INTRO:
Nairobi Kenya is a diverse and cosmopolitan destination comprising a profound depth of African history and equally a dynamic and vibrant cultural scene of arts, music, crafts, and cuisine with no equal in East Africa. Nairobi is a global gateway for business travelers to Africa and tourists on safari journeys and for many guests, their first arrival and introduction to East Africa.

Heritage and contemporary architecture blends harmoniously throughout Nairobi’s forested parks and urban areas providing a unique and distinct character. Varying styles of existing and new hotels coexist in Nairobi, some traditional and localized and some that seek an international audience and style.

For our architectural planning and design for the new Marriott Freight Lane Hotel, we chose a direction of an “Emerging hotel with its own individual style” with references to traditional or heritage planning and form yet an international “Tropical Modern” architectural stylistic focus.

FORM | SPACE | PLANNING:
Born and raised in Nairobi, the owner brief was simple and compelling. Create a unique place that would capture the essence of the Kenya cultural spirit, the Savanah landscape view and the enormous star filled night skies. For first time and returning visitors to Kenya.

The hotel site is within the Kenyan airport authority and a 5-minute drive from the terminal. As an airport hotel, for many first-time visitors to Kenya, many on business, most of safari holiday, this hotel will be the guests first impression of Nairobi and Kenya. Nairobi is lessor known for its large intercity parks and gardens. The owner also wished to incorporate this natural heritage with outdoor gardens and spaces. A courtyard planning solution was the best option to capture the owner brief.

The planning of the hotel is effectively a L-Shaped massing of guest rooms fronting two sides of an outdoor Courtyard. The overall structure is (5) floors in height, Ground Floor + 4 Room floors and no basement due to security concerns. The L-Shaped guest room floor orientation and views to the courtyard, the Savanah and the airport runways were thoroughly considered. The guest room orientations are optimized for natural light and to provide privacy from neighboring structures. The top level contains the fitness center, spa, and the rooftop bar with 360-degree views and infinity edged pool overlooking the Kenyan Savanah and distant mountains, and open to the night sky.

The courtyard is composed of 2 distinct spaces and 3 key elements. The watering hole, the Boma and the Acacia Tree. All spaces on the ground floor face the courtyard including the arrival, lobby, bars, dining and conferencing. The courtyard portion viewed on arrival is a grid of African Acacia tress within a basin of tranquil water, or a “watering hole”. Placed within the watering hole is a modern styled traditional African Boma, or firepit. Boma’s are integral to the local tribal culture and for the guests, a safari experience. The second courtyard space is a hardcourt extension of the conferencing center and utilized for conferencing events. This courtyard is surrounded by trees and one large heritage sized Acacia tree. Due to high security issues, fortress scaled walls enclose the courtyard and project boundary.

MATERIAL | FAÇADE DESIGN | SUSTAINABILITY:
Nairobi is located one degree south of the equator which creates minimal seasonal changes other than wet and dry seasons and little variation of sunrise to sunset throughout the year. Classified as sub-tropical highland climate, evenings can be cool at certain months of the year. Nairobi’s climate provides a flexible façade design engineering and design opportunity.

The façade design and composition are inspired by local Maasai culture and history. The window fenestration is vertically emphasized and detailed with vertical blade sunscreens The vertical emphasis draws its inspiration from the rich history of Maasai hunting spears, Kenyan artists, which depict human figures of exaggerated height and slenderness in painting, and the traditional Adamu dance of the Maasai.

The façade base or podium, perimeter boundary walls, select decorative walls and select full height walls are composed of natural white coral stone from Kenya combined with aggregate textured cement finishing. Sudanese Teak is utilized for podium level screening. Window mullions and vertical blade screens are wood colored powder coat aluminum finish for upper floors. The proximity to the airport requires acoustic noise reducing laminate glass, and with Low-E coatings. Solar panels will be located on the closed roof areas. Landscape hardscape is local sandstone, bricks and tuft stone. Softscape plantings are all indigenous trees, shrubs and Savanah grasses.