Nairobi, July 20 -- Every few months in Nairobi's upscale neighbourhoods of Kilimani, Kileleshwa and Lavington, an old bungalow disappears behind corrugated iron sheets as construction cranes move in to build yet another apartment block.

Today, balconies overlook neighbouring balconies, while some windows stare directly into living rooms across only a few metres of separation. Yet many of these developments are still marketed as offering "exclusive living".

Traditionally, exclusivity had little to do with price. It meant low-density neighbourhoods, larger homes, mature gardens, fewer neighbours and enough space to provide privacy and quiet.

Today, developers increasingly define exclusivity through rooftop swimming pools, gyms, co-worki...