironments by Bentley et al (1985), and Urban Design Methods andTechniques by Moughtin et al (1999). They are summarized in the tablesbelow:-

Author & Title Key Issues Noted

Kevin Lynch - Imageof the City (1960)

I) Public image of a given city is evaluated in termsof identity, structure and meaning.

II) Design can enhance or adversely affect mentaladaptation of an individual to any situation.

III) The components that aid in orientation in a city are

paths, edges, districts, landmarks and nodes.Component Description

Paths

Transportation routes of the city.Most common points from which the cityis experienced. Prominence of paths inincreased by:-

I) Customary travel through it.II) Concentration of special use.III) Characteristic spatial qualities.

IV) Proximity to special features.V) Facade characteristics.VI) Pavement texture.VII) Details of planting.VIII) Visual exposure.

Figure 2.1: Image of Nkrumah Road, a street which is the subject ofstudy. Source: Author.

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Author & Title

Component Description

Edges

They are linear elements providingboundary between two phases. They

maybe penetrable or not and holdtogether generalized areas of a city.

They are uniting seams rather thanisolating barriers thus strong edges arenot necessarily impenetrable.

When an edge is also a path, thecirculation image dominates.

Districts

They are large areas that have enoughidentity to be named and are conceivedas having an extent which a person canmentally enter into.

The following thematic continuities arekey in determining the identity of adistrict:-

I) TextureII) Space and formIII) DetailsIV) Building typeV) Distinct use or activityVI) InhabitantsVII) Degree of maintenanceVIII) Topography

Kevin Lynch - Image

of the City (1960)

Key Issues Noted

Figure 2.2: A view of Old Town, Mombasa, which has characteristics ofa district. The unique identity of the district is due to its surface finishes,open spaces, building type and details. Source: Author.

Figure 2.3: A view of the buildings along Nkrumah Road showing adistinctively different characteristic from those in the Old Town District.Source: Author.

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Author & Title

Component Description

Nodes

These are points that require extraattention from the observer and can either

be a junction of paths or concentration ofsome characteristics.

Nodes are mostly junctions sincedecisions have to be made at junctions,people heighten their attention at suchpoints and perceive nearby elements withmore than normal clarity.

Landmarks

It is a prominent structure or geographicfeature that identifies a location and mayserve as a guide to finding it. It could

either be a building, sign, stone or evenmountain.

Kevin Lynch - Imageof the City (1960)

Key Issues Noted

There are key qualities which, once achieved in designof buildings and outdoor spaces, will make placesresponsive. These qualities include but are not limitedto the following:-

I) PermeabilityII) VarietyIII) Legibility

IV) RobustnessV) Visual AppropriatenessVI) RichnessVII) Personalization.

Bentley I. et al –ResponsiveEnvironments(1985)

Figure 2.4: Treasury Square along Nkrumah Road. This is one of thenodes along the street at its junction with Makadara Road. Source: Author.

Figure 2.5: Giant Elephant Tusks along Moi Avenue are the city’s mostfamous land mark: two pairs of crossed tusks created as a ceremonialarch to commemorate the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953. Source: Author.

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Author & Title Key Issues Noted

Quality Description

Permeability

This is the availability of a large numberof alternative routes within anenvironment.

The key to accessibility of an environmentis in the choices it offers.

Variety

This means the range of uses that anenvironment can be put to.

It is a key supporting quality topermeability as easily accessibleenvironments are irrelevant unless theyoffer a choice of experiences.

Bentley I. et al –Responsive

Environments(1985)

Robustness

It describes environments which can beused for many different purposes andthus offer their users more choice ascompared to environments whose designlimits them to a single use

Visual Appropriate-ness

It's a quality describing environmentswhich are interpreted as having meaningsthat help people aware of the choicesavailable in terms of alternative routesand range of uses.

Richness

It is a quality that increases the choice ofsensory experiences that a user canenjoy. At this level, the smallest details ofthe environment are considered.

Figure 2.6: Nkrumah Road can also be said to be a r obust environmentas it offers more than a single use. The building above houses both acommercial and a residential function to its users. Source: Author.

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Author & Title

Quality Description

Legibility

It describes the ease with which thequality of an environment can be easilyunderstood. The formal elementsdescribed by Lynch (1960) are the mainfeatures that impact on legibility. Theseinclude:-

I) PathsII) NodesIII) DistrictsIV) LandmarksV) Edges

Bentley I. et al –ResponsiveEnvironments(1985)

Key Issues Noted

Personalisat-ion

It's the ability of a person to put a unique

stamp in their own environment. This hasbeen necessitated by the fact that mostpeople live and work in environmentsdesigned by others.

Survey techniques for moderate to large projects havebeen discussed aiming at building an analyticalframework for future sustainable development. Thesetechniques have been discussed under the followingsections:-

I) Historical Analysis - Offers a basis forconservation and promotion of ideas compatiblewith a developing culture

II) Townscape Analysis - Tackles issues of urbanlegibility, permeability and visual analysis

Moughtin et al -Urban DesignMethods and

Techniques (1999)

Figure 2.7: An image of part on Nkrumah Road showing how a user hasused paving tiles to personalize this environment to their own taste andstyle using tiles of different shapes and colours. Source: Author.

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2.2 Methodology for an Urban Study of Nkrumah Road:

Based on the various urban design methodology illustrated in the table above, asummary of the key points is presented in order to guide a comprehensiveurban analysis of Nkrumah Road. This study takes into consideration the cross-

cutting variables in the different literature and attempts to adapt them to thearea of study. With this, the study hopes to create a methodology that iscomprehensive enough to adequately cover the area of study.

HistoricalAnalysis ofNkrumah

Road

Attempt to figure out the urban structure of Mombasa during theIslamic period from the statements by explorers who visitedMombasa and writers on Mombasa during the period. Theseinclude Ibn Batuta, Dom Francisco and Duarte Barbosa amongothers.

Inventory of notable buildings from the Portuguese period to thecolonial period in the mid twentieth century, with a bias in the

colonial period during which notable developments along thecurrent Nkrumah Road took place.

Note the issues tackled in the various master plans anddevelopment plans of Mombasa.

VisualAnalysis ofNkrumah

Road

TwoDimensionalStudy

Base maps ofNkrumah Road

Nolli’s map of Rome (1748)as a basis. In this map,buildings are representedwith black while streets andopens spaces are white.

Gibberds alternative wherebuildings are white whilestreets and open spaces are

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Figure 2.8: The Captain’s House which was a very important building

during the Mazrui period. Such aid in hinting at the state of the urbanform during this historic period. Source: Mombasa: The Friendly Town.



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VisualAnalysis ofNkrumah

Road

ThreeDimensionalStudy

Sections andelevations alongNkrumah Road.

Aerial Perspectives

Ground Perspectives

Study of enclosure of publicspaces along Nkrumah Road

Roofline of building alongNkrumah Road

Study of ground floor spacesalong Nkrumah Road

Study of ground floor spacesalong Nkrumah Road

Study of street corners alongNkrumah Road

Study of points of weakconnections along NkrumahRoad

Study of the generalcharacter of spatialcomposition

Study of ArchitecturalDetails

Study of the general surfaces that enclose publicspaces. These include building walls surfacefinishes and openings.

Study of the materials used to finish the pavedsurfaces

Study of the materials used to finish the paved

surfaces

Study of the general character of open spaces andstreets.

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Figure 2.9: A ground perspective of Nkrumah Road. Photography hasbeen greatly utilised in the visual analysis of Nkrumah Road. Source: Author.



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LegibilityStudy ofNkrumah

Road

Paths

Study of the intensity of use of Nkrumah Road as apath

Landmarks

A study of the landmark to determine itsclassification (whether it's a building or otherwise)

Study of the different functions of Nkrumah Roadand identification of any which is highlyconcentrated within the street

Study of the Nkrumah Road’s proximity to specialfeatures that are of great relevance to the residentsof Mombasa

Study of the different spatial qualities of NkrumahRoad

Nodes

Streets formingthe nodes

General functions and uses of thestreet

Importance of the streets to theresidents of Mombasa

Buildingsaround thenodes

General functions of the buildingsand their public relevance

General character of the buildingsin terms of details and finishes

A study of the functions and uses of the landmark ifany

A brief historical analysis of the landmark in terms ofconstruction and function

A photographic study of the landmark showing itsinitial and current state

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Chapter Three: Urban Analysis of Nkrumah Road

3.1 Historical Analysis of Mombasa

3.1.1 Overview

Various authors have categorised the history and transformation of Mombasainto different periods. Jewell J. H. A. in his book ‘Mombasa; The Friendly Town’has classified the history into the Pre-Islamic, Early Islamic, Height of theIslamic Culture, Portuguese, Mazrui, Al Busaid, British and Independenceperiods.

The first three periods have had a fair share of literary zeal expended on themabout which virtually nothing is known. Fairly documented history dates fromthe Portuguese period.

The history has been analysed on the basis of accounts given by differentpeople who visited Mombasa or wrote about i t during the period under study.Some of the periods specified above are however not mentioned as thehistorical information they contain is more of human activities rather than that ofurban structure of Mombasa at that time.

PERIOD DATE STATEMENTS REMARKS

Height of the IslamicCulture. (AD 1200 to

AD 1500)

1331 “Mombasa was a large city abound withbananas, lemon and citron. It had well built

wooden mosques whose inhabitants were ofthe Shafite Sunni sect of Islam.”

Ibn Batuta describing his visit to the Coast.

Figure 3.1.1: An image of Mbaraki Hinawy Street taken in the1890s when the Old Town was growing. Seen at the end of thestreet if the minaret of Mandhry Mosque. Source: Mombasa:The Friendly Town, Jewel J. H. A.

There was abundant food (banana,lemon and citron)

Well built wooden structures existed.

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PERIOD DATE STATEMENTS REMARKS

The PortuguesePeriod (AD 1498 to

AD 1698)

1505 Dom Francisco describes Mombasa as;

“A very large town lying on an island fromone and a half to two leagues round. Thetown is built on rocks on the higher part ofthe island and has no walls on the side of thesea, but on the land side, it is protected by awall as high as the fortress. Some of thehouses are three storeyed and all areplastered with lime. The streets are verynarrow so that two people cannot walkabreast in them. All the houses have stoneseats in front of them, which makes thestreets yet narrower.”

Captured by G. S. P. Freeman Grenville inhis book The East African Coast,

“When they entered the town, they found thatsome of the houses had been deserted as aresult of the fire they set. Further on, theyfound three storeyed houses from whichstones were thrown at them. But the stoneswhich were thrown fell against the walls ofthe narrow streets, so that much of the forceof their fall was lost. There were also many

balconies projecting over the streets underwhich one could shelter.”

There existed three storeyed houses plastered with lime.

Houses had stone seats in front ofthem.

The streets were narrow.

The houses were three storeyed.

Houses had balconies that could provide shelter to passers by.

The streets were narrow.

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PERIOD DATE STATEMENTS/MAJOR SHIFTS REMARKS

1593 to 1597

Mandrhy and Barsheikh mosques wereconstructed at around the same time time thatFort Jesus was built.

These mosques are still standing today.

Figure 3.1.3: An image of Mandrhy Mosque taken in the1950s. The image omits the landmark minaret of the mosque.Source: Mombasa: The Friendly Town, Jewel J. H. A.

The construction of Fort Jesus wasundertaken during this period.

Fort Jesus is a massive and impressivelandmark to the Southern end of Old Townwhich was built in an attempt to consolidatePortuguese hold on the beat harbour alongthe Coast.

Figure 3.1.2: An image of Fort Jesus taken in the 1950s.Source: Mombasa: The Friendly Town, Jewel J. H. A.

The PortuguesePeriod (AD 1498 to

AD 1698)

1517 to 1518 Duarte Barbosa, writing of the coast said thisabout Mombasa;

“Advancing along the coast towards India,

there is an isle hard by the mainland on whichis a town called Mombaca. It is a very fairplace, with lofty stone and mortar houses, wellaligned in streets after the fashion of theQuiloa. The wood is well fitted with excellent

joiner’s work. This is a place of great trafficand has a good harbour.”

Houses were made of good quality stoneand mortar.

The houses were well aligned along the

streets.

Woodwork was done with excellentworkmanship.

there was a good harbour and many people in the town.

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1824 to 1826

PERIOD DATE MAJOR SHIFTS REMARKS

The British Period(AD 1820s onwards)

Several public works projects that had aninfluence on the urban fabric of Mombasawere carried out at this time. The notable oneswhich exists to date include Leven House and

the Leven Steps.

Figure 3.1.4: An image of the Leven Steps as they are today.The steps lead up to the Leven House from the Indian Ocean.Source: Author.

1890 The first railway line, a small gauge track, waslaid inland for seven miles

Mombasa Memorial Cathedral and Bishop’shouse were constructed in this year.

Figure 3.1.5: An image of the Mombasa Memorial Cathedraltaken in the 1950s. Source: Mombasa: The Friendly Town,Jewel J. H. A.

1891 The first telegraph connecting Mombasa toMalindi and Lamu was laid.

This track improved the transportation of people and cargo within the islandincreasing efficiency.

This improved the speed ofcommunication and thus its efficiency.

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PERIOD DATE REMARKS


1892 The Catholic mission was officially openedand a church capable of hosting 400 peoplewas built. It is still in use today as a bookshop.

Figure 3.1.6: An image of the Holy Ghost Cathedral as viewedfrom Nyerere Road taken in the 1950s. Source: Mombasa:The Friendly Town, Jewel J. H. A.

1896 Mombasa club was founded and was movedto its current location at the approaches of OldTown Mombasa.

Figure 3.1.7: An image of the Mombasa club as it was in the1950s. Source: Mombasa: The Friendly Town, Jewel J. H. A.

Work begun on what was to become theKenya-uganda railway. It reached Nairobi in1899 and Kisumu in 1901.

1895

MAJOR SHIFTS

This was a major shift that acceleratedthe growth of the city.

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PERIOD DATE REMARKS


1900 Mombasa Railway Station was built at thecurrent Treasury Square.

Figure 3.1.8: Image of the first Mombasa Railway station that

was located at the current Treasury Square.

The Treasury Building was put up and theGovernment Square was moved from OldTown to Treasury Square.

Figure 3.1.10: Treasury building which is currently the DistrictCommissioner’s office. Source: Author.

1906

1902 The Law Courts, built on the hill between OldTown and Treasury Square was officiallyopened.

Figure 3.1.9: The High Court building which is currentlyhousing part of the Kenya National Museum of Mombasa.Much of the building is in its original state except for the

interiors that were renovated to accommodate the newfunctions. Source: Author.

MAJOR SHIFTS

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PERIOD DATE REMARKS


1926 First comprehensive planning scheme forMombasa was developed and tackled thefollowing main issues;-

1. Pooling and redistribution of land intoregular shaped plots.2. Establishment of road reserves.3. Zoning rules locating industrial/non-industrial zones and providing a maximumdensity rule limiting number of dwellings to 20dwellings per acre.

Figure 3.1.11: An image of what was to become thecontemporary part of Mombasa taken in the early 1900s.Source: Mombasa: The Friendly Town, Jewel J. H. A.

Development of deep water births at Kilindiniand with this, business focus shifted from theOld Port area.

Shipping industry moves out of Old Town andbusiness begins to shift towards its presentlocation along Moi Avenue, Digo Road andNkrumah Road.

Figure 3.1.12: An image of the Kilindini Harbour that wastaken in the mid 1900 right after the construction of the port.Source: Mombasa: The Friendly Town, Jewel J. H. A.

MAJOR SHIFTS

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PERIOD DATE REMARKSMAJOR SHIFTS

1930s Major construction work was done as thecontemporary part of Mombasa grew. Onenotable building is Oriental House which wasconstructed at the junction of Nkrumah Road

and Mwenye Aboud Road in 1936.

Figure 3.1.13: Oriental House located along Nkrumah Road.Source: Author.


Kaderbhoy Building which was built in thesame style as that of Oriental House was alsoconstructed in the 1930s. this building liesopposite Oriental House along Nkrumah Road.

Figure 3.1.14: Kaderbhoy House located along NkrumahRoad. Source: Author.

Currently known as the Palm Tree Hotel, thisbuilding was also constructed in the 1930s. Itlocated next to Kaderbhoy Building alongNkrumah Road.

Figure 3.1.15: Palm Tree Hotel buildign located alongNkrumah Road. Source: Author.

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14. Rex Hotel15. Carlton Hotel17. Manor Hotel18. Ralli House20. Catholic Church

21. Labour Department22. Native Civil Hospital23. H. M. Customs24. Queens Cinema25. Barclays Bank26. Netherland Bank27. P W D28. Oriental Building32. Mombasa Cathedral33. National Bank34. Standard Bank

35. Treasury Gardens36. Municipal Office37. Education Department38. General Post Office39. European Hospital40. Government House42. Bank of India44. Bank of Baroda45. Fort Jesus46. Mombasa Club68. Palm Court Hotel

Figure 3.1.16: A map of Mombasa drawnin 1950 by S. L. Patel showing NkrumahRoad, then known as Fort Jesus Roadwith its surrounding streets andbuildings. Most of these buildings existto date some still carrying the samefunctions. Source: Seif Bin Salim Library

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PERIOD DATE REMARKS


1962 A new Master Plan was developed with acomprehensive long term developmentscheme. The issues tackled included:-

1. Upgrading of transportation and roads.2. Suggestions for improved housing.3. Upgrading of several areas in Mombasa.

A draft physical development plan wasprepared whose main aim was to look at waysof improving the urban fabric andinfrastructure.

MAJOR SHIFTS

1971Post IndependencePeriod (1964onwards)

Major constructions also took place during thisperiod. Some of the notable buildings that

were put up after independence include theGeneral Post Office Building along Digo Roadand NSSF Building and Ambalal House whichare both along Nkrumah Road.

Figure 3.1.17: The NSSF House located along Nkrumah Roadthat was constructed in the 1970s. Source: Author.

The development of Mombasa was pegged on this master plan in an attemptto tackle the issues raised.

Improvement of infrastructure

1971 to date

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3.2 Visual Analysis of Nkrumah Road

3.2.1 Nkrumah Road

Nkrumah Road runs east from Mombasa’s CBD towards Old Town. It stretchesapproximately 750m and its joins with Moi Avenue, Digo Road and NyerereRoad to the Western edge and Mbaraki hinawy Street and Makadara Roadtowards the Eastern edge.

Before the development of Kilindini Harbour which led to a shift of business outof Old Town, Nkrumah Road was a four foot dirty road that was surrounded byforest and bushes. Periodically, a lion or leopard would be spotted along theroad.

It is currently a major street in Mombasa well known for its unique character ofhosting majority of the banks in the city. These banks include the Central Bankof Kenya, Kenya Commercial Bank, Cooperative Bank of Kenya, National Bank

of Kenya, Consolidated Bank of Kenya and a myriad of other private bankinginstitutions like Habib Bank, Gulf African Bank, Dubai Bank, Bano of India andFamily Bank among others.

Other publicly relevant facilities along this street include Dc’s office, City Hall,Treasury Square Gardens, Kenyatta University, Holy Ghost Cathedral andbuildings like NSSF Towers and Ambalal House which, albeit privately owned,accommodate functions which are publicly relevant.

3.2.2 Overview

This analysis has three main parts.

(I) A two dimensional study of surfaces that enclose public space.(II) A study of three dimensional public spaces.(III) A study of architectural details which give special character to an area.

Figure 3.2.1: Holy Ghost Cathedral located at the junction ofNkrumah Road and Nyerere Road. Source : Author,

Figure 3.2.2: Kenyatta University, Mombasa campus locatedalong Nkrumah Road. Source : Author,

Figure 3.2.3: Central Bank of Kenya, Mombasa branch locatedalong Nkrumah Road at the Treasury Square. Source : Author,


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01

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HIGH SCHOOL

NKRUMAH ROAD LOCATION OF BUILDINGS AND OTHER MAJOR AND MINOR ROADS

Figure 3.2.4: Map of Nkrumah Road

showing the location of buildings and open

spaces along the street and the other major

and minor streets adjoining Nkrumah Road.

Source: Geomaps Modified by author)

3.2.3 TWO DIMENSIONAL STUDY

02

02

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11 12

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Buildings Along Nkrumah Road

1. Stanbic Bank House2. TSS Towers3. Electricity House

4. Makena House5. DL Building6. Faiz Pharmacy Building7. Taiyebi House8. Kenya Cinema9. National Bank House10. Barclays Bank House11. Hassanalis Building12. Furaha Plaza13. Cooperative Bank House14. Oriental Plaza

15. Charterhouse Bank House16. Najat Plaza17. Habib urich Bank House18. Consolidated Bank House19. Mixed Use Building 120. Mixed Use Building 2

21. Kenyatta University Campus22. Central Bank of Kenya23. Standard Chattered Bank

24. Bank of India25. Kenya National Museums26. District Commissioner’s Office27. City Hall28. Kenya Commercial Bank29. DHL30. Mombasa Memorial Cathedral31. Fort Mansion32. Kaderbhoy33. Citi Group34. New Palm Tree Hotel

35. Telkom Exchange36. NSSF37. Mombasa Water Company38. Ambalal House39. Holy Ghost Cathedral.

Figure 3.2.5: Stanbic Bank House. Source : Author.

Figure 3.2.6: Taiyebi House (left) and Kenya Cinema (right).Source : Author.

Figure 3.2.7: Kaderbhoy Building. Source : Author. Figure 3.2.8: Citigroup (left) and New Palm Tree Hotel (right). Source : Author.


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NKRUMAH ROAD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUILDINGS AND OPEN SPACES/STREETS

Figure 3.2.9: Map of Nkrumah Road, prepared in

the format of the map of Rome by Nolli 1748)

depicting the streets and open spaces as voids

and buildings in solid black. This map shows the

external public spaces and their connection with

the main internal spaces of churches and other

buildings used by the public along nkrumah

Road. Source: Geomaps Modified by author)

TWO DIMENSIONAL STUDY

02

02

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NKRUMAH ROAD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUILDINGS AND OPEN SPACES/STREETS

Figure 3.2.10: Map of Nkrumah Road, prepared in

an alternative format suggested by Gibberd

depicting the streets and open spaces as solid

black and buildings as voids. Nkrumah Road has a

large percentage of space which is open but some

of it is private and earmarked for development.

Source: Geomaps Modified by author)

TWO DIMENSIONAL STUDY

02

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Points of Weak Connection:

Figure 3.2.15: A map of Nkrumah Road and a series of images showing the points of weak connection along the street. Mombasa Water Company offices (Figure 3.2.16) arecompletely blocked off the street by the use of high walls. The NSSF plaza (Figure 3.2.17) has been fenced with a visually permeable fence which allows for visual connection butblocks physical access. Mombasa Memorial Cathedral (Figure 3.2.18) has a similar fence. Source: Author.

Figure 3.2.15

Figure 3.2.16 Figure 3.2.17 Figure 3.2.18


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3.2.4 Enclosure of Public Spaces(Streets):

Figure 3.2.11: Nkrumah Road at a high enclosure pointbetween Ambalal House and Electricity House. Refer toSection 02-02. Width to Height ratio of 1:2. Source : Author.

Figure 3.2.12: Nkrumah Road at a low enclosure point between Oriental House and Kaderbhoy. Refer toSection 01-01. Width to Height ratio of 1:1. Source : Author.

Figure 3.2.13: Section 01-01. .Source : Author.

Width to Height ratio of 1:1

Figure 3.2.14: Section 02-02. . Source : Sketch by author.Width to Height ratio of 1:2

ORIENTAL

HOUSE

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Roofline of buildings to the North of Nkrumah Road:

0 10 20 30M

1. Stanbic Bank House- 2 floors.2. TSS Towers - 13floors at its tallest wing.

3. Electricity House - 11 floors).4. Makena House - 6 floors5. D. L. Building - 2 floors.6. Faiz Pharmacy Building - 3 floors.

7. Taiyebi House - 4 floors.8. Kenya Cinema Building - 3 floors.9. National Bank of Kenya Building - 3 floors.

10. Barclays Bank of Kenya Building - 2 floors.11. Hassanalis Building - 3 floors.12. Furaha Plaza - 7 floors

13. Co-operative Bank of Kenya Building -3 floors.14. Oriental House - 3 floors.

15. Charterhouse Bank Building - 2 floors.16. Gulf African Bank Building - 2 floors.17. Habib Bank Building - 3 floors.18. Consolidated Bank Building - 4 floors.19. Mixed Use Building 1 - 2 floors.

Figure 3.2.43

Figure 3.2.44 Figure 3.2.45 Figure 3.2.46 Figure 3.2.47 Figure 3.2.48 Figure 3.2.49

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

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The General Character of Spatial Composition: Figure 3.2.19


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Figure 3.2.19 (previous page): The TreasurySquare is a wide open space which opens upfrom a narrow section of Nkrumah Road. Thisis a dramatic shift in spatial character whichgives this space a unique characteristic.

The square is largely hard landscaped with aparking space at the centre of the square.This hard surface has however beencountered with the plants and lawns at thetreasury Square Gardens.

The image of this square is prominent due toits rich history, its mix of functions and detailsof the surface finishes. It is a popular spot inMombasa city.

Figure 3.2.20: Image of Nkrumah Road as itapproaches Old Town (Fort Jesus). Thisstretch is unique due to the character of itsenclosure. Whereas most of the street isenclosed by buildings, this stretch has a thickplant enclosure which compliments the hardlandscaped road and pavements.

The buildings along this stretch are oldcolonial buildings put up in the early 1900s.They are grandiose and raised from the streetlevel to increase their prominence. One suchbuilding is the old law court which is currentlythe Mombasa Museum.

Image source: Author.



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Figure 3.2.21(previouspage): A birds eye viewimage of Nkrumah Roadat the area around NSSFbuilding and itssurroundings. This is thepoint at which the street iswidest and the space isenhanced by the plazaoutside the NSSF buildingwhich has attempted tointroduce some form ofsoft landscaping andplants.

Figure 3.2.22: A groundlevel image of NkrumahRoad taken from a point atwhich the street is widest.Here, the street is a dualcarriage with plants in themiddle. At the NSSFBuilding’s side, there is anopen plaza fronting thebuilding.

This whole space islargely hard landscapedwith traces of plants at thecentre of the street andthe NSSF Building park.

Image source: Author.



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Figure 3.2.24

Figure 3.2.23 is an aerial perspective of the NSSF Building Plaza. This parkcreates less enclosure on the open space around the buildings but has a weakconnection to the street as there is a fence in between. This fence, thoughvisually permeable, discourages people from using that space as it increasesthe sense of privacy of the space.

In addition to the weak connection, the plaza is hardly used as the edges of theflower beds which people would normally use to sit on have spikes which makethem uncomfortable as a sitting space (Figure 3.2.24).

The character of the space brought about by the mix of colours and choice ofmaterial makes it interesting and more prominent in the minds of users. It is a‘breathing space’ as most of the street right before and after it is highlyenclosed.

Image Source: Author.



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Figure 3.2.25: Image ofNkrumah Road towards theTreasury Square. At thispoint, the street has a lowenclosure as the buildingsaverage three floors high.This is a uniquecharacteristic of the street atthis point.

The street is narrower at thispoint as compared to otherpoints. The surfaces arehard landscaped and thereis complete lack of treesexcept as the streetapproaches the TreasurySquare. Pedestrianwalkways are covered bycanopies of the buildings.

Most of the buildings frontingthe street at this point are ofcolonial style and wereconstructed between 1920and 1950. They have asimilar character in terms ofform and building materialsused. This gives this part ofthe street some prominence.

Image Source: Author.



38

The Street Image: An Urban Study of Nkrumah Road Mombasa Maseghe T M B02/0267/2003


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N K R U M AH R O AD

NKRUMAH ROAD

N K R U

M A H R

O A D

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U D

R O

A D

B A L U C H I R O A D

N Y E R E R E R O A D

3.2.5 Surfaces Enclosing Public Spaces:

TSS Towers:

Walls-Granito &Ceramic tile finish.Openings-Tintedglass for shading.

Electricity House:

Walls-RC plasteredand painted.Openings-Glass &concrete shading.

Makena House:

Walls-RCOpenings-GlassBuilding still underconstruction.

National Bank of KenyaBuilding:

Walls-concrete and masonrywith a paint finish.Openings-Glass windows

Taiyebi House:

Walls-RC with plaster and paint.Openings-Glass with concreteshading.

Barclays Bank Building:

Walls-concrete andmasonry with a paintfinish.Openings-Glass windows

Oriental House:

Walls-Masonry with a plaster andpaint finish.Openings-Glass windows.

Kenyatta University Campus:

Boundary wall-Masonry with aplaster and paint finish. Concretepaving with flowers alongpedestrian pathway.

Central Bank ofKenya:

Concrete walls withglass openings.

Standard Chattered BankBuilding:

Masonry walls with a plasterand paint finish. Glassopenings with sun shading.

Figure 3.2.26

Figure 3.2.27 Figure 3.2.28 Figure 3.2.29 Figure 3.2.30 Figure 3.2.31 Figure 3.2.32 Figure 3.2.33 Figure 3.2.34 Figure 3.2.35 Figure 3.2.36

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Paved Surfaces:

Figure 3.2.37: Coloured concrete paving tiles alongpart of the pedestrian walkway. This colour gives thispart of the street some prominence to the pedestrians.Source: Author.

Figure 3.2.38: At a point along the street, some flowersand lawns are used to soften the monotonousconcrete paving tiles. This gives a unique character tothis part of the street. Source: Author.

Figure 3.2.39: Cabro concrete paving tiles haveextensively been used especially at the plaza outsideFort Jesus Museum. These tiles with their uniquepatterns give the space an interesting character.Source: Author.

Figure 3.2.40: A retaining wall and staircase outsidethe old law courts (under conservation). The old coralfinish gives this space an ancient outlook. Source:

Author.

Figure 3.2.41: Concrete paving tiles with a mix ofcolours at the plaza of NSSF Building. This mix in aunique pattern with the combination of plantsenhances the park character of this space. Source:

Author.

Figure 3.2.42: The plaza at Fort Jesus Museum ispaved using Mazeras Stones. The irregular pattern ofthe joints is a unique shift from the rectangular pavingtiles utilised in other parts of the street. Source: Author.


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3.2.6 Street Corners:

ELECTRICITY

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Corner 1: Located at the junction of Digo Road and Nkrumah Road. Thebuilding along this corner is the Stanbic Bank House (Figure 3.2.51). Other thana diagonal chamfer on the side of the building facing the corner, the attitude ofthe buildings towards the corner is poor, with most of them having barrierspreventing access to the road.

Corner 2: Located at the junction of Mikindani Street and Nkrumah Road. Thebuilding along this corner is the Ambalal House (Figure 3.2.53). Treatment ofthis corner is relatively better as a shops on the ground floor of this buildinghave oriented their entrances towards this corner.

Figure 3.2.50

Figure 3.2.51 Figure 3.2.52

Figure 3.2.53


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Street Corners:

3 4 5NKRUM AH RO ADNKRUM

AH RO AD

M W E N Y E

A B O U D

R O A D

K A U N D A

A V E N U E KADERBHOY

HOUSE

ORIENTALHOUSE

CITIGROUP

NEW PALMTREE HOTEL

COOPBANK F

U R A H A

BARCLAYSBANK

TELKOM

NATIONALBANK

NSSFPLAZA

C H A R T E R

H S E

FORTMANSION

MOMBASAMEMORIAL

CATHEDRAL

Corner 3: Located along Nkrumah Road at its widest point. It is surrounded byNational Bank Building (Figure 3.2.56), Barclays Bank Building, TelkomExchange and NSSF Plaza. Barclays Building has responded positively to thecorner by placing its entrance facing it (Figure 3.2.57). The NSSF Plaza has

also enhanced the character of space at the corner. The National Bank Buildingand Telkom Exchange have completely ignored the corner.

Figure 3.2.54

Figure 3.2.55: Citi Group Building at the junction of Kaunda Avenue and Nkrumah Road. It responds positively to thecorner. Source: Author.

Figure 3.2.56: National Bank Building along NkrumahRoad. It does not respond positively to the corner. Source:

Author.

Figure 3.2.57: Barclays Bank Building alongNkrumah Road. It responds positively to thecorner. Source: Author.


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Corner 4: Located at the junction of Nkrumah Road and Kaunda Avenue, thiscorner is surrounded by Citi Group Building, Cooperative Bank and KaderbhoyHouse (Figure 3.2.58). Both buildings at the corner have oriented theirentrances towards the corner making it more prominent. The wall finish of theCiti Group Building with its unique colour combination and form has alsoenhanced the image of the space, making it more memorable to the users

(Figure 3.2.55).

Corner 5: Located at the junction of Nkrumah Road and Mwenye Aboud Road,the main buildings around it are Oriental House and Charterhouse BankBuilding (Figure 3.2.59). This is an extensively used corner as Mwagogo Roadconnects Nkrumah Road to Makadara Road. Both buildings have respondedpositively to the corner by orienting their entrances towards it. The wall finishesand play of colours on the surfaces of the buildings has also increased theprominence of this corner making it more memorable to the users (Figure3.2.60).

Figure 3.2.58: Kaderbhoy Building at Corner 4. This buildinghas responded positively to the corner by orienting its entrancetowards it. Source: Author.

Figure 3.2.59: Charterhouse Bank Building at corner 5 hasresponded positively to the corner using its entrance andunique mix of colour on its walls. Source: Author.

Figure 3.2.60: Corner 5 showing Oriental House and Charterhouse Bank Building. Oriental House hasoriented its entrance towards the corner. Its design and mix of colours has also enhanced the image of thecorner. Source: Author.


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3.2.7 Ground Floors:

Most buildings have internal courts which are however not linked to the mainstreets in any way with the exception of a few which have alleyways. Most ofthese courts are not visible at all. However, some have made an attempt to linktheir ground floors to the streets using entrances and shop windows. Other

buildings can be described as having dead areas as their frontages do notgenerate any activity at all.

Figure 3.1.61: An alleyway connecting the internal court ofFuraha Plaza to Nkrumah Road. Source: Author.

Figure 3.2.62: The ground floor of Ambalal House along Nkrumah Road. The ground floor has been welllinked to the main street by allocating activity generating roles to the ground floor spaces of the building.Here, many retail shops have attracted large numbers of people. Source: Author.

Figure 3.2.63: Ground floors of Faiz Pharmacy Building and Taiyebi House along Nkrumah Road whichhave also generated activity at their ground floors by allocating user friendly roles to the spaces at thislevel. Source: Author.


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Figure 3.2.64: the Old Law Courts Building along Nkrumah Road has a very poorconnection to the street. Its ground floor has been raised high above the street levelprobably as a show of power. this intimidates pedestrians at this spot. The building isalso far off the street line. Source: Author.

Figure 3.2.65: Barclays Bank Building which, although located at the street line, hasroles which don't generate activities at its ground floor. Its ground floor is also raisedoff the street level making it less friendly to pedestrians. Source: Author.

Figure 3.2.66: Consolidated Bank Building along Nkrumah Road. Despite having a rolethat generates less activity at its ground floor, its large openings connect the interiorspaces to the street visually making it more friendly to pedestrians. Source: Author.

Figure 3.2.67: A Mixed Use Building along Nkrumah Road. other than havingpedestrian friendly roles at its ground level, it has opened up its interior spaces tothe street using large openings generating more activity. Source: Author.


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3.3: Legibility Study of Nkrumah Road:

Nkrumah Road has been found to be one of the most prominent streets inMombasa. This study identified the following characteristics as having greatlycontributed to the prominence of this street:-

I) Many people customarily use this street as it is a major link between OldTown and contemporary Mombasa.

II) The street has no obstacles as it is wide enough with adequate parkingspaces, well designed junctions and convenient turning points.

III) The street has a concentration of bank and other financial institutionsand this activity has made it very prominent.

IV) The street has varying spatial qualities with some points having largeenclosures while others having smaller enclosures.

V) The street has a close proximity to special features and buildings withinthe city of Mombasa which are of greater public relevance.

VI) The street has a unique facade characteristic with a mix of old colonial

architecture and the contemporary modern architecture.

Figure 3.3.1: People customarily use Nkrumah Road to access

the different publicly relevant activities which are located alongthe street. Source: Author.

Figure 3.3.2: Nkrumah Road is popular with motorists also as it has ample parking space. The street is also wide enough and has properly designed junctions and roundaboutswhich are convenient for many drivers. Source: Author.


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3.3.1 Nkrumah Road and the Banking Industry:

Stanbic Bank-Stanbic BankBuilding

Fina Bank- Ambalal House

Dubai Bank-Taiyebi House

National Bank-National BankBuilding

Barclays Bank-Barclays BankBuilding

StandardChatteredBank-StandardBuilding

Central Bank ofKenya-CentalBank building

ConsolidatedBank-ConsolidatedBank House

Habib BankZurich-Habibbank Building

Gulf AfricanBank-Gulf BankHouse

Habib BankLimited-FortMansion

CharterhouseBank-CharterhouseBank Building

Guardian Bank-Oriental House

Citigroup Bank-Citigroupl BankBuilding

Coperative Bank-CooperativelBank Building

Bank of India-Bank of Indiabuilding

KCB-CommercialBank Building

N k r u m a h R o a d

Nkrumah Road

N k r u m a h R

o a d

TreasurySquare

Gardens

KCB

DC

CBK

TSS

B a l u

c h i R

o a d

M i k i n

d a n i S t r

e e t

M w e n y e A b o u d R o a d

Figure 3.3.3 Figure 3.3.4 Figure 3.3.5 Figure 3.3.6 Figure 3.3.7 Figure 3.3.8 Figure 3.3.9 Figure 3.3.10 Figure 3.3.11 F ig ur e 3. 3. 12 F ig ur e 3. 3. 13 Figure 3.3.14 Figure 3.3.15 F ig ur e 3 .3 .16 F ig ur e 3 .3 .17 Figure 3.3.18

Figure 3.3.19

Figure 3.3.20

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3 3 2 Nkrumah Road’s Proximity to Special Features in Mombasa City



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3.3.2 Nkrumah Road’s Proximity to Special Features in Mombasa City.

While studying the special featuresat close proximity to Nkrumah road,emphasis was given to buildingsand spaces that have a greaterpublic relevance and as such, theyattract large numbers of people.

They include; The Holy GhostCathedral, Mombasa MemorialCathedral, Treasury Square andgardens, City Hall, DistrictCommissioner’s office and FortJesus. Holy Ghost Cathedral

This is thecentre of theCatholicmission inMombasa. It isthe oldestCatholic churchin the city andis located at amajor nodewhere it attractslarge numbersof people. Memorial Cathedral

This is theoldest Anglicanchurch inMombasalocated at asite nearTreasurySquare. It isalso a majorpublic placethat attracts alot of people.

Treasury Square & gardens

This is a majornode and openspace withparking and agarden wherepeople can relax.It is surroundedby the DC’soffice, City Hall,KCB, StandardBank and theCentral Bank ofKenya. City Hall

Offices for theMombasa CityCouncil. This isthe administrativearm of the citythat runs thedifferentdepartments ofthe city. It is ahighly relevantbuilding tomembers of thepublic. Fort Jesus

An oldPortugueseport builtbetween 1593to 1596. It iscurrently underconservationand is also theNationalMuseum ofKenya’sMombasaoffice.

HOLY GHOSTCATHEDRAL

MOMBASAMEMORIAL

CATHEDRAL

TREASURYSQUARE &GARDENS

CITYHALL

D C ’ s

O F F I C

E FORT JESUS

N k r u m a h R o a d

Nkrumah Road

N k r u m a h R

o a d

CBK

TSS

B a l u

c h i R

o a d

M i k

i n d

a n i S t r

e e t

M w e n y e A b o u d R o a d

Figure 3.3.21


Figure 3.3.24


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ELECTRICITYHSE

AMBALALHSE

NSSFHSE

COASTCARPARK

NATIONALBANK

BARCLAYSBANK

TSSSTANBIC

HOLY

GHOSTCATHEDRAL

ORIENTALHSE KADERBHOY

HSE

3.3.3 Spartial Qualities

Point of highest enclosure long thestreet. It is between Electricity Houseand Ambalal House. At this point, thestreet is narrow and buildings very tall

creating an unpleasant enclosure.

Point of lowest enclosure along thestreet. This is between the NSSF House

and National Bank Building. NSSFplaza enhances the spatial quality ofthis space making it more desirable.Presence of plant material also increasethe prominence of the space.

This is a point of average enclosure.The building heights have been wellmatched to the street width. Althoughthis space has not been enhancedusing plant materials, it is moredesirable compared to the point ofhighest enclosure.

Figure 3.3.27: A three dimensional model of a sectionof Nkrumah Road. Source: Author.


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3.3.4 Nodes and landmarks

N K R U M AH R O AD

NKRUMAH ROAD

Treasury squaregardens N

Y E R E R E R

O A D

D I G O

R O A D

N s s f b u i l d i n g p l a z a

Oriental

house

Kaderbhoyhouse

D c ’ s o

f f i c e

City hall

Barclays

house

Nationalbank house

Fort jesusmuseum

N K R U MA

H R OA D

Stanbicbank house

CHARTERHOUSEBANK HOUSE

Holy ghostcathedral

Landmark01

Mombasamemorialcathedral

Landmark02

Landmark03

Electricityhouse

Ambalalhouse

M W E N Y E A B O U D R O A D

M A K A D A R A R O A D

Node 01

Node 02 Node 03

Node 04

Node 05

Figure 3.3.28

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Node 1:

NODE STREETS BUILDINGS

Moi Avenue - The main link toKilindini harbour, the chief port ofMombasa and the region.

Nkrumah Road - Main link to OldTown Mombasa and Fort JesusMuseum. This street also has aconcentration of banks.

Nyerere Road - The main link tothe Likoni channel which is thegateway to South Coast andTanzania.

Digo Road - An important

commercial street at the centre ofMombasa CBD.

Figure 3.3.29: Stanbic Bank House- Has a banking hall and offices forthe bank. The building also has an

Automated Teller Machine and is

frequented by members of thepublic since it has a canopysheltering people from rain andsunshine.

Figure 3.3.31: Fontanella Building -This is a popular bar andrestaurant located at this node. It isone of the many restaurantsowned by Little Chef Company. Itdraws large numbers of people

everyday especially during mealtimes and in the evenings. As aresult, the node remains a hive ofactivity until late when therestaurant closes.

Figure 3.3.30: Holy GhostCathedral - One of the earliestchurches in Mombasa, it is anotable Catholic church located atthis node. At the time of its

construction, this vast area was abig forest. It draws large numbersof people on weekends forweddings and church services.


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Figure 3.3.32: Commercial Building- This building which is also at thenode has a mixture of shops andoffices. It also draws a notablenumber of people who visit theshops or offices.

Figure 3.3.33: Barclays BankBuilding - It has a banking hall andoffices for the bank staff members.The bank also has an Automated

Teller Machine at the building. Thisbuilding is however not pedestrianfriendly since it has no canopy forshelter and its ground floor is notopen to the street.

Node 2:

Figure 3.3.34: National BankBuilding - This building has abanking hall and offices for thebank staff members. The bankalso has an Automated TellerMachine at the building. Thisbuilding is also not pedestrianfriendly since it has no canopy forsheltering people and its groundfloor is also not open to the street.

This node is at the junction ofNkrumah Road and some twostreets, one leading to the CoastCar Park and the other to the

dispensary at the MakadaraGrounds.

BUILDINGSSTREETSNODENode 1:


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Figure 3.3.37: NSSF Plaza - Thisbuilding and open spaces areprobably the only ones enhancingthis particular node. The plaza iswell paved with a few plants and itis a space that people frequent

most. It is a popular meeting point.

Figure 3.3.36: Telkom ExchangeBuilding - This is a single floorbuilding that currently has noactivity. It is locked and has even

run down. People tend to avoid itdue to the filth that has developedaround it.

BUILDINGSSTREETSNODE

Node 2:

Figure 3.3.38: Oriental House -This is a massive colonial buildingthat was put up in the 1930s. It hasbanking halls and shops at theground floor level and offices at thehigher levels. It is three floors high.

The building has a ground floorwell connected to the street with acanopy providing shelter topedestrians.

This node is at the junction ofNkrumah Road and Mwenye

Aboud Road.

Mwenye Aboud Road is animportant interconnection between

Nkrumah Road and MakadaraRoad and it is also one of the maingateways to the Central PoliceStation from Nkrumah Road.

Node 3:


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Fig

Documents

The Street Image - An Urban Study of Nkrumah Road, Mombasa