Building Nomenclature and Urban Identity: A case of Nairobi CBD,Kenya

摘要

"A place is a physical location imbued with human meaning"(Cosgrove 1989).Bestowing a name not only transforms an urban location into a place, it also distinguishes it as a well-defined urban element.However, in Nairobi CBD, names are currently not well recognized as identity markers.Hence, they continue to be passive artifacts embedded in the urban landscape and how the names of buildings are read and interpreted to contribute to the image and identity of Nairobi CBD is not well defined.This study will focus on building names and the relationship to their structure, era of construction, ownership, and location.It will also highlight both the indigenous and colonial building names and their characteristics such as form, visibility, use and symbolic significance.Urban identity and image will both be analyzed in view of how Nairobi CBD users identify or identify with buildings and the image portrayed to the outside world about the buildings, their names and physical characteristics.Ultimately, this study serves to inform the physical, spatial and cultural interpretation of Nairobi CBD in its past and present context.