BWIRE: Beautify Nairobi by removing cluttered, shoddy signage
Transformation of CBC underway but it’s drowning in signboards, billboards and mismatched shop branding.
by VERA BWIRE
Audio By Vocalize
Nairobi streets / HANDOUT
Nairobi
is undergoing the transformation many of its inhabitants have always been
wishing for. The ongoing beautification of our Central Business District is
beginning to breathe new life into a space long filled with congestion, visual
noise, pollution and one sprawling without regulation.
For the first time in
years, we pedestrians are starting to feel that Nairobi can at least reclaim
its reputation as the “Green City in the Sun.”
Regardless
of the body that has initiated the beautification and redesign of the streets,
this is a much-welcome move. When we have wide pedestrian corridors, some
strategic planting of trees, fresh road markings, and improved lighting.
They
show that the city has a leadership that is finally giving attention to the
aesthetics, safety, and usability of public spaces, just like the current Addis
Ababa model of urban development. This might be the beginning of what we crave
when we say we want a well-planned city.
There
is more that the county government and the national government can do, and I
hope this is in the pipeline. As Nairobi grows, some clutter still hangs over
its streets, literally.
The CBD is currently drowning in signboards,
billboards, a lot of mismatched shop branding, double branding, and so much
unregulated signage plastered on buildings, walkways, and even trees. This
visual pollution is very unattractive; regardless of the current
beautification, too many of those visuals create the chaos that we have grown
to accept.
Many
buildings have layers and layers of new and even worse old signboards that have
not been removed for years. Why, for example, should an organisation have five
or more signs in one building? Redundant boards, broken signs, and outdated
banners should be taken down to eliminate clutter and make the city look
cleaner and more organised.
Inasmuch as billboards are a revenue source, they
must be placed strategically, not crammed into every available space. There can
probably be a number allowed for each space, in fact, there are cities in this
world where you barely see any signboards, and still the occupants of their
buildings are able to market their spaces, perhaps online. In this case, having
building numbers and smaller signs inside building entry spaces is enough.
Digital billboards on the highways or on top of buildings should also comply
with brightness and size regulations to prevent light pollution.
City
Hall therefore now has a unique opportunity to move to the next stage of
beautification, whereby they can possibly introduce or enhance clear guidelines
on the size, placement, design, and colours allowed for building signage.
Our
leaders have been to major global cities such as Johannesburg, Stockholm. Cape
Town, Singapore, which have very strict codes ensuring harmony across
commercial districts. Our urban planners can borrow from these models to create
a more visually coherent and dignified CBD.
It
might therefore be time that businesses should be guided to adopt clean,
uniform, city-friendly signage, simple fonts, consistent sizes, and modern
tasteful designs. This would enhance brand visibility while preserving the
beauty of the cityscape. Lack of conformity should be met by serious
enforcement power.
Over
to you, Governor Sakaja, to build on this momentum. After cleaned-up signages,
perhaps matatu, street photographers and motorbike regulation should follow.
If
Nairobi sustains this momentum and embraces stronger regulation of signage and
infrastructure aesthetics, our CBD can become one of the most attractive urban
centres in Africa.
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