A new waterside urban development in Mombasa

Matrix Partnership prepared a masterplan for the redevelopment of a 31 hectare coastal site in Mombasa, Kenya. The project will deliver circa 400,000 sq.m of new mixed use development and regenerate an historically important yet derelict site in a key waterfront location close to the city centre.

Driving the project is the need for Mombasa to address the rapid urbanisation of its population and to stimulate both tourist and business interests. Whilst Mombasa’s history dates back to 900AD and includes the legacy of both Arabic and Portugese presence, the city loses out to Nairobi on a number of fronts. This project is therefore of tremendous importance given the urgent need to ‘raise the game’ in terms of quality of development, to accommodate its burgeoning urban population, and to capture the considerable focus of international property investment interests across Kenya.

The project will create an entirely new city quarter offering wide-ranging benefits to local people and protecting local heritage assets. Care has been given to the creation of a number of distinct but connected and complimentary character areas that respond sensitively to the natural assets and qualities of the site and the intrinsic opportunities that it offers.  Complementing this is the creation of a new harbour, beach front resort, international hotel/conference centre, office space and a range of community facilities. Considerable attention has been given to developing a landscape strategy that incorporates existing mature planting and creates a new approach to the waterfront as a publicly accessible asset.