Urban Icons in Focus: Kisumu’s Historic Clock Tower

An Urban icon is a prominent building, monument, or natural feature within a city that serves as a recognizable visual symbol, representing the city's identity and often used in city branding strategies; essentially, it's a landmark that is so well-known it becomes a visual representation of the urban landscape itself.  According to Castillo-Villar (2016), urban icons can be classified into three types namely:

1) Natural icons (mountains, rivers, lakes), 

2) Preglobal icons (man-made and built before 1960) and 

3) Contemporary urban icons (man-made and built after 1960)

Today’s Focus: Kisumu City

The Clock Tower – Kisumu CBD

The Clock Tower is an important landmark in Kisumu City’s Central Business District (CBD) on Oginga Odinga Street. The tower was unveiled on August 19, 1938 in memory of Kassim Lakha an Indian trader who contributed to the development of Kisumu in the colonial days from 1902 to 1910.  Lakha lived in East Africa, including in Kisumu from 1871 until his death in 1910 (K’oyoo, 2023; Kenya National Archives,2024). The Tower honors his charitable act of serving the residents of Kisumu with medical facilities at his expense without discrimination.(COK KUP, 2019).

What role do Urban Planners play in developing city icons?

• They shape City identity by helping to define and reinforce a city’s unique character through iconic landmarks.

• They oversee concept execution from initial concept development to practical implementation.

• They collaborate with architects, engineers, and stakeholders to design functional and visually appealing icons.

• They ensure icons align with the city’s overall vision and development plans.

• They facilitate public participation on the significance of landmarks

Urban Planners must therefore take lead in shaping the identity of a city for a strong and authentic city brand.

Reference 

“Town Clock on Oginga Odinga Road, ca1940s,” Kisumu Archive, accessed December 7, 2024, https://archive.macleki.org/items/show/2438.

K’oyoo, E. (2023). Impact of urban renewal changes on urban landscape identity: Case study of Kisumu City, Kenya. Acta Structilia, 30(1), 156-185.

City of Kisumu, Kisumu Urban Project (COK KUP). 2019. Situational analysis report 2019: Preparation of local physical development plans for Kisumu City, October.

Odede, F. The case of Kisumu. Kenya Past and Present, 53.

Castillo-Villar, F. R. (2016). Urban icons and city branding development. Journal of Place Management and Development, 9(3), 255-268.