Kenya’s growing dependence on digital platforms is changing how people work, communicate, shop and entertain themselves, but property developer HassConsult is betting that the next evolution of the connected lifestyle may require people to step away from their screens and reconnect in the physical world.
The developer has introduced Elevate by Hass, a resident experience platform designed to bring together fitness, wellness, entertainment, work, dining and community activities within its residential developments, with Enaki Residential Resort serving as its first major pilot.
The move comes as technology continues to reshape everyday life in Kenya. While social media and digital services have made it easier to remain constantly connected online, they have also contributed to more fragmented physical communities. HassConsult is responding by bringing a technology and platform mindset to residential living, where the value of a home extends beyond its walls.
From Smart Homes to Connected Communities
The opportunity comes as the global wellness real estate market continues to expand. The Global Wellness Institute estimates the sector is worth about $548 billion globally and projects it will surpass $1 trillion by 2029. The sector is increasingly moving beyond buildings and amenities towards environments designed to support physical, mental and social wellbeing.
For Kenya, the shift is particularly relevant. HassConsult, citing the latest industry research, says Kenyans spend more time on social media than any other nation, with 20 percent spending more than six hours a day on social platforms. The same research indicates that 26 percent of Kenyan employees experience loneliness frequently.
This creates a technology paradox: as digital tools connect people virtually, residential developers are increasingly looking at how physical spaces can restore real-world interaction.
At Enaki Town, this approach is already taking shape through purpose-built spaces and curated programming. A dedicated movement studio provides permanent fitness and wellness programming delivered by specialist operator Yves Preissler, while Artcaffe operates a marketplace designed as a social hub, hosting activities ranging from high teas and children’s baking competitions to cultural festivals.
These spaces are designed to do more than provide amenities. They give residents reasons to leave their apartments, interact with one another and build connections around shared interests turning everyday residential facilities into an active community experience.
Sakina Hassanali, Co-Ceo and Creative Director, HassConsult
At Enaki, Elevate by Hass operates as an ongoing resident experience rather than simply a collection of amenities. Residents have access to fitness and wellness programmes, children’s activities, entertainment, workspaces, dining and community events. Some facilities incorporate technology such as video-conferencing, while fitness programmes include community challenges and wellness sessions.
The model effectively treats a residential development like a service platform, one that needs continuous programming and engagement after residents move in.
The Urge for Connected Living
Farhana Hassanali, Co-CEO and Development Director at HassConsult, says traditional measures of residential value such as location, size and specification are no longer the full picture.“When residents genuinely belong to where they live, it shows up commercially,” she says.
The model potentially creates a growing opportunity for Kenya’s proptech sector. As residential developments become more service-oriented, developers will need digital systems for resident communication, bookings, events, payments, access to shared facilities and potentially AI-powered property and wellness services.
The future smart home, therefore, may not simply be one where appliances, security systems and lighting are connected but one where the entire community is connected.
Sakina Hassanali, Co-CEO and Creative Director at HassConsult, argues that human connection should increasingly become part of the development brief.“The design brief of the future has to include human connection as an outcome.”
For Kenya’s property and technology sectors, that could mark a shift from building smarter homes to creating smarter, more connected communities.