Abstract:
Mombasa is a city along the East African Coast. The city has rich Historical,
Architectural and Cultural attributes that make it one of the significant
civilizations of the world. Due to these attributes, the city has experienced
physical, social, economic and environmental challenges in trying to preserve
itself for future generations. For example, the streets within the old town of
Mombasa are unique in nature and provide settings for various social and
economic activities. However, these a ctivities are not seen to take place in some
parts of the streets within the Old Town. These streets form part of the urban
spaces within the old town. The study establishes the characteristics of these
urban spaces that influence human activities within t he streets. The study
combined both qualitative and quantitative research methods to investigate the
urban design elements along the streets. The study established that physical
characteristics including the width of the streets, the number of columns per meter
length of the street, the average building height and the average height of
windows, along the streets influence human activities at different levels. The
study also established the types of activities that take place within these urban
spaces.
