Students: Atsuko Koyama, Hannes Rutenfranz
Location: Group work in Nairobi
Date: December, 2007
Type: Research project, student work, Revitalisation in Nairobi

The industrial quarter occupies a large area in the south and south west of the city center and can be traced back to the very early years of Nairobi. It takes its distinctive urban pattern from the presence of the railway, which used to feed and service the industries, workshops and production facilities located along the tracks. In the last decades, the railway has all but ceased to operate and the main reason of the original existence of this area has disappeared.
Today, this area is still mostly marked by industrial activities, however more businesses are relocating elsewhere, realizing that the proximity to the city center puts a strain on the infrastructure, communication and mobility, which is essential to the businesses. Trucks have problems manouvering goods to the warehouses and workshops, clients get stuck in traffic and the railroad that was once used to transport materials and dispatch finished products is now merely blocking movement and occupying valuable real-estate.
Being centrally located, we can see this strategic area of Nairobi having a potential for revitalization, especially as the industries, being the former users, are relocating. One of the first steps towards revitalization has been the establishment of the “Go-Down”, an arts and media center in one of the disused warehouses, which provides studio space to local and international artists, computer and media courses to the youth of nearby residential areas, as well as recording studios to various bands and musicians in the city. Initiatives like these carry the promise of an upgrading and ‘domesticization’ of a part of Nairobi, which was uptill now characterized by monofunctional activities of production and industrial craft.