African buildings: Africa architecture designs

Africa Buildings Designs: Architecture

Contemporary Building Developments + Architectural Design: FBW Group Built Environment Updates.

Africa Architecture : links

post updated 29 September 2026

African Architecture News

This page contains a selection of major African Building Designs. The focus is on contemporary African buildings.

African Building Designs : news + major projects

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23 Dec 2025
FBW Works To Deliver East Africa’s Largest Data Centre

FBW Group, a major player in East Africa’s construction and development sector, has been appointed to the team delivering what is set to be the region’s largest data centre.

Work has begun onsite to create a multi-million dollar facility at Tatu City, the special economic zone on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

The design team at the groundbreaking ceremony. (L-R) Simon Herd and Alex Sagwe, Mace YMR; Justin Orina, Airtel; Rob Woffenden, FBW; Harry Eddy, Mace YMR and Mohamed Elsayed, Meinhardt:

The groundbreaking project is being developed by communication group Airtel Africa’s data centre arm Nxtra.

The 44-megawatt facility will be a major addition to Kenya’s digital infrastructure and has been designed to support cloud computing, AI workloads, and enterprise-scale services across the region.

The project will strategically position Kenya as a Continental technology hub and the centre is expected to be ready to go into service in the first quarter of 2027.

Leading African planning, design, engineering and architecture consultancy FBW Group is providing local support services to the lead designer team Meinhardt Group, based in Dubai.

Robert Woffenden, FBW’s business development manager in Kenya, said: “We’re delighted to be playing our part in such an important project for Kenya and the wider region.

“The scale and quality of the centre is game-changing. It is a major investment in the country’s future. It will expand broadband connectivity, spur innovation, and enable the digital economy to flourish.

“The project is delivering world-class infrastructure and setting a new benchmark for enterprise-ready data centres on the continent.

“Sustainability is another important feature of the project. Tatu City delivers more than 95% renewable energy, making it one of the most sustainable locations for data centres on the globe.”

Paul Moores, FBW managing director, says the group is ready to play a growing role in the development of data centres, an increasing focus of investment in East Africa, providing its local support, design and oversight services.

He said: “We are seeing increasing interest in the design and construction of data centres, which we believe represents an enormous opportunity for East Africa, and we are well placed to play our part in their delivery.

“These projects are highly specialised and technically challenging. As a multi-disciplinary practice, we are able to draw on a wide skills base and resources as well as all the experience we have helping to deliver highly complex developments in a range of sectors, including health, bioscience and energy.”

FBW Group, which has offices in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, has a strong record of delivery on high-profile infrastructure projects across East Africa and beyond.

It collaborates on programmes of importance both economically and socially, using its on-the-ground knowledge to aid successful delivery.
FBW works with both private and institutional clients, and over its 30 years of operation has built longstanding relationships a trusted ‘Partner of Choice’ for groundbreaking developments.

Its recent high-profile projects have included delivering the newly opened Clinical Research Excellence And Training Open Resource (CREATOR) – a postgraduate medical specialist and research training centre in Malawi.

CREATOR is now providing the most sophisticated clinical research training environment in the region and will be truly transformational and life-changing for the African nation.

FBW is also part of the team tasked with delivering the groundbreaking Kigali Green City masterplan in the Rwandan capital.
And in Uganda it led an international team that delivered new eco-friendly headquarters in Kampala for two major United Nations agencies. The new office, handed over at the end of last year, houses the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and The World Food Programme (WFP).
For more information on its wide portfolio of projects please visit www.fbwgroup.com

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FBW Helps Deliver Groundbreaking Kigali Sports And Entertainment Complex

East African headquartered FBW Group has played a key role in the creation of Zaria Court Kigali – a new multi-purpose sports and entertainment complex set to become a major destination in the Rwandan capital.

The first development of its kind on the African continent, it has been designed as a hub for social and cultural gatherings, and is expected to create around 500 jobs, particularly in the hospitality and tourism sectors.

image courtesy of FBW Group

FBW’s expert team of architects and engineers played a central role in delivering the structural and MEP design for the groundbreaking project, which sits in the corridor connecting Kigali International Airport to the Central Business District, positioning it as a key gateway into the city.

FBW provided consultancy services as executive architects on the programme, alongside full engineering services. The group also acted as the architects and engineers of record.

Its team was responsible for navigating local regulations, securing planning approvals and co-ordinating with the Rwandan authorities to obtain the necessary permits and licences for construction to get underway.

FBW also developed comprehensive stage technical drawings and provided technical reporting, site inspections and coordination to support the wider project team throughout the construction phase.

Set on the historically significant site of the former Rwanda Biomedical Centre – once used by the UN in the 1990s – the project, designed by Amsterdam based architects NLÉ, has revitalised an existing 80-room boutique hotel, originally built in the 1970s.

image courtesy of FBW Group

The result is a modern destination, featuring restaurants, a rooftop lounge, wellness spaces, co-working areas and a podcast studio. A multi-purpose court will host sporting events, festivals, performances, markets, and other activities.

The development’s masterplan has integrated architecture and landscape to create a walkable, green-focused environment that retains mature trees and has introduced new green spaces.

Zaria Court Kigali, which has now officially opened, is the latest in a series of major developments in Rwanda that FBW Group has played a part in delivering.

The leading African planning, design, architecture and engineering group, which has offices in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, is also a member of the international team tasked with creating the trailblazing Kigali Green City project.

That transformational development is being hailed as is an important milestone on the road to creating more sustainable green cities in the region and worldwide.

Paul Semanda, group director at FBW, said: “Zaria Court is more than a new development. It is a symbol of contemporary urban Africa – youthful, inclusive, culturally grounded, and future-ready.

“It showcases what is possible when sport, hospitality, and civic identity come together with care, creativity, and ambition. We are proud to have been part of bringing this transformative project to life.”

He added: “We worked closely with NLÉ, and as local project architects and engineers led the technical delivery, guiding the project through planning approval, compliance, and detailed construction documentation.

“The team also worked closely with local authorities to ensure that Rwandan building standards, rules and zoning conditions were met, while aligning with the vision of the broader masterplan.

“This collaborative and responsive design approach between global design leaders and local technical expertise has delivered a first-class, community driven civic project that really stands out as something very special.”

FBW is a major player in East Africa’s construction and development sector and has made a name for itself working on high-profile infrastructure projects. In 2025 the group is celebrating 30 years of quality design, architecture, planning and engineering work across the region.

Over that time, it has been involved in a wide range of successful, high-profile leisure and hospitality projects. They include the first Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Uganda’s capital Kampala as well as the Hotel Umubano in Kigali and the AC Marriott, Westlands in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

FBW also delivered Kampala’s first boutique hotel. The Emin Pasha is set in two acres of tropical gardens in the centre of the city.

The multi-disciplinary planning, design, architecture and engineering group has a workforce of more than 30 professionals delivering high value construction and development projects across Africa.

It offers a wide range of in-house professional building and technical services. They include pre-design services, development consultancy, building appraisals and condition surveys, project management, architecture, civil and structural engineering, MEP engineering, telecommunication engineering, and other building consultancy services.

For more information on FBW Group and its services please visit www.fbwgroup.com

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22 August 2025
FBW appointed to deliver transformative vocational education centres in Somalia

Leading East African architecture and engineering practice FBW Group has been appointed to design two Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) schools in Somalia.

FBW is working with international consultancy firm NIRAS, a specialist in sustainable development and engineering headquartered in Denmark, on the transformative project to create two TVET centres in Somalia.

TVET centre building in Somalia:

Once open, the TVET+ schools will deliver a range of vocational education to the local population.

The project is part of a wider programme funded by the German Development bank KfW and being developed in partnership with the Ministry of Planning and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in Somalia.

A Norwegian-Somali consortium involving non-government organisations the YME Foundation and Gurmad for Sustainable Aid (GSA) is behind the plan to develop a network of TVET operations.

FBW has 30 years of experience designing and delivering complex, high-quality and internationally compliant construction projects across East Africa and beyond. The project is FBW’s first work in Somalia.

Antje Eckoldt, FBW Group director, said: “FBW is proud to be part of this important mission to empower Somali youth through transformative education and skills development.

“We are looking forward to working with NIRAS in building the future of vocational education for the local population and creating innovative learning spaces that will deliver the education and skills that will open doors to opportunity.”

She added: “Sustainability is an important part of our design remit and we’re looking at a range of measures such as grey water recycling for irrigation in order to increase tree cover and the use of locally sourced natural materials in order to reduce embodied carbon.”

The team delivering the TVET schools including the YME Foundation and GSA, who work to improve access to water and sanitary installations in Africa by providing solar powered drinking water solutions to local populations in countries such as Somalia.

FBW Group, which has offices in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, has a strong record of delivery on high-profile infrastructure projects enabled and driven by international investment.

It collaborates on programmes of importance both economically and socially, using its on-the-ground knowledge.

FBW works with both private and institutional clients and over its 30 years has built longstanding relationships a trusted ‘Partner of Choice’ for groundbreaking projects.

For more information on its wide portfolio of projects please visit www.fbwgroup.com

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12 May 2025
International Investment Drives Visitor Economy Growth In Uganda

Leading African planning, design, architecture and engineering business FBW Group is predicting strong growth in Uganda’s visitor economy as more international investors are attracted by the country’s tourism potential.

Uganda is eyeing a tourism windfall of $5.2 billion in revenue by 2028, with a target of 3.5 million visitors a year over the next five years.

Paul Moores, managing director of FBW, which has its headquarters in the Ugandan capital Kampala, says that ambition is already driving global investment interest.

As a result, FBW, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, is currently working on a number of major projects in the sector, including visitor centres and high-end lodge accommodation, and is seeing investor appetite grow.

Moores was speaking in the run up to the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo 2025, which will take place between May 21-24 in Kampala.

The annual event, showcasing Uganda’s unique attractions and promoting the country as a prime destination for tourism, is set to attract international buyers and thousands of trade visitors.

Tourism is already one of the largest sectors in the country’s economy, directly contributing more than 3.6 per cent to the country’s GDP in 2023 and employing about one in every seven workers.

Recognising its future potential, the government in Kampala has launched a number of strategic initiatives, including developing high-quality accommodation.

And in another positive move, a new Uganda Airlines direct flight to the UK – the first in ten years – has been announced and is set to boost visitor numbers further.

Paul Moores FBW Group managing director:

Paul Moores said: “We’re already seeing strong growth in the region’s tourism sector, and we’re working on a number of projects on behalf of international investors, including visitor centres and high-end lodge accommodation.

“There’s a lot of interest in the sector and its potential. It has been reported that private sector investments in tourism infrastructure have grown by 15 per in the past 12 months alone.

“The Uganda Hotel Owners Association has also reported that several international hotel brands are planning new properties in Kampala and near major national parks.

“A Dubai-based investment firm recently confirmed its $122.4m investment in the country, including building high-end hotels in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Murchison Falls National Park.

“And the EU and its member states are also set to invest in supporting sustainable and responsible tourism here.

“It all adds up to a positive picture for the visitor economy and we’re proud to be playing our part in that growth journey. We see great potential for investment in tourism projects moving forward.”

FBW has played its part in the development of the visitor economy in Uganda throughout its 30 years of operation in East Africa.

Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Kampala, Uganda, East Africa:

The first Four Points by Sheraton hotel in the country, delivered by FBW, opened its door to guests last year. The hotel in Kampala offers 142 guest rooms and suites, restaurants, bars and a ballroom as well as meeting rooms, swimming pool and fitness centre.

FBW, which has operations in Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda, delivered a full design and construction service on the project, covering project management, architecture, structural and civil engineering as well as MEP engineering.

The company also delivered Kampala’s first boutique hotel, The Emin Pasha, which is set in two acres of tropical gardens in the centre of the capital. FBW was the architect, project manager and engineer on the luxury 20-room hotel development, which remains a popular destination.

The group’s architects and engineers have also worked on a number of high-profile signature hotel and leisure projects across East Africa.

These include the multimillion refurbishment of the Hotel Umubano in the Rwandan capital Kigali, several bespoke boutique lodges in Rwanda and Kenya and the design of a major international branded hotel in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

Stuart Harley, the group’s chief operating officer, said: “The hotel projects we have been involved in have all played their part in raising standards and delivering quality experiences for visitors.”

FBW is a major player in the region’s construction and development sector, working on high-profile infrastructure projects. It has offices in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda.

The multi-disciplinary planning, design, architecture and engineering group currently has a workforce of more than 30 professionals delivering high value construction and development projects across Africa.

It works with private and institutional clients and over its 30 years of operation has built longstanding relationships a trusted ‘Partner of Choice’.

Its services include pre-design services, development consultancy, building appraisals and condition surveys, project management, architecture, civil and structural engineering, MEP engineering, telecommunication engineering, and other building consultancy services.
For more information on FBW Group and its services please visit www.fbwgroup.com

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8 March 2025

FBW marks 30 years with more growth plans across Africa

Kampala headquartered FBW Group is celebrating 30 years of quality design, architecture, planning and engineering work with a growing pipeline of work across Africa.

A major player in East Africa’s construction and development sector, the group continues to expand its reach with recent projects in Malawi, Gambia and Somalia.

And as it marks its 30th anniversary, the group’s offices in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda are seeing growing opportunities in sectors ranging from low-cost housing and tourism to the oil and gas sector.

FBW is also looking to play its role in the development of data centres, a growing focus of investment in East Africa.

The multi-disciplinary planning, design architecture and engineering group has a workforce of more than 30 professionals delivering high value construction and development projects.

Clinical Research Excellence And Training Open Resource in Malawi:

FBW works with private and institutional clients and over its 30 years has built longstanding relationships a trusted ‘Partner of Choice’ for groundbreaking projects.

It also collaborates with major international organisations on programmes of importance both economically and socially, using its on-the-ground knowledge.

In addition, FBW continues to play a leading part in the development of design, architecture and engineering in East Africa, supporting professional development in the region.

CREATOR building in Malawi:

FBW is also part of the team tasked with delivering the groundbreaking Kigali Green City masterplan in the Rwandan capital.

And in Uganda it led an international team that delivered new eco-friendly headquarters in Kampala for two major United Nations agencies. The new office, handed over at the end of last year, houses the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and The World Food Programme (WFP).

FBW Group managing director Paul Moores sees a raft of opportunities for the business in 2025, particularly in the countries where its offices are based.

He said: “A new UN report published in January shows continued robust growth in East Africa and we are well placed to take advantage, helping developers and investors deliver their projects using our strong local knowledge and expertise.

“We’re seeing signs of increasing investment in the region from a variety of sources, both domestically and internationally, and that bodes well for the economic outlook in 2025.

“In Uganda the oil industry continues to develop at pace and we are involved in a number of projects helping provide the infrastructure it needs. We recently completed the creation of an oil field services base camp in the west of the country.

“In Kenya we’re working to help create low-cost housing solutions, while our engineers deliver support to major multi-international manufacturing and food and beverage companies.

“And Rwanda continues to be a strong source of work for us, not least through the Kigali Green City project which is set to continue moving forward this year.”

“The groundbreaking initiative is set to drive Kigali’s sustainable, affordable, green, and inclusive urban growth and we’re looking forward to playing our part in its successful delivery.

Paul added: “We’re also seeing strong growth in the region’s tourism sector, and we’re working on a number of projects on behalf of international investors, including visitor centres and high-end lodge accommodation.

“The health sector is another area where we continue to grow and deliver developments that are truly transformational and life-changing. We’re proud of our partnerships with major international health organisations.

“And as the year begins, we are seeing increasing interest in the design and construction of data centres, which we believe represents an enormous opportunity for East Africa.”

FBW continues to grow its reach beyond its traditional East African base. Paul said: “We’re winning business across Africa, with recent major health projects in Malawi and Gambia and opportunities opening up for us in Somalia. And we continue to grow our links with companies based in South Africa.

“Our aim is to continue to move the business forward by nurturing and attracting top talent. The result is a great team delivering great projects.

“As a multi-disciplinary practice, we are able to draw on a wide skills base and resources for our clients and that is what gives us the edge.

“To succeed in the territories where we operate you have to understand the local legislation and business ethos and that continues to be our strength.”

For more information on its wide portfolio of projects please visit www.fbwgroup.com

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29 October 2024
FBW-led international team delivers eco-friendly office project for UN agencies

African based FBW Group has led an international team that has delivered new eco-friendly headquarters in Uganda for two major United Nations agencies.

The leading architecture and engineering firm was appointed to deliver the new combined office in the capital Kampala to house the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and The World Food Programme (WFP).

The construction of the multi-million-dollar project on the 2.6-acre site in Mbuya is now complete and the development has been officially handed over.

New office building in Kampala for UNICEF and WFP:

image courtesy of FBW Group

The two organisation’s 350 staff will share the new premises and its facilities. FBW provided full in-house design services and acted as project lead.

FWB Group, which has offices in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, has a strong track record of work delivering projects for international agencies in the region, including the United Nations (UN).

UNICEF is responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. WFP is the food-assistance branch of the UN and is the world’s largest humanitarian organisation.

FBW’s team worked to create the four-storey office building which includes shared meeting rooms and conference facilities for both organisations.

Sustainability is at the heart of the development, with designers making use of natural ventilation and daylight. The building has been designed to save 20 per cent on energy use, water consumption and material-used in the building.

photograph : UNICEF Uganda/Joseph Balikuddembe/2024

This affords it an EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) certificate from the IFC-World Bank, a global standard for green building. The building has also been constructed using locally available materials.

The international team led by FBW was made up of Orbit Design, based in Thailand, providing interior designs; landscaping expert Landmark Studio from South Africa and Mace YMR, from Kampala, appointed as quantity surveyor on the scheme.

FBW has also worked on the project with WFP engineers and architects based in Rome and UNICEF’s New York-based architects and engineers.

FBW Group won the contract through an international open procurement process.

Stuart Harley, FBW’s director of operations, who is based in the group’s Kampala headquarters, said: “The new office development brings together two UN major organisations under one roof, and we’re delighted to have worked with both UNICEF and WFP on this major project for them in Uganda.

“A strong international team has delivered a building that has sustainability at its heart, works within the local landscape and caters for the needs of both these organisations and their staffs.”

He added: “Over a quarter of a century FBW Group has worked with a range of international organisations in Africa, including helping develop facilities for the UN in Tanzania.”

“Many of our present clients are international health and research organisations, bringing first-world specialist facilities to Africa.”

Abdirahman Meygag, WFP’s country director in Uganda, said: “This new eco-friendly office demonstrates WFP’s commitment to environmental sustainability, the well-being of our employees, and the strength of partnership.”

Munir Safieldin, UNICEF representative to Uganda, added. “This new climate-smart office building is more than just a workspace; it is a symbol of our commitment to building a sustainable future for the next generation.

“By investing in eco-friendly infrastructure, we are demonstrating to the children of today that their future matters. This building embodies our responsibility to protect not only the most vulnerable, but also the environment they will inherit.”

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27 September 2023
FBW Group Delivers Four Points by Sheraton Kampala

The first Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Uganda, delivered by leading African planning, design, architecture and engineering team FBW Group, has opened its door to guests.

Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Uganda:

image courtesy of FBW Group

The new Four Points by Sheraton Kampala is set to play its part in the continuing post pandemic recovery of Uganda’s visitor economy.
FBW has led on the multi-million-dollar hotel development in the Ugandan capital providing its architecture, structural and civil and MEP engineering expertise.

The hotel offers 142 guest rooms and suites, restaurants, bars and a ballroom as well as meeting rooms, swimming pool and fitness centre.

The official opening earlier this month came as Uganda looks to attract more visitors from across the world with a new marketing initiative.

The ‘Explore Uganda, The Pearl of Africa’ brand promises to provide visitors with a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, according to the Uganda Tourism Board, which is behind the plan.

Recent figures also show Uganda’s tourism trade continuing to rebound post-pandemic with visitor numbers rising 59 per cent in 2022. Last year the country welcomed around 814,508 international visitors.

Sitting at the foot of Kololo Hill, an upscale residential area, and near to Nakasero, Kampala’s central business district, the new Four Points by Sheraton Kampala is around 40km from Entebbe International Airport.

King Standard Room at Four Points by Sheraton hotel, Uganda:

image courtesy of FBW Group

Nigel Tilling, project director at FBW Group, said: “We’re delighted that this fantastic addition to Kampala’s visitor and hospitality offering is now complete and is opening to guests.

“The whole construction and design team had to cope with the extra pressures brought by the pandemic in the middle of the project.
“The newly delivered hotel stands as testament to the professionalism and determination of everyone involved, from the client team and construction crews to the engineers and architects.

“Four Points by Sheraton Kampala is part of the 31 Marriott International brands and one of the fastest-growing hospitality brands in the world and is sure to make a big impact on business and leisure travellers. It is an impressive sight.”

Four Points by Sheraton is a multinational hotel brand operated by Marriott International Inc that targets business travellers and conventions.
As of June 30, 2020, Marriott operated 291 properties worldwide under the Four Points by Sheraton brand, with 53,054 rooms. In addition, Marriott had 130 planned hotels with 27,342 additional rooms.

FBW has played its part in the development of the visitor economy in Uganda. It delivered Kampala’s first boutique hotel The Emin Pasha is set in two acres of tropical gardens in the centre of the city.

FBW was the architect, project manager and engineer on the luxury 20-room hotel development, which remains a popular destination.
The group’s architects and engineers have also worked on a number of high-profile signature hotel and leisure projects across East Africa.
These include the multi-million refurbishment of the Hotel Umubano in the Rwandan capital Kigali, several bespoke boutique lodges in Rwanda and Kenya and the design of a major international branded hotel in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

Stuart Harley, the group’s chief operating officer, said: “The growth in hotel investment in Kampala and other cities in East Africa has mirrored the development of the visitor economy and we’re proud of the part we’ve played in some key developments, including this latest Four Points by Sheraton development.

“The hotel projects we have been involved in have played their part in raising standards and delivering quality experiences for visitors to Uganda as well as helping the growth of the tourism sector, which is now beginning to bounce back from the impact of Covid.”

FBW is a major player in the region’s construction and development sector, working on high-profile infrastructure projects.

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15 September 2023
Sustainable Cities Are Vital In Meeting Africa’s Climate Challenges

Leading planning, design, architecture and engineering practice FBW Group says the inaugural Africa Climate Summit has highlighted the pressing need to deliver liveable cities with sustainability at their heart.

The role sustainable cities can play in becoming the centre of Africa’s “resilient future” was highlighted at the Africa Climate Summit, hosted by the government of Kenya in Nairobi, and during Africa Climate Week, which ran alongside the summit.

Following the gathering, African leaders committed to implementing policies, regulations and incentives aimed at attracting local, regional and global investment in green growth and inclusive economies.

Their calls to action include “leapfrogging” traditional industrial development and fostering green production and supply chains on a global scale.

The leaders’ statement also declared that investment into carbon credits should place Africa on the receiving side for green finance and spur sustainable transformations in fast growing African cities, in line with the UN development goals.

Welcoming the commitments to green growth, East African based FBW Group, part of the team tasked with delivering the trailblazing Kigali Green City project in the Rwandan capital, believes integrated climate solutions at a local level need to be accelerated.

These include scaling up the production and use of sustainable building materials, nature-based solutions, renewable energy and better transport solutions.

FBW also believes more global investment is needed to develop the local manufacturing of specialised products, to create African supply chains based on a circular economy rather than imports and to deliver more local jobs.

The Kigali Green City project FBW is involved in is looking to demonstrate that building green is “a necessity, not a luxury”.

It will feature a range of initiatives, including the use renewable energy, rainwater harvesting, wastewater management, recycling and reuse of water and sustainable transport solutions. All have a part to play in delivering a sustainable future.

The development will also deliver much needed quality homes for people in the lower-to-middle-income brackets.

FBW Group, which has offices in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya, has been appointed to be the local team on the ground, delivering the key services of architecture, structural and civil engineering and mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering (MEP).

The firm’s initial roles in the Green City project include suggestions on local material supply, environmental standards and stakeholder engagement and submissions.

Antje Eckoldt, FBW Group director, says: “One of the aims of the project is to combine appropriate technologies, progressive thinking and the use of local skills and materials to show that this urban environment has everything it needs to sustain its community and for people to live green.”

As part of its work towards creating a circular economy to unlock green growth, FBW has been exploring local low-carbon construction methods and materials and how they can be used to their maximum affect.

That work includes collaborating with sustainable building material innovators such as Oxara on the use of new products to create stabilised earth blocks and other building material applications without the use of cement. It is an ongoing project.

Antje says: “If we are to reduce construction carbon impacts, including the reduction in the carbon impact of transporting materials over long distances, we need to deliver local solutions using local materials found on site for the majority of construction.

“Materials such as earth and stone were traditionally used in most cultures and they can be easily re-used and recycled as buildings come to the end of their life.

“We also need to scale-up production of these materials and create strong local supply chains that in turn deliver much needed employment.”
The mayors and governors of 12 African cities and metropolitan areas used the climate summit to call on national and international leaders to support them in creating “good, green jobs” and accelerating the transition to a sustainable economy.

FBW Group believes a strong and sustainable economic strategy has the potential to create tens of thousands of those jobs across Africa, in construction, green energy and other sectors.

FBW Group has been at the cutting edge of sustainable design and construction in Africa for more than two decades.

During that time it has gained a wealth of practical experience in the design and delivery of sustainable building solutions and green principles form an integral part of the design thinking that underlies all its work.

As part of its continuing commitment to ‘build green’ and to advocate for green buildings it is also a member of the Kenyan Green Building Society, part of the World Green Building Council. It is also a champion of the EDGE green building certification system.

Its team has been working with the International School of Kigali (ISK) to create a 21st Century ‘green’ campus. All its buildings have been designed to be constructed using locally made, eco-friendly brickwork, fired through a low embodied carbon technique.

Sustainability was another large consideration in its delivery of a masterplan for the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) campus expansion project in Rwanda.

FBW also designed the campus in response to the distinctive climate that its highland forest setting brings, creating a pedestrian-friendly environment focusing on the natural landscape to provide external spaces for studying, physical activity and social interaction.

For more information on FBW Group and its projects and services across Africa please visit www.fbwgroup.com

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16 Jan 2023
Key Kenya Promotions as FBW Group Continues to Develop Talent

Leading African planning, design, architecture and engineering team FBW Group has announced two senior promotions as it looks to further develop its presence in Kenya over the next 12 months.

Charles Nganga and MaryRose Akii have been promoted to Associate level. They are both based in FBW’s office in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

Charles has been working as a senior consultant and department head and MaryRose is also a department head and senior architect. They have played major roles on a wide range of high-profile projects led by the Nairobi office.

Their promotions come as FBW sees continuing post-pandemic growth, with a pipeline of work across its operations and opportunities throughout the continent.

The group is also looking to further grow its presence in Kenya as the tenth anniversary of the opening of its Nairobi operation approaches.

FBW, which has offices in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, also continues to invest in the development of the architects and engineers who will deliver Africa’s vision of green, sustainable urban growth. Its Kenyan office has played a key part in work towards the creation of a low-cost, affordable housing strategy for the country.

FBW Group Managing Director Paul Moores said: “We’re delighted to announce these promotions which highlight the strength-in-depth we have in all our disciplines and across the business.

“They further strengthen our management team as we look to increase our presence in Kenya and continue to expand into other parts of Africa as our pipeline of work in all sectors grows.

“Our people have a wealth of experience, and their range of knowledge ensures that we consistently deliver projects efficiently and cost-effectively, with our Nairobi operation playing a central role in work we are involved in across the continent.

“These well-deserved promotions are also recognition of the commitment MaryRose and Charles have shown, their importance to the group and the contribution they are making to FBW’s success.”

He added: “Talented people like these are our most precious asset. We work hard to grow and develop our young talent so they can play key roles in our portfolio of work and, beyond that, play their part in Africa’s development.”

MaryRose joined FBW in 2010 and became part of its Kenya team in 2019, arriving in Nairobi from the group’s Kampala head office in Uganda.
Her portfolio of work includes an ongoing health design project at a leading medical research centre in The Gambia.

She said: “One of the strengths of FBW is the way all its offices across East Africa work together to deliver projects and the interesting and varied work you are involved in as a result. The group is also heavily focused on sustainability and green design.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to develop and progress both professionally and within the business, playing my part in its continued growth.”

Charles joined FBW in 2018. Previously he had worked in the UK for more than a decade and studied at the University of Manchester.

During his time at FBW, he has worked on a range of high-profile projects, including several for Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA), the continent’s largest soft drinks bottler. He has also been part of the FBW teams delivering health and education projects in Rwanda and The Gambia.

Charles said: “The variety of projects you are involved in is one of the reasons that FBW such an enjoyable place to work.

“Career development is also important to the business and there are clear paths you can pursue. We’ve also got a strong supportive team at all levels of the business. People are here to see you succeed.”

FBW, which has worked for more than 25 years in Africa, is playing its part in growing its skills base and is also actively nurturing the development of young professionals in all its offices.

As well as an in-house intern programme and links with educational establishments, FBW’s commitment to professional development sees its young talent encouraged as they gain knowledge and experience on their career journeys.

FBW offers a wide range of in-house professional building and technical services. They include pre-design services, development consultancy, building appraisals and condition surveys, project management, architecture, civil and structural engineering, MEP engineering, telecommunication engineering, and other building consultancy services.

FBW has also built a strong track record in supporting British-based organisations to deliver international standards.

For more information on FBW Group and its work please visit www.fbwgroup.com

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3 July 2022
Bringing health and hope to Burundi

A state-of-the-art 150 bed teaching hospital in Burundi that will deliver vital care for women and children in one of the poorest nations in Africa is on course to open its doors this year.

Kigutu Hospital and Women’s Health Pavilion building design in Burundi:

image : Bergen Street Studio

The US$20m Kigutu Hospital and Women’s Health Pavilion is the latest phase in a project transforming the remote mountain village of Kigutu into a centre of community-driven health care and education that is being delivered by Village Health Works (VHW) and will bring high quality surgical capacity to rural Burundi.

The medical facility is now in the final stages of construction. When completed, it will provide essential and emergency obstetrics and surgical care.
FBW Group was involved as project manager and lead designer in the detailed design stages of the development and is proud to have played a part in the successful delivery of the project to date.

FBW, which has offices in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, has helped deliver health projects in Africa, many in remote rural areas, for more than 25 years.
One in 23 women will die during pregnancy or childbirth in Burundi, where 80 per cent of the population lives on under $1 a day.

Once open, women will be able to give birth safely in a dignified environment, with access to immediate c-sections and other services to increase the safety of both mother and child.

The Kigutu Hospital and Women’s Health Pavilion will have seven delivery rooms, a prenatal and postnatal ward, a neonatal intensive care unit, nursery, general and malnutrition wards. It will also have an emergency room.

As well as saving lives and reducing needless suffering the facility will provide an excellent training and education environment for Burundian healthcare professionals, helping retain talent in the country.

Village Health Works is a New York-based non-profit organisation founded by Deogratias ‘Deo’ Niyizonkiza, an American citizen and medical doctor born in rural Burundi, who has become an inspirational voice in global health and international development.

Village Health Works has turned this area of Burundi into a bustling campus which serves a catchment area of 200,000 people.

The project began in 2005 when Deo travelled back to Burundi to establish VHW, with the goal of creating a healthcare system model in Kigutu.

Thanks to community-donated land, a small amount of seed money from American fellow students and supporters and the work of volunteers, the centre opened its doors to the community in December 2007.

FBW Group managing director Paul Moores said: “It’s fantastic to see that work on the Kigutu Hospital and Women’s Health Pavilion is progressing.
“It is a testament to the dedication, drive and determination of VHW and the team behind the project.

“This is a truly transformational development for Burundi and its people, delivering first-world quality health services to a remote part of rural Africa.

“The Women’s Health Pavilion will provide vital care for women and children in the region. It is a true ‘game changer’ in health services for Burundi and we’re proud to have played some part in its creation.”

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