On February 13, Kenya Railways embarked on an ambitious Ksh30 billion project to transform the city's railway system and the architectural outlook of the Kenya Railways Central Station.
Unknown to many, the key infrastructural project unveiled by President William Ruto was inspired by a similar project - King's Cross in London
During a visit to the UK on Thursday, February 23, Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen revealed that the Nairobi project was a replica of the London District project that dates back to 1800, redeveloped over time.
The London railway hub got its name from a statue of King George erected next to the multi-million project.
King's Cross is famed for its architectural masterpiece as it incorporates modern and contemporary art.
The hub currently hosts two major railway terminals – St. Pancras and King’s Cross Railway Stations which record over 47 million passengers annually.
"King's Cross embraced transport planning, multi-disciplinary engineering services, security, IT lighting design, acoustic visualisation and pedestrian modelling.
"These components also feature in the Nairobi Railway City design owing to the essential role they play in ensuring the completeness and attractiveness of the city as a transit-oriented multi-modal city fit for habitation, trade and investment," Murkomen stated.
It also hosts homes, shops, offices, restaurants, schools, and the Central Saint Martins campus of the University of Arts London.
Allies and Morrison, Porphyrios Associates and Townshend Landscape Architects in 2006 prepared King's Cross redevelopment plan.
"The permission allowed for circa 50 new buildings, 20 new streets, 10 new major public spaces, the restoration and refurbishment of 20 historic buildings and structures, and up to 2,000 homes," read s statement on the King's Cross website.
King's Cross currently hosts major offices, including leading brands like Facebook and Universal music. Also at the hub is the Ksh150 billion Google offices.
Nairobi Railway City
Like King's cross, the Ksh30 billion project will host commercial, and residential facilities other than the modernised transport system.
"The objectives of this project are to create a transit hub with multi-modal transport facilities and regenerate the area around the Nairobi Central Station.
"It will also expand Nairobi to the South East, provide a livable and sustainable urban space, as well as provide an iconic development to position Nairobi as a leading world city and commercial hub," Kenya Railways stated.
