Tilisi mega-city has begun construction of its first housing project, reversing the trend towards high-density properties with the 186-home Tilisi Views residential estate offering home-owners spacious green gardens on half of each plot, tree-lined streets, extra play areas in every hub of 15 to 30 villas, and additional acres of communal recreational space.
“We have seen developers moving inexorably towards higher density developments as a way of supposedly lifting revenues, with even detached villas offering little more than a parking space for new owners. But we have decided to stay true to our dream of a better lifestyle at Tilisi, with houses on one eighth, a quarter, and half-acre plots, all designed to maximize garden space,” said Kavit Shah, co-CEO of Tilisi Developments Plc, the developer of the Tilisi mega-city.
Set on the Waiyaki Way and 10 minutes from the intersection with Nairobi’s Southern bypass, the new residential estate, which is fully financed from its outset, will be surrounded by trees along the roads to offer a cooling breeze, and will include nine play areas, one for each cluster of 15 to 30 villas, as well as two acres of a communal clubhouse, a recreation space, and jogging tracks.
“Delivering a better quality of life at Tilisi has seen us concentrate on creating a green and natural environment, as something we can do from our positioning that literally isn’t possible in Kilimani, or Westlands, or even very much in Gigiri, nowadays. But it creates an entirely different kind of life for our future residents,” said Ranee Nanji, joint CEO of Tilisi.
Health benefits of living beside green spaces
The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health reported that people who live close to green space have lower rates of depression and anxiety and better physical health than those who live in more urban settings.
The journal reported that incidences of anxiety were 50 percent lower and of depression 25 percent lower for people living in areas with 90 percent green space within two miles of their homes, compared to those living in areas with 10 percent or less green space.
Further research by Harvard University found that residents who had any kind of green space within 200 meters of their homes had a 12 percent lower rate of mortality than those living in areas without greenery. This was because the more natural environment decreased the rate of cardiovascular, neurological, respiratory and digestive diseases, mental illness, and musculoskeletal disorders.
Gardens and green open spaces also encourage more physical activity. But even viewing nature scenes reduces blood pressure, respiration rate, brain activity, and the production of stress hormones, within three to four minutes, while also improving mood.
About Tilisi
Tilisi is a 400-acre mixed-use urban development, distinctly zoned into residential, commercial and logistics precincts. Set just 30 km from Nairobi’s CBD, at the intersection of Limuru Road and Waiyaki Way, the development offers outstanding access and infrastructure. The development is owned and managed by a consortium of long-standing and experienced Nairobi-based developers. The master-planned suburb has been inspired by the vision of achieving a managed development in Kenya with world-class infrastructure.
