Democratise urban planning, architectural and engineering designs

Kenya is a boom in the development of its built environment. As public infrastructure projects are implemented and impact our daily lives, the processes behind their planning and design must be transparent, inclusive, and open to scrutiny.

Many public and private sector projects have followed a procurement model that is exclusionary and susceptible to manipulation. The few designs that are subjected to competitions in Kenya typically begin with advertisements for financial and technical proposals, immediately locking out talented but unestablished professionals.

Instead of harvesting the rich diversity of ideas from young planners, architects, engineers, and designers, we end up with international or the same local firms meeting the mark repeatedly.

Late last year, a call for a Central Bank building required bidders to provide proof that they have completed three complex buildings involving specialised designs valued above KSh1 billion in the last 15 years.  Such criteria are not only restrictive—they are intellectually dishonest. Similarly, asking for evidence of having handled billion-shilling projects automatically excludes most of the professional community. This rigged model chokes innovation and entrenches gatekeeping.

When international financiers almost always dictate the project scope and the professionals and materials to be used. In these cases, qualified Kenyan professionals are locked out entirely, and public infrastructure becomes a tool for foreign influence rather than national pride. The Sh30 billion Nairobi Central Station project is part of a large-scale urban regeneration initiative. It is supported by funding from the United Kingdom government and is being designed by a British architect, in collaboration with a Kenyan engineering consultancy with historical ties to the UK. It is not common knowledge how the conceptualisation and awarding of the design commission were conducted.

The government’s secrecy on projects further erodes trust. Consider the ongoing renovations at Bomas of Kenya. Despite being a national cultural landmark, the news of a Turkish firm winning the Sh31.6 billion tender came as a news flash to the Architectural Association of Kenya community. There has been no formal announcement, no public design brief, and no clarity on who is designing or executing the works. The project has caused genuine unease among Kenyan built environment designers, who are more than capable of contributing meaningfully to such a culturally significant undertaking.

Similarly, the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project has been characterised by opacity. As plans proceed for SGR Phase 2, public confidence remains low, and local professionals may participate only on the fringes of this critical nation-building initiative. While the budget and core designs may originate from China, the project’s potential for locally-led urban regeneration along its route remains untapped.

Details about the planning, design, and procurement of the Nairobi Expressway were withheld from the public. Queries and concerns raised by various built environment professional bodies went unanswered. Had these voices been heard, the project could have delivered a truly multi-modal urban spine—integrating green bus rapid transit and dedicated lanes for non-motorised transport.

The procurement silence echoes a pattern. Uhuru Gardens Freedom Museum development, State House Nairobi roof decapitation, and Uhuru and Central Parks renovations have all exhibited exclusionary processes.

These are not just missed opportunities, they are red flags for a culture of exclusion. Public spaces must reflect the people they serve, and the only way to achieve that is by making the design process participatory. Open design competitions, starting with idea proposals rather than financial bids, can democratise design and elevate local content and innovation.

Young or unknown designers will bring bold, fresh perspectives when given a chance to share their vision. Is this the challenge that the guards of the status quo don’t want to face?

Once solid ideas have been selected, those applicants can be supported to collaborate with more experienced pros during technical bidding. This is how countries like Rwanda have nurtured architectural excellence and elevated young talent by investing in open competition and transparency.

When construction tenders are closed off, we lose aesthetic quality, functional efficiency, local context, and most importantly, community ownership. A well-designed infrastructure, building, or space is one that resonates with its users, and that can only happen if the planning and design phase is open and inclusive.

As the Architectural Association of Kenya, we are now boldly demanding a change in how this country procures its public designs. We must champion competitions that reward ideas first, followed by partnerships to ensure execution capacity. We stand ready to develop guidelines that favour transparency over convenience, and equity over elitism.

If we are serious about building a country that reflects its people’s aspirations, then we must open the gates of design to more than just the usual suspects. We must let ideas lead the way.

 The writer is the Architectural Association of Kenya president