With the launch of the long awaited Britam Towers, the scales of height have shifted from UAP towers to the new concrete icon in town. Remarkable, but not only locally. The launch, has made a mark regionally as well as continentally as Britam towers now holds the gold for the tallest building in East and Central Africa, just two spots shy of being the crown jewels of the African skyline.
The building and the record, while it lasts will embody a sense of pride and entitlement both for Nairobi and nationally. According to Britam, the building has already been earmarked as one of the Vision 2030 flagship projects.
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Among its intricate features, the building boasts state of the art modern commercial office space, designed to international standards with a total lettable area of 33,000sqm, 3 parking bays for every 100 square metres of lettable which is the highest parking ratio in Nairobi and strict fire safety and security provisions.
The building also has the eight of fastest high-speed lifts in the city at a top speed of 6 m/s to enhance accessibility, rain water harvesting and grey water recycling, maximum natural ventilation and daylight, and assisted bathrooms in every floor. In addition, it is rated a green building.
Designed by GAPP Architects & Urban Designers, construction of the building began in 2013 and completed in November 2017. Even before its completion, the building had already bagged in the Highly Commended Commercial High-rise Development in Kenya Award in the African Property Awards Development of 2014-2015.
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Standing at a height of 200 metres, Britam towers offers an assortment of vertical treatment perhaps like no other building currently in the city. The highest view of the CBD and its outlying suburbia, scenes from Nairobi National Park and a glimpse of Mount Kenya. And yet for all its glory, the record will likely be short-lived by the end of 2019 when Nairobi expects to welcome another iconic juggernaut, The Pinnacle.
Britam has a fairly large real estate portfolio with some of its projects including 130 residential units in Mlolongo, 600 apartments and retail space in Ngong expected to be completed in 2018, Olive gardens in Hurlingham also expected to be completed in 2018, and similar developments in Kilimani and Kileleshwa.
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