SIDAREC Mukuru Kwa Njenga Resource Center
Nairobi, Kenya

The SIDAREC Mukuru Kwa Njenga Resource Center is the heart of the neighborhood, designed to bring dignity and a sense of pride to the community and a place where people will gather to play, study and learn.

The building and the site are integrated to maximize the functionality. Sustainability is the guiding principal. The building is designed to have a flexible floor plan so that future programmatic changes can be easily implemented. The building and site produce its own energy with photovoltaic panels and wind turbines. They are designed to be naturally ventilated and day-lighted. Rain water is collected on site, compost is used to fertilize the orchard, and plants are grown that provide food, shade and medicine.

Site

The main access to the site is from road. There is also an opportunity for access to the adjacent southern part of the slum, if additional access is desired. The building is located to the rear of the site. It embraces the amphitheater, ball fields/courts and gardens. Access to the amphitheater and playing fields is possible when the building is not open. As one approaches the building from the road, there is an orchard on one side of the path and a soccer field on the other. The produce from the orchard will be used to generate income for the Center and can be used by the adjacent bakery. There are composting toilets in the orchard to provide fertilizer for the fruit trees.

The amphitheater is centrally located. It is where performances and puppets shows are held. It is also a place to meet and gather. The Center is the back drop of the theater and could be decorated for performances. Around the amphitheater is a native tree forest to provide shade and habitat for fauna, as well as a learning opportunity for kids that may not be familiar with the importance of native species.

Three wind turbines are scattered throughout the site to create a visual sense of place. The location of the facility will be easily spotted by the 13 meter high turbines, which will generate power to illuminate the soccer field, basketball/tennis courts and bathrooms at night when necessary.

There is a medicinal garden adjacent to the clinic to give doctors and patients an opportunity to use natural healing herbs.

Building

The building is organized around an exterior covered walkway which surrounds the amphitheater and garden and connects all the functions of the Center. The central reception area is located in the heart of the complex. It is clearly designed as the center of the facility by its form and height. The higher roof serves as a cooling tower.

The whole building is oriented to the south/southeast prevailing breezes to passively ventilate the rooms. The roofs are sloped in such a way that the wind can move across the building from the south to the north and from low to high pushing excess heat outside. The roof is covered with a solar array of photovoltaic that will generate the power requirements for the entire building. The roofs also collect rain water into two large cisterns at each end of the building to be used in the medicinal garden and the orchard. The rain water location is also convenient for use by the clinic, the bakery and the public.

The bakery located at the front of the building serves as welcoming anchor. The bakery has access to the water in the cistern and has an adjoining outdoor area where people may eat. Adjacent to this outdoor indoor room is the internet café with 15 work stations and a copying/printing area. In the covered access way that is in between the bakery and the internet café are located a few tables and the cell phone charging stations, pay phones and other on-demand coin operated power functions that may be required.

Immediately next to the reception area are the rooms that require the most supervision, such as the offices, server room/storage and the daycare. The reception room and the indoor/outdoor daycare are designed so that if a larger gathering space is needed, the rooms may be opened up to create a great space for special events.

The computer training room is located near to the day care so that students may drop off their children on their way to class.

Materials

The building is to be built using as many local materials as possible and built by people in the community. The walls of the structure are made of locally made bricks from soil, water and cement. The windows, made of local soda ash, are covered with hand made louvered-shutters which will allow the windows to be opened during the day to provide fresh air while maintaining a secure environment.

The roof system is made of metal trusses which are welded on site, covered with corrugated metal sheets, on top of which is the securely attached solar array.

Location