Women in architecture

Have you ever wondered what it took to come up with architectural marvels such as the Kenyatta International Convention Centre? Or further afield, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Sydney Opera House in Australia and the Cologne Cathedral in Germany?

As the Architectural Association of Kenya celebrates 50 years since its establishment in 1967, we have an enlightening chat with four young women architects who share with us what it is like to be a woman in architecture, their achievements and challenges, and the future of architecture in Kenya.   

VERONICA MUNYAO, 30

She did her Bachelor of Architectural Studies and Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Nairobi and pursued her Master’s of Architecture degree in Environmental Design at the same institution. She has worked for Superior Homes Kenya Limited and Tectonics International.

What are some of your roles as an architect in a project?

An architect is usually the lead consultant in any construction project. Construction project managers, quantity surveyors, engineers, contractors and planners work under an architect. Apart from designing the project, he or she is charged with coordinating all the operations in the project and supervising activities at the site. It is also the responsibility of the architect to seek all relevant approvals by the authorities and getting briefs from the client. This is aimed at having buildings that are functional, safe, sustainable and aesthetically appealing. 

What attributes must one have to succeed in this profession?

Patience is important because sometimes it is difficult to compete for tenders with more experienced practitioners especially if you are a young woman in the industry. You have to invest lots of money and time before you can start to reap real benefits. One must have excellent communication skills, verbally and in their designs. Your design gives an idea of what the structure will look like, while fine interpersonal skills enable you to communicate effectively with clients and colleagues; teamwork is critical because in virtually all projects, you will work with other professionals such as engineers, contractors and quantity surveyors. As the lead consultant, you must demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities, and to flourish, you must be constantly innovative and ready to learn to sharpen your skills, have an eye for detail, remain committed and be focused. Every profession has its challenges.

What personal setbacks have you faced as an architect?

There is a general lack of public awareness about what architects do, their value and contribution of the profession to the society. Some confuse architects with engineers and address them as such. Architectural training takes long; nine years is the minimum period before you can actually begin to practice. This affects women particularly if there is pressure to start a family. Most female architects drop out only after acquiring their degree. Some clients do not see beyond your dress. They first see you as a woman before they can recognise your professional capacity and talent, which is insulting to women practitioners.

What other responsibilities do you have apart from your role as an architect?

I am an assistant lecturer at the Technical University of Kenya, where I have been lecturing since 2014. I am also a teaching assistant at the University of Nairobi, a role I’ve had from 2015 - I teach architectural design and environmental design. Teaching complements what I practice since I am always involved with research endeavours. I am also a council member of the architects’ chapter and a member of committees on Advocacy and Communication and AAK’s Award of Excellence.

How can we get more women to study and practise architecture?

Mentorship is the most effective tool of inspiring students of architecture, without which they feel lost due to the many years of study. Teaching allows me to interact closely with the female students, having walked this path for six years, at a time when there was no youthful female lecturer in our department. This way, I am able to relate more with their circumstances and challenges. When practitioners mentor architecture students, a strong link between studies and actual practice is created.

Having just started, what career goals do you have?

In five years, I wish to have attained a PhD in architecture and published many profession papers. I also wish to set up and run a successful architectural firm and mentor other young architects.

FLORENCE NYOLE, 31,

ARCHITECT, ECOSPACE ARCHITECTS LIMITED

Florence has a Master’s degree in Environmental Design Studies from the University of Nairobi. She is the vice chairperson of the Architects' Chapter of the AAK. Florence has worked with Waweru & Associates for the last five years in the design of the new University of Nairobi Towers.

Is architecture the career you always wanted to pursue?

I landed in it almost by chance. I wanted to study computer science but failed to meet the cut-off points. I was instead invited to study mathematics at the University of Nairobi. It was after my admission when it occurred to me that I could actually do an inter-faculty transfer to architecture, which I did. I completed my undergraduate and enrolled for Master’s in architecture in Environmental Design Studies. I now have five years’ worth of experience in this field.

What kind of structures have you designed?

I have been involved with the design of a B&B (bed and breakfast). I have also done several jobs in interior design, urban design, environmental design and project management. When starting out in the industry, you cannot afford to limit yourself to one area. Being able to diversify helps to keep you afloat.

What do you love most about your job?

I enjoy designing something and seeing it reach its successful completion. From the moment an idea is conceptualised, put on paper and lifted from paper and assembled in brick and mortar gives me so much joy. It is such an exhilarating feeling to see that line and that curve burst into life. In the service industry, the only way to confirm that a concept works is when it is assembled, tested, occupied and used.

The practice of architecture must be a taxing job. How do you unwind?

I am very active outdoors. I enjoy riding bikes and visiting built and natural environments. Travelling outside the country opens me up to new architectural ideas. We also have frequent events at the Architectural Association of Kenya, where we meet with professionals in other related areas and mingle socially. I am also a volunteer editor with "Architect Magazine", a quarterly production by the AAK.

What are some of the considerations made when designing a building?

Sustainable Environmental Design is an emerging field of architecture that consciously seeks to minimise environmental effects of construction. The location in terms of orientation to sun, wind and soil type is taken into account. Others are the use of energy in the building, natural ventilation and cooling systems, day-lighting and use of renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind to power the building. Rainwater harvesting, water treatment and recycling ensure that the building has sufficient water supply. The building must also have mechanisms to recycle and discharge its waste.

EMMA MILOYO

PRESIDENT, ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATION OF KENYA (AAK)

PARTNER, DESIGN SOURCE

She is a graduate of Architecture from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

Briefly narrate your journey to the presidency of the Architectural Association of Kenya…

I have ten years of experience in architecture, having worked at SK Archplans, TMC and Design Source, a family architectural business. The new constitution recognises and advocates for the role of women in leadership. When I joined the association in 2008, the time felt right for me to take up a leadership role. I was the first architects’ chapter female chairperson. I served as the association’s vice president since 2015, having been elected on the floor. When the presidency vacancy came up last year, I went for it and was voted in. My presidency rests on the shoulders of fellow women who supported my candidature.

What is the role of women in architecture?

As a country, we still have a deficit in housing, road networks and amenities such as schools, projects that require trained personnel, therefore, the more women there are trained in this field, the better, because women can do just as well in architecture like their male counterparts. We would like to see more women study for this profession and take up jobs in the industry.

Today we have Women in Real Estate (WIRE), an organisation that links, encourages, equips and empowers women real estate professionals in Kenya. There has been a significant increase in the number of women professionals seeking leadership roles within AAK since I became the association’s president. It does not take only the support of fellow women for a woman to succeed but also that of men.

Building collapse tragedies have almost become a common phenomenon in Kenya, usually with devastating consequences. Are unqualified persons being licensed to operate?

In all these tragedies, no qualified professional or registered contractor has been involved. The Nairobi City County has only about 15 inspectors who supervise over 6,000 live building sites in the city at any one time. It is therefore nearly impossible for them to effectively control development.

The National Construction Authority (NCA) must be equipped to ensure safety in the construction industry in the same way the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) handles safety in the transport sector. The Judiciary must speedily determine cases involving the built environment to avoid risking lives and property through court orders that delay demolition of dangerous buildings. It is regrettable that to date, no one has been held accountable for their role in collapsed buildings.   

What legacy do you wish to leave behind when your term as the president of the association expires?

I am working towards ensuring more visibility for member professions of the Architectural Association of Kenya, which will mean better services for Kenyans and safety.

Architecture is seen as an elite profession, making it hard for most outside the profession to understand our role. This is a notion I am determined to change.

I found a financially robust AAK, and I am determined to leave the association in an even better financial footing.

The association is currently involved in an intense advocacy programme where we are engaging the academia in ensuring that training of architects and other professions under our umbrella meets the best possible standards.

MARYLYN MUSYIMI, 31

PARTNER, BUSTANI CONSTRUCTION SOLUTIONS LIMITED

She studied Architecture at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. She holds a Master’s degree in Construction Project Management.

Technology has changed the way things are done in every profession. What are some of the trends in architecture?

Technology has helped to bring architectural ideas to life in an exciting way. Through digital fabrication, design and simulation software, an architect is able to visualise home/office complete with décor at the planning stage. These computational features help the designer to make critical decisions and changes at the design stage with ease.

As a registered architect, you no longer need to have a big office with lots of sophisticated equipment and large personnel. With a small space and a computer you are good to go. You hire graphics designers, videographers and other technicians who work on the various segments of the project from wherever they are. They then send these components of the design concept which we call “work in ruins”, which you can now assemble and submit to your client. It is a cheaper way because you only hire technicians on a need-basis, and you don’t have to invest in equipment or space.

There has been an exponential growth in the building and construction industry in Kenya. Has this translated to more jobs for graduate architects?

The country is waking up to the potential of the construction sector. There are new roads and other structural projects coming up all over the country. We however still need to provide housing, public spaces such as bus stops and cultural and sporting spaces such as art galleries, stadia and theatres and even learning institutions. Market liberalisation and the entry of foreign entities into our local architectural landscape has triggered competition among industry players. The more construction needs we have, the more opportunities there are for our professionals. We haven’t been able to absorb all of them yet, but there is so much promise.  

Is this job worth going after in terms of pay?

After acquiring your licence, you must grow your portfolio before money can start flowing in. There is money for people who work as consultants in a big firm. Most practitioners however prefer to start their own architectural firms and grow them instead of seeking for employment. After 10 to 15 years, the firm will have grown big enough to bid for big construction tenders that generate millions of shillings. There is money in architecture, but with patience and hard work.  

What lessons have you learnt about the industry since you started practicing?

In design, everything is of critical importance. A line for instance is not simply a line. If something goes wrong, however slightly, that translates to implications involving cost and time, and in some cases a collapsed building.

The process of design cannot be rushed, because it involves seeking approvals from authorities to ensure that whatever project you are undertaking is safe and satisfies all building regulations.

I have also learnt that design is a balance of your expertise and the client’s needs; a back and forth exchange before construction actually begins.

I now appreciate that every client who comes to you is worth your time. Sometimes you will miss an angle of your client’s, which calls for humility.

All in all, there is always a way to get things done besides the conventional way, of course within the law and ethics of practice. 

THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME AN ARCHITECT

•  To become an architect, one must study an undergraduate degree in architecture. The degree programme goes for at least five years. Thereafter one is required to undergo practical training for at least two years under the supervision of a certified architect. After this training, one sits professional exams offered by the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors (BORAQS). One can now apply for an operating licence upon passing these exams.

•  Some of the Kenyan public universities offering a bachelor’s degree in architecture include Kenyatta University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Technical University of Kenya and University of Nairobi.

•  The practice and conduct of architects in Kenya is guided by the Architects and Quantity Surveyors Act of the laws of Kenya. According to the act, no one is eligible for registration as an architect before they have attained the age of 21 years.

•  It is considered unethical for architects to advertise themselves or their work. The argument behind this rule is that architecture as a profession goes beyond business, with practitioners expected to serve the people by providing healthy, sustainable, functional spaces to live in, work and enjoy. Anyone who operates without being duly registered by BORAQS is liable for a fine of up to Sh500,000.

•  The Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) is Kenya’s leading association for professionals in the built and natural environment in Kenya. Members include architects, quantity surveyors, town planners, engineers, landscape architects, environmental design consultants and construction project managers.

•  Students studying architecture, quantity surveying, town/physical planning are also eligible for registration as members of the AAK.  The Association acts as a link between professionals and stakeholders in the construction industry, namely, policy makers, manufacturers, real estate developers and financial institutions.