Associated Architects was founded in 1973 in Kenya with a branch in Kampala, Uganda
Over the years, the firm has been involved in consultancy work in almost every field in the built-up environment within Kenya, East Africa and beyond.
Its sister firm in Uganda is one of the oldest and most prominent architectural firms in that country.
The two offices work closely, whenever there is need to share expertise on any issues in the profession.
Summary of Services
- Taking client’s brief
- Interpreting the brief technically and re-confirming the same with the client before commencing work.
- Carrying out preliminary site investigations and advising the client on any special requirements on the site that would have an effect on the brief.
- Advising the client on the need to confirm all surveys for the site in order to re-confirm the beacons, road reserves, etc and availability of other infrastructure (proposed or otherwise), services availability, prevailing physical soil conditions (this will however need detailed analysis by the Civil/Structural Engineers).
- Advising the client on the mandatory and statutory requirements and restrictions by local authorities in order to obtain the necessary planning authority approvals.
- Advising the client on the need for other consultants required on the project like Engineers, Surveyors etc.
- Upon design inception, keeping the client up-dated on the progress of the design process, and seeking the client’s approval of the scheme as it develops. This involves regular submissions and meetings with the client, where necessary.
- Co-ordinating the activities of the other consultants involved in the project to ensure that they all work as a team with a common goal. Associated Architects role involves arranging and chairing such meetings and recording all the proceedings there-from. A tentative project implementation programme is drawn up by the consultants. This has to have the client’s approval.
Once the scheme has been approved by the client and preliminary cost estimates for the same accepted, it is our responsibility to submit the plans for the project in order to obtain planning authority approval from the authorities. We also constantly follow up the process of the scrutiny of the plans with the authority in order to advise the client on any special requirements emanating there from.
It is our role to give a proper brief to client regarding all the materials specified in the project and their availability. Together with the project’s Quantity Surveyors, the client is guided on the most suitable and available materials (with their costs) and the need, if any for any imported materials.
- In the case of any imported materials there is need to have the necessary scrutiny and approvals for the same, by the relevant Government bodies, before these can be applied to the project.
- We are therefore responsible of following up the submission and consequent processing and approval of samples of any such materials with the Kenya Bureau of Standards, The Ministry of Public Works and the Environmental bodies as well.
- Once the necessary planning authority approval is acquired, and in liaison with the other consultants, tendering procedures are initiated. The client will have been briefed on the various tendering methods and given his consent.
- Once tenders are called for and received back, analysed by the Quantity Surveyors (and Engineers on Services), recommendations made and acceptance received from the client, the appointment of the contractor is effected. A site possession date is therefore fixed on which the contractor takes possession of the site.
- The contractor must submit his implementation programme to us for approval and necessary communication with the entire team.
- We arrange and co-ordinate site meetings for the project which we chair on regular basis to project’s practical completion and handing-over to the client.
- Our role on the project continues until at the end of the mandatory defects liability period at which time we draw up a defects list for rectification by the contractor.
- Once all the defects have been rectified to the consultants (and the client) satisfaction, the project is finally handed over to the client.
Projects handled in the past
These include Kenya Airport Authority Headquarters, Kenya Pipeline Company- Training and Conference Centre – Morendat, Naivasha and PCEA hostels and Conference Centre, in South C, Nairobi.
Recent projects include the Kenya Forest Service Information Centre in Nairobi.
