Abdu Wahab Nyanzi, an architect, says architectural services are equitable to health services.

“Everyone retires to some kind of abode at the end of the day. In all fairness, such accommodation should be designed by an architect.

All kinds of accommodation to which we retire at the end of our workday require an architect’s touch.

All aspects that speak to healthy and organised living can only be addressed through good technical hands of professionals,” he explains.

Nyanzi also says slums are considered as some of the lowest of living areas, for example, but we know that some slums have high-end housing designed by architects. The low-end housing is what has not benefited much from the services of architects. It is, therefore, high time that dwellers or landlords in those areas engaged architects to help them build in a cheaper, but orderly manner. 

Fake plans

Robert Kiggundu, the outgoing chairman of the Architect’s Registration Board says the cause of collapsing buildings that has been going on in Uganda goes beyond architecture and building plans.

This does not exonerate cases where professional negligence has been found, indeed, a number of buildings have collapsed because of not employing professionals in the first place.

) Abdu Wahab Nyanzi Architect registration board (ARB ) member (Photo by Moses Nsubuga)

However, Nyanzi says clients think that once they have plans, they can supervise and manage their construction projects on their own. How wrong! “You need the services of an architect from inception to occupation of your building. There is a lot that happens during construction that only an architect can advise on.

It should be remembered that construction is a very expensive venture which should not be left in the hands of armatures. The option to use unqualified people to direct expenditure of one's hard-earned savings is unthinkable,” Nyanzi says.

Workers on at LULU site under construction by HK properties in Munyonyo on 15th Nov 2021.Photo by Nicholas Oneal

Must every building have a plan? 

Everything constructed must have a plan starting with a pit latrine, Kiggundu says.  However small a building maybe, an architect must be involved in beautifying and giving it functionality. “Some of us architects visit houses and realise they are not functional.

You look at the corridors, only for the doors to be swinging in the wrong direction,” Kiggundu says. On the first day of the Vision Group’s Homes and Construction Expo, which is taking place this Saturday November 25 and Sunday 26, at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, architects, engineers and surveyors will be discussing these and many other issues pertaining to land, building plans, home loans, landscapes and backyard gardening. Entrance is sh10,000.