From footpaths for penguins to integrating Nairobi Central Station into the heart of the City

Neil is Professional Head of Discipline for Landscape and Masterplanning at AtkinsRéalis, based in London. After working for two years in Bristol and Sydney he joined AtkinsRealis as a graduate 22 years ago and has since worked across the UK, the Middle East, India, China, Colombia and Kenya, most recently on the urban design for Nairobi Central Station.

One of Neil's early projects included the design of footpaths for penguins in Taronga Zoo in Sydney.

It’s a good place to start, because it set the question he’s been answering ever since: who is this place really for, and how are they going to use it.

Twenty-two years, one thread

Neil joined AtkinsRéalis as a graduate. Since then his work has taken in the Barbican Podium, Hampstead Heath Ponds, Oxford Circus and Queen’s Promenade, alongside international projects on four continents.

“Whilst the drivers and settings of the projects have varied, the desire to deliver meaningful places for people and nature has remained a constant,” he says.

Today he leads landscape and masterplanning, with a team working on everything from city wide strategies, reservoirs and schools through to new stations, urban squares and parks. He also mentors graduates taking the same first steps he did, which he calls “a truly rewarding aspect” of the role.

A city cut in two

Nairobi is home to more than four million people. Its central station sits on a 4.7-hectare brownfield site, right where the city centre meets the busy districts to the east. The railway line cuts the centre off from the neighbourhoods to the south.

The city also deals with flash floods in one season and drought in the next, heavy traffic, and very little public space. The brief was to create a station that connects people across Nairobi, Kenya and East Africa.

Designing a Boma

The team’s answer came from Kenyan culture. A Boma is a traditional place for meeting and coming together as a community, and it became the concept for the whole scheme: a station and public

spaces that are open to everyone, and that stitch the city’s districts back together.

That meant engaging the people who would use it. Neil credits them first when asked who made the project happen: “The people of Nairobi.”

A local group, the Naipolitans, connected the team with street traders, families, businesses and the former mayor. The GoDown Arts Centre and local artisans brought their own knowledge and craft. “Through community and stakeholder engagement and working with locally based companies, we were able to develop a more meaningful and relevant design.”

The design also works with the climate. The station roof collects rainwater into tanks that hold 1,500 cubic metres. That eases flooding in the wet season and irrigates the new park and squares in the dry season. The park itself is shaped to hold floodwater during extreme storms.

What stays with you

Ask Neil what stands out about working here and he doesn’t hesitate. “Collaboration. We are a truly collaborative organisation with some incredible technical minds.”

His colleague Phil Dowrick cemented client relations and the integration of the teams. Chris Crombie led the overall design for Nairobi Central Station creating an iconic architectural design that was weaved into the fabric of the city. Neil talks about the team the way most people talk about the projects.

 “The thing that stays with you the longest is the people you meet and the relationships you make along the way.”

From penguins to a capital city’s main station, the places have changed a lot. The approach hasn’t: find out who the place is for, and design it with them.

His advice for anyone thinking about joining is short. “Go for it. Turn up with enthusiasm, energy and an open mind.”

Outside of work, Neil enjoys exploring new cities, playing golf and walking up mountains. He is yet to combine all three.

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