Public Space Network

Public Space Network A collective of civil society, public and private stakeholders and urban experts with a vested interest in creating a cleaner, greener & safer Nairobi.

When most people think about infrastructure, they think about roads, bridges and buildings.But some of the systems helpi...
14/05/2026

When most people think about infrastructure, they think about roads, bridges and buildings.

But some of the systems helping cities function are quieter than that.

Trees cool streets.
Green spaces help absorb excess rainwater.
Natural systems help reduce flooding, heat and pollution.

Nature is not separate from urban infrastructure.

It is part of how cities function.

Do you think Nairobi would handle floods and extreme heat better if the city invested more in nature-based infrastructure before disasters happen instead of reacting afterward?

Public Space Network will be attending WUF13.This year’s World Urban Forum is centered around the theme: “Housing the wo...
14/05/2026

Public Space Network will be attending WUF13.

This year’s World Urban Forum is centered around the theme: “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities.”

The forum brings together practitioners, institutions, communities and organisations from around the world to discuss the future of cities and urban life.

We look forward to engaging in conversations around:
• public spaces
• climate resilience
• community-led urban development
• and inclusive cities

Follow along as we share insights, reflections and moments from the forum.

SustainableCities NairobiCity CommunityLed UrbanPlanning PublicSpaceNetwork

13/05/2026

Some of us have never seen Nairobi River clean.
At Ondiri, where the river begins, the water is clear enough to see through. But just a few kilometers downstream through Dagoretti and toward Kamukunji, the river slowly changes color as waste and pollution increase along the way.
Curious to know,what’s the cleanest stretch of Nairobi River you’ve ever seen, and where was it?

12/05/2026

Recently, we visited a grassroots community space in Mathare to learn more about the work local young people are already doing to create spaces for learning, creativity and community.

From community meeting spaces to libraries and working areas, places like these show how local communities are taking up the initiative to create environments where young people can gather, learn, organize and grow together.

At Public Space Network, staying connected to grassroots initiatives across Nairobi matters because understanding communities goes beyond formal projects. It also means listening, learning and building relationships with the ecosystems that already exist across the city.

Part 2 coming soon: Inside the only music studio in Mathare.

Last week, we joined urban practitioners, researchers, policy actors, and community voices at the UoN Africa Regional Ca...
11/05/2026

Last week, we joined urban practitioners, researchers, policy actors, and community voices at the UoN Africa Regional Campus for conversations on governance ecotones, public space, and the future of African urbanism.

One thing became very clear throughout the discussions:

many urban projects struggle long-term not because solutions don’t exist, but because the people already living with these challenges are often included too late in the process.

Across Nairobi, communities are already finding ways to respond to flooding, pollution, unsafe public spaces, poor drainage, and infrastructure gaps through everyday action, organizing, and adaptation. But the people closest to these realities are still rarely treated as key voices in planning and decision-making.

Cities are not only shaped by infrastructure.
They are shaped by how people move, work, gather, adapt, and use space every day.

If we want more resilient and sustainable cities, then communities cannot remain an afterthought in how urban futures are imagined and built.

Because ultimately, who governs the commons governs the future of the city.

Most people pass through Nairobi’s public parks without knowing the stories behind them.But many of these spaces are tie...
11/05/2026

Most people pass through Nairobi’s public parks without knowing the stories behind them.

But many of these spaces are tied to some of the city’s most important moments. From independence and resistance to philanthropy and public protection.

Some were gifted to the public, some survived attempts to be turned into private developments and some became sites of protest, memory and national identity.

And many still continue serving Nairobi residents every day.

Public spaces are not just places to relax. They are part of how cities remember, gather and belong.

What other Nairobi public spaces do you think more people should know about?

Follow Public Space Network for more insights into the spaces that shape Nairobi’s history and everyday life.

The people who live in a space are its best scientists. This week at the UoN-SMUS II Africa Regional Campus, the convers...
09/05/2026

The people who live in a space are its best scientists.
This week at the UoN-SMUS II Africa Regional Campus, the conversation on urban waste moved beyond the classroom to involve the people who live it every day. 

By bringing together stakeholders from government officials and researchers to students and community members- the forum has created a space where academic study meets lived reality. 

These community members were invited because they are the ones who truly understand the urban ecotone. From the Ondiri wetlands through the heart of Kamkunji and Korogocho, all the way to Ruai, they provide the grounding truth that is so essential to these studies. 

Theory is important, but it is the lived experience of these experts that brings the soul and the “reality” to the research.

What happens after a community-led project is completed? That question matters.Because impact is not only about what get...
09/05/2026

What happens after a community-led project is completed? That question matters.

Because impact is not only about what gets built. It is also about whether people continue using and caring for it over time.

Dhobi Women, last year’s winners from Kamukunji in Season 7 of the Youth City Changing Faces competition, used their micro-grant to rehabilitate a neglected public space in their community.

Today, that same space continues to serve people beyond the initial implementation phase. This year, it even hosted Labour Day celebrations organised within the community itself.

The space is no longer sitting neglected. It has become part of everyday community life.

This is what community-led transformation can look like when local leadership, support and implementation come together around real needs.

What could more spaces like this unlock across Nairobi?

In Dandora, we’re seeing that climate adaptation is as simple as neighbors,like those organized in Nyumba Kumi- taking o...
08/05/2026

In Dandora, we’re seeing that climate adaptation is as simple as neighbors,like those organized in Nyumba Kumi- taking over the courts they move through every day. When the community manages the space, they create jobs and eliminate crime. 🇰🇪✨

Most people think flooding is only an infrastructure problem.But in many parts of Nairobi, it quickly becomes a public h...
07/05/2026

Most people think flooding is only an infrastructure problem.
But in many parts of Nairobi, it quickly becomes a public health problem too.

When excess rainwater overwhelms drainage systems, contaminated water spreads through communities, increasing exposure to illnesses like cholera and other waterborne diseases.

What many people don’t realise is that green public spaces quietly help reduce this risk. Trees, soil, vegetation and open ground help absorb and slow down excess rainwater before it overwhelms roads, drainage systems and settlements.

That means:
• Less flooding pressure
• Less contaminated standing water
• Lower exposure to health risks after heavy rains

Public spaces are not just recreational spaces. They are part of the systems that help protect community health before crises happen.

What areas in Nairobi experience the worst flooding during rainy seasons? And what changes do you think would actually make a difference there?

Follow Public Space Network for more insights on how public spaces shape health, climate resilience and everyday life in Nairobi.

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