Geoffrey Mosoti Nyakiongora

The built environment accounts for upto 40 percent of global energy consumption, this has contributed to the degradation of natural ecosystems both at the architectural and urban scale. The study seeks to not only assess the impact of this deterioration but also project how widespread its impact will be in the next 50 years. The study also seeks to investigate the potential of grass tectonics- with a particular focus on Schoenoplectus acutus - as an alternative construction material. It delves into how its cultivation, growth and harvesting could not only be used to create new forms of regenerative agriculture that incorporate technology but potentially be used as a tool to preserve or even alter natural systems and ecosystems to ultimately save the habitats of threatened plant and animal species.

Kabete is a fast growing section of Nairobi. Its main source of revenue is agriculture. As a result the County government of Nairobi plans to construct a multi purpose fresh produce market for the local farming community to sell their goods. This proposal sought to not only provide an ideal place for the sale of goods but also for the storage of large amounts farm produce through the introduction of refrigeration facilities.
The proposal is envisioned to be designed and built for and by the local community of Kabete.

The project will cater to over 5,000 customers daily and provide employment for over 500 vendors. The design also seeks to integrate the community in its construction to create means of employment for the local community.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), providing quality universal healthcare is regarded as a human right and a key hallmark of a prosperous nation. Ensuring access to healthcare
is essential in safeguarding the well-being of a country’s citizens. Kenya's doctor-to-patient ratio is a staggering 1:5,725, far exceeding the recommended 1:1,000 ratio, according to the WHO. This means that the vast majority of Kenyans do not have access to any form of medical care and many who do have to struggle to access it. Another glaring issue plaguing Kenya's healthcare system is the lopsided allocation of medical personnel, facilities, and equipment - with urban centers enjoying a high amount compared to rural areas. Though the geographic dispersion of nurses is more equitable than doctors, their overall numbers across the country still fall short of the 25 per 10,000 population ratio recommended by the
World Health Organization for adequate healthcare provision. This skewed urban-rural divide leaves many Kenyans residing in remote or impoverished rural regions grappling with little to no access to essential medical services and expertise available to their urban counterparts, highlighting an acute need to address this inequitable distribution of vital healthcare resources. A recent health facilities census by the Ministry of Health revealed that 93% of over 12,000 facilities are unable to provide basic outpatient services due to lack of equipment. 78% of these facilities cannot offer critical care, with a paltry 2,304 public ICU/HDU beds serving a population of 50 million people! For maternity services, 84% of around 5,000 facilities lack essential equipment. This has led to a shocking number of Kenyans dying due to poor facilities and medical negligence. With over half of health facilities being in urban areas where only 30% of the population resides, cases of alleged medical negligence resulting in deaths have occurred even in major urban hospitals. This shortage of new professionals further strains Kenya's ability to meet its healthcare demands. Rural public health facilities, where most of the population resides, routinely grapple with funding
shortfalls and resource scarcity. Simultaneously, the draw of higher compensation packages and superior infrastructure lures healthcare workers away from rural postings towards more lucrative urban opportunities. This rural to urban migration deepens the disadvantages already faced by underserved regional populations in accessing quality care. This research seeks to assess if AI could also aid in designing the functional requirements and layouts of these new rural hospitals based on local health needs, climate, and culture. The study also seeks to investigate if harnessing AI across planning, design, construction and resource management, stakeholders in Kenya’s healthcare sector could leapfrog conventional methods to build a new network of high-quality rural hospitals rapidly and cost-effectively. This could drastically increase healthcare access for underserved populations and help alleviate the urban-rural facility divide.