Tallest Buildings in Nairobi And The Architects Who Designed Them 

Nairobi is often referred to as the green city under the sun and rightly so. The capital city of Kenya has experienced tremendous growth over the years. Investors are pouring money in skyscrapers that come in interesting architectural designs. Nairobi has some of the tallest buildings in Africa. 

This article contains a list of top tallest buildings in Nairobi. However, there are a few other buildings under construction that will in the future be among the tallest in Africa. The 88 Nairobi Condominium Tower which will be 218 meters (715ft)  will probably top the list. 

Here is the list as compiled by WoK.

Britam Tower

This is currently the tallest building in Nairobi owned by British American Insurance Company Limited.

The imposing building was named the top skyscraper in Africa in the global architecture awards announced in Germany. The 31 storey building offers panoramic and breathtaking views of the surrounding areas including the Nairobi National Park. It is 660ft (200m) above the ground and has a 12-storey car park that can accommodate up to 1,000 vehicles. 

Nairobi Global Trade Centre Office Tower

The Sh40 billion GTC is a 42 floor 184 meter skyscraper in Westlands, Nairobi.

UAP Old Mutual Tower

Located in Upper Hill Nairobi, the 33-storey building was completed in 2015. Upon its completion, it became the tallest building at the time overtaking the Times Tower.

The tower owned by UAP Old Mutual Holdings was designed to mimic old architecture in New York, the Empire State building. 

The 535ft (163m) building illuminates the city at night with its awesome LED lights. The entire exterior is covered with hundreds of led bulbs spaced evenly and operated individually to suit various occasions. 

With its standing altitude being 5,700 feet above sea level, UAP Old Mutual Tower unseated Rahimtulla Tower as the highest point in Nairobi. 

Times Tower

The landmark building also called the new Central Bank Tower was the tallest in Kenya for over 15 years. At 459ft, it is currently the third tallest building in Nairobi. It contains 38 floors, a 7-storey banking complex and an 11-split storey car park.

It is designed to withstand earthquakes and majorly used by the Kenya Revenue Authority. The building completed in May 2000 is open every day except during public holidays and security is tight. You need to have an identification document to enter.

The tower was built by the Central bank of Kenya in collaboration with the government. 

Prism Tower

The construction of the tower owned by King’s developer started in 2013 and completed in 2018. The tower has 28 floors and a 5-storey car parking lot. Located along Ngong Avenue, the 34-storey building stands at 133m and its eye-catching architectural design makes it a beautiful sight to behold. 

Le Mac

Located in Westlands, Nairobi, Le Mac is a 24-storey commercial and residential building standing 124 meters above the ground and owned by Mark Properties. Le Mac was designed by architect cum politician Sylvia Mueni who owns Sycum solutions company. Offices are housed on six floors while residential properties are housed on 14 floors. It also contains three basement parking levels.

Parliament Tower

The building contains 26 floors and five below the ground and its main use is by the government. It is owned by the government of Kenya. 

Teleposta Tower

Project: Plumbing, Drainage and Fire Fighting
Contract Period: July 88 – June 2000
Cost: Kshs. 101 Million
Developer: Kenya Posts & Telecomm. Corp.
Architects: George Varrios
Q.S: Mathu & Gichuiri
M.E’s: Ngilu Associates
Main Contractor: Laxmanbhai Construction Co. Ltd.

Standing at 120 meters above the ground, the building was once the third tallest in the city and originally owned by Teleposta Pension Scheme and Provident Fund. It is located right at the heart of the city along Kenyatta avenue. The building commenced in 1996 and was completed three years later. The tower was designed by Anthony Gleeson houses Telkom Kenya, Kenya Ministry of Trade and Kenya Ministry of Information and Communication. 

Kenya Commercial Bank Plaza

Located in Upper Hill, the plaza was completed in 2015, five years after construction began. Kenya Commercial Bank Group is the main tenant and the building is fitted with solar panels to supplement the power from the national grid. Apart from this, it has the ability to harvest and treat rainwater to be used in the building. The building is owned by Kenya Commercial Bank group.

The Kenyatta international Convention Center

Architect: Norwegian Karl Henrik Nøstvik, 1973

Engineers: Gordon Melvin and Partners

The landmark building is located in Nairobi’s City Square and is a crucial address for a number of government offices and is a state owned corporation. It was the tallest building in the country before the construction of Teleposta towers.

It is known for hosting conferences, meetings and seminars and is ranked one of the top places to host conferences in the continent.

The 28 storey building sits at 105.2 meters and is one of the top buildings tourists visit to take a look at the Nairobi scenery.

National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Building 

The building is 103 meters above the ground and houses 28 floors owned by NSSF. It rents out office space to a number of people or groups for both private and government purposes.