Equity Center, Upper Hill.

A fitting landmark in Nairobi’s new business hub

Project Background

The project was originally conceived by UAP Provincial Insurance Company to serve as their corporate headquarters as well as house other private blue chip tenants. Symbion was appointed as architects and lead consultants having won the design competition. The 7-storey office building was, however, let out to Kenya’s leading banking group, Equity Bank, who currently occupy the entire building, hence the name Equity Centre. img

Location

The building is located along Hospital Road at its junction with Kenya Road and in close proximity to another Symbion product - the Africa Re Centre. The building sits on a 1.4 acre plot – a result of amalgamation of two plots.

Project Description

The project was commissioned in 2004 with the following client objectives: a medium rise development set in a garden environment, highly functional office spaces allowing tenant flexibility, an iconic building, appropriate engineering services for a grade ‘A’ building and a sustainable building.

Four years and Kshs 560 million(US $6.9million) later, and after overcoming various construction challenges, the building was delivered which met the client objectives. With 3 parking floors and 7 office levels, the now Equity Centre is timeless in design, impressive in articulation and finishes and a fitting landmark with an axial pedestrian entry at the end of Kenya Road. The main entrance, raised by over a metre above the adjacent entry plaza forms a fitting entry level to a key Kenyan Bank Headquarters.

The lobbies, all naturally lit and ventilated, boast of imported marble finishes, ruff and tuff, concealed lighting. The washrooms are well appointed and have dual flash fittings, taps with infrared sensors and wall mounted cisterns. Low maintenance finishes including stone, marble and marmoran adorn the building exterior with balconies provided for window cleaning access. Informed by geotechnical investigations, the building sits on a foundation with thickened column bases. A sub-basement parking was therefore introduced to achieve maximum utility of the raft foundation base.

The superstructure was designed as a frame structure for purposes of lateral load resistance to wind and seismic loads. To allow maximum office flexibility, the building is free span without central columns, utilising a ribbed slab construction weighing and costing in the region of 20 percent less than a conventional solid slab.

Energy and Environmental Considerations

    The mechanical and electrical services were designed by Geomax Consulting Engineers with the design geared towards energy and environmental conservation incorporating:
  • A fully IT wired internet ready building
  • Sprinkler firefighting system on all parking floors with a sprinkler riser to allow for easy retrofit in the office floors should this be required by tenants
  • Analogue addressable fire detection and alarm installation on all floors
  • Automatic start standby generators complete with an underground reserve tank
  • An electric fence
  • A borehole and reverse osmosis treatments plan
  • Solar heaters to the kitchenettes
  • Iconic 10 passenger lifts supplied by Schindler Ltd

In this building Symbion demonstrates its commitment to sustainable architectural development through the articulate employment of environmentally friendly local and imported materials to create an energy efficient structure. Landscaped gardens and gatehouses, with plant room spaces form part of the design concept. Project area: The building occupies approximately 14,207 sqm.

Schedule of Accommodation

    Subsequently modified by the bank to fit their requirements, the schedule of accommodation of the shell and core building comprised:
  • Basement car park that can take forty-four cars
  • Ground floor car park that can take thirty-eight cars
  • Mezzanine level 1 car park that can take thirty six cars
  • Mezzanine level 2 car park that can take thirty eight cars
  • Seven typical floor offices occupying 7,213 sqm
  • Service rooms including a generator room, transformer, switch rooms, MDF room, water storage for both domestic and fire fighting, a pump room and maintenance stores
  • Landscaped gardens
  • Gate house incorporating staff changing facilities.

Equity Centre is a welcome addition to Upper Hill, Nairobi’s new business district.