Kairos Futura, a network of established and emerging artists, launches a new project called ‘Nairobi Space Station‘. The Nairobi Space Station is a project that aims to bring creative, sustainable solutions to Nairobi.
Kairos Futura is a global network of established and emerging artists, activists, design thinkers, and local organisations working to prototype and implement community visions and solutions for the future.
The project is led by artists and directors at Futura Kairos Abdul Rop, Lincoln Mwangi and Ajax Axe. The directors will oversee a team of artists, designers, and scientists dedicated to imagining and implementing new visions for the future of the city. The space station project will focus on ecological issues and the rewilding of inner-city areas.
Abdul Rop, co-commander of the Nairobi team says:
“The Nairobi Space Station is not about escaping to another planet, but about creating a more sustainable and liveable city for our community. We’re committed to working with local organisations and activists to develop and implement creative, practical solutions that improve the environment, promote biodiversity, and enhance the quality of life for everyone here and particularly people in informal settlements.”
“The Nairobi Space Station is about creating a future where we live in harmony with nature, instead of against it,” says Lincoln Mwangi , the co-commander of the Nairobi team.
The team consists of 10 staff members and over 100 volunteers. They will be working on a number of projects, such as establishing guerrilla green spaces in slums; investigating freshwater quality improvement strategies; establishing a “flying matatu, indigenous tree seed bank. and providing opportunities for hands-on learning related to envisioning Nairobi’s future. In order to increase biodiversity and the health of regional ecosystems, the team is also looking into ways to rewild inner-city regions, particularly those along the rivers in Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Mathare, Kibera, and Korogocho.
Kairos Futura is also collaborating with community leaders interested in utilising creativity as a catalyst for change. Community partners that are part of the project includes the Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary, Nairobi’s largest urban forest, Mathare Green Movement, Wajukuu Arts , Looks Like Avido, and Nairobi Design Week. These partners will help to maximise impact in areas where artists are planning initiatives and workshops.
On the collaborations with community partners, Ajax Axe, director of Kairos Futura says:
“We are thrilled to be partnering with organisations that share our vision of a greener and more liveable city.”
The Nairobi Space Station will run from March 19 to June 1, 2023.
