Top 10 Tallest Buildings in Kenya

As engineering marvels continue to wow the world, the amazement continues to manifest itself through skyscrapers and other tall buildings. We have seen a number of those in Kenya.

The country is among the top nations across the globe with the tallest buildings. Most of the skyscrapers are found in Nairobi, the capital and largest city in the country.

Here are the top 10 tallest buildings in the city.

1. Britam Tower

Britam Tower is a commercial building in Nairobi owned by a British-American Investments Company (Britam). The skyscraper has a maximum height of 200 meters (640 ft), above ground, with 32 usable floors. The building features a unique prismatic shape, that starts as an equal four-sided square footprint and ends with a two-sided roof with a 60 meters (197 ft) mast, containing three helical wind turbines. It currently ranks as the tallest building in Kenya.

It is located in Upper Hill, Nairobi, and was officially opened to the public in July 2018, overtaking UAP Old Mutual Tower as the tallest building in Kenya.

2. Nairobi GTC Office Tower

The topping out of Nairobi GTC Office Tower, the tallest of the six towers of the Sh40 billion Global Trade Centre, has added a new entrant to the list of Kenya’s tallest buildings.

The 184-meter, 43-story office block is expected to be the Africa headquarters for Chinese firm Avic, which is seeking to set up its continental hub on a 7.5-acre piece of land in Westlands, Nairobi.

3. UAP Old Mutual Tower

UAP Old Mutual Tower is a 33-story office complex in the Upper Hill neighborhood of Nairobi, the capital and largest city in Kenya. It became the tallest structure in Kenya upon its completion in July 2016, surpassing Times Tower which had held that record for 15 years.

It offers some 300,000 square feet of Grade A office space in Nairobi’s fastest-growing commercial district.

Standing at an altitude of 5,700 feet above sea level, UAP Old Mutual Tower is the highest point in Nairobi ahead of Rahimtulla Tower, which previously held the title.

4. The Times Tower

The Times Tower, also known as the New Central Bank Tower, is an office tower in Nairobi, Kenya. At 140 meters (459 feet), it is the third tallest building in Kenya after the recently completed Britam Tower and UAP Tower. With 38 floors, along with a 7-story banking complex and an 11-split story car park, it is served by 10 elevators. The building is designed to resist earthquakes and is set on a concrete raft varying in thickness from 0.9 to 3.0 m (2 ft 11 into 9 ft 10 in).

5. Nairobi GTC Hotel Tower

The topping out of Nairobi GTC Hotel Tower, the second tallest of the six towers of the Sh40 billion Global Trade Centre, has added a new participant to the list of Kenya’s tallest skyscrapers.

The 141-meter, 35-story building is expected to host the star-studded US chain JW Marriott hotel that is operated by Marriott International.

The Nairobi GTC Hotel Tower, whose construction began in July 2015, is set for completion by December.

6. Prism Tower

The Kings Prism Tower is an iconic 133-meter tall skyscraper in Upper Hill, Nairobi. The 34-story building that is creatively designed to appear as prisms stacked upon prisms was completed in 2018.

Whenever a ray of light passes through the prismatic facades of the building, a spectrum of vivid colors emerges – bringing to life the owner’s vision of illuminating the creative productivity of Nairobi residents.

The Kings Prism Tower is owned by Kings Developers, a wholly Kenyan-owned property development company that was founded as part of the Royal Group of Companies.

7. Le’mac Towers

Le’mac Towers is an Sh3.5 billion Dubai-styled mixed-use development in the Westlands neighborhood of Nairobi, off Waiyaki Way – targeting wealthy buyers and renters seeking housing in exclusive suburbs.

The 24-story building, which was officially opened in 2019, offers offices from the 1st to 6th floor and high-end one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments from the 8th to 22nd floor.

Standing 126 meters tall, Le’mac Towers is currently the tallest residential building in Kenya.

8. Parliament Tower

Developed by the Parliamentary Service Commission, the 26-floor office block that rises 125 meters into the sky sits on a one-acre plot between Continental House and County Hall, next to Parliament buildings.

The Parliament Tower, whose construction commenced in March 2014, is meant to house the expanded 418-member legislature. The project is being undertaken by China Jiangxi Construction Company.

9. Telposta House

Telposta Towers, a 120-meter office block on Kenyatta Avenue, is the 9th tallest building in Kenya. On completion in 1999, it became the tallest tower in the country – snatching the title from the KICC.

The 27-story building that was built by Laxmanbhai Construction houses Telkom Kenya and several government ministries and departments, including the Ministry of Information and Communication.

10. Nairobi GTC Residential Tower 1

The topping out of Nairobi GTC Residential Tower 1, the third tallest of the six towers of the Sh40 billion Global Trade Centre, has added a new player in the list of Kenya’s tallest structures.

The 116-meter, 33-story residential apartment tower, whose construction commenced in July 2015, is scheduled for completion by end of the year.