Vertika Cities
From Urban Crisis to Spatial Renewal
Africa’s cities are not short of ambition—they are short of tools to convert ambition into equitable form. VERTIKA Cities exists to close that gap. It is the spearhead of VERTIKA AFRICA’s ground-level engagement, guiding how vertical inserts enter the city, integrate with planning systems, and align with local priorities. Whether reimagining a decaying urban block or identifying the infill potential of a transit corridor, VERTIKA Cities makes the vision real.
At its core, this sub-brand does three things exceptionally well: unlock land, secure permits, and embed transformation into city governance structures. It liaises with metropolitan authorities, infrastructure agencies, and political actors to align policy, land use, and execution timelines. Where traditional housing projects struggle to scale due to fragmented oversight and outdated zoning, VERTIKA Cities enters as an integrator, merging legal frameworks, public-private mechanisms, and citizen voice.
A New Urban Logic, Block by Block
VERTIKA Cities ensures that every project aligns with the long-term spatial logic of the host city—while introducing the density and inclusion required by the present. It manages:
- Urban insertion strategies: Ensuring vertical inserts harmonise with infrastructure, services, and transport systems.
- Land and regulatory alignment: Navigating land titling, use conversion, and integrated development approvals.
- Permitting and policy: Engaging with city councils, statutory bodies, and urban ministries to ensure compliance and enable reform.
- Cross-sector governance: Convening actors across housing, energy, water, and transport to embed inserts within broader urban ecosystems.
Catalysing Transformation, Not Just Construction
VERTIKA Cities is not merely a delivery arm—it is a transformation engine. Each site is a node in a broader movement toward dignified density, compact growth, and spatial justice. This sub-brand is also the main interface with host governments and municipalities, negotiating land contributions, service offsets, and public asset integration.
Its work ensures that VERTIKA inserts are not spatially isolated, but deeply embedded. These are not towers in the sky—they are anchors in the city’s social and economic fabric.
Strategic Leadership
Led by Dr. Mike Juru, a registered estate agent and professional valuer with over two decades of executive experience in the property and valuation sector across Africa, VERTIKA Cities benefits from strategic insight into land governance, valuation systems, and sustainable spatial planning. He is the Chairperson of the Green Building Council of Zimbabwe, a former President of the Real Estate Institute of Zimbabwe, and serves in multiple regional industry bodies. His leadership blends technical authority with institutional diplomacy—positioning VERTIKA Cities as the engine room of municipal alignment and cross-sector traction.