The GoDown hosted the Embassy of Sweden’s Deputy Head of Mission, Helge Flärd to advance prior discussions on sustainable construction methods, specifically with regard to the GoDown Transformation Project, that is a vision for a scaled-up, green cultural complex. The Embassy’s Culture and Promotion Officer, Mutheu Mbondo, was also in attendance. They were received by Joy Mboya, The GoDown’s Executive Director. 

Since its inception, The GoDown Transformation Project has explored the circular economy in materials use for construction, as part of sustainable urban development and building industry. A common interest central to the meeting with DHM Flärd was the possibility of a showcase timber construction to catalyze the promising developments in East Africa’s commercial wood value chain. Whether the new GoDown complex could integrate some of these exciting carbon neutral building directions, as successfully presented at the Woodlife Sweden Seminar organized by the Embassy in September 2021, was a key point for discussion. 

Also attending the follow-on meeting was Johan Dahlberg, Head of Business Development for White Arkitekter in East Africa, and MK Mbugua who is The GoDown Transformation Project Coordinator.  

 At the Woodlife Sweden Seminar last year, The GoDown and Gaia Arkitekter (via video) made a presentation titled ‘What if’ to ‘It is” – Dreaming Together for Sustainable Urbanscapes’ while White Arkitekter’s showpiece all-timber construction – the Sara Cultural Centre, Skellefteå, Sweden – which boasts the achievement of being one of the world’s tallest timber buildings, was part of the Woodlife exhibition.  The Seminar’s host Swedish Ambassador H.E. Caroline Vicini had invited key actors in the wood value chain including Principal Secretary Charles Hinga from the State Department of Housing and Urban Development, Julius Kamau of the Kenya Forest Service, and a wide array of stakeholders from architecture, urban design and commercial forestry, including the Gatsby Charitable Trust, BuildX Studio, Kenya Forestry Research Institute, UNHabitat, among others.   

Above: The GoDown’s Executive Director, Joy Mboya, with Swedish Ambassador to Kenya, H.E. Caroline Vicini, and Deputy Head of Mission, Helge Flärd during the Woodlife Seminar in 2021.