A Makuti roof on an abandoned Gigiri building

In January 2026, Unity Art Collective installed a traditional Makuti (thatch) roof on a formerly abandoned building in Gigiri, Nairobi. It is the first phase of turning the site into a “Living Photo Booth” and community art space.

The project was inspired by insights from the NTV Earthwise Summit. It repurposes an abandoned structure with locally sourced, sustainable materials like Makuti, to show what upcycling and sustainable design can do.

“We are putting a roof on this building not just to provide shelter, but to show how easy it is to turn what others see as waste into art.” — Levi James Howze, Founder, Unity Art Collective

The site is planned as a hub for photography and interactive art, inviting the public to engage directly with the idea of renewal.