A dynamic and refreshed family practice firmly focused on the future
Gitutho Architects and Planners is a Kenyan architectural and urban planning firm that has been in practice for over 30 years. It has its head office in Mombasa with a major branch in Nairobi. From these two locations, the firm has put together an impressive portfolio of projects.
Initially Gitutho Associates consulting architects, the firm was registered in 1983 by its principal architect, Kamau Njendu.
Arch Kamau Njendu has been a private practicing architect since 1982. He studied at the University of Nairobi where he obtained both his bachelor and master’s degrees in architecture. He briefly worked at the Ministry of Public Works in various positions, eventually working with Municipal Council of Mombasa and becoming the first African Chief Architect of the City of Mombasa.
It was in 1982 that Arch Njendu decided to go into private practice. Since then, the architect has built a career synonymous with excellence and reliability. He is not only a well known architect in the fraternity of architects but is also a respected man in the Mombasa and the larger national community.
A believer in giving back to the community, he has served in the board of directors at Star of the Sea Primary School, Holy Ghost Cathedral Mombasa and Ndutumi Secondary School among others and has been involved in various community projects. He is a fellow member of the Kenya Institute of Management and a life member of Child Welfare Society. A husband, a father and grandfather, he has consistently shown grace and respect when dealing with clients, professional colleagues and his staff.
Gitutho Associates operated under the management and guidance of Arch Njendu until 2010 when the consultancy was rebranded to become Gitutho Architects and Planners Ltd. The move also saw the entry of Arch Njendu’s daughter, Arch Mugure Njendu, who became a partner.
When Arch Mugure is asked about working in a family consultancy with her father, she has nothing but praise for her mentors’ guidance and stoic career. Unlike many family practices, the two work well together in a partnership framed with respect and confidence in each other’s strengths.
Arch Mugure joined the firm after obtaining her bachelor and master’s degrees in architecture in Boston and Miami respectively. During the eight years she spent in the United States, Mugure worked with various architectural firms including Stirling Brown Architects and Brockhouse Associates.
The amiable architect, who made it to the list of Top 40 Women under 40 during a survey conducted by the Business Daily newspaper in 2014, graduated with a master’s degree in Architecture in Suburb and Town Planning. Naturally, it meant that the rebranded firm would now have expanded capacity to undertake urban and master planning in addition to regular architectural work. Arch. Mugure is also a qualified Arbitrator.
As a partner in the firm, Mugure has been involved in various projects and business development, expanding the firm’s geographical scope to cover other parts of East Africa. A firm believer of East African cooperation, Arch Mugure currently serves as the chair of the Ethics and Practice Board at the East African Institute of Architects.
Gitutho Architects and Planners has a staff of 20 permanent and short term employees in both its Mombasa and Nairobi offices. This team of dedicated and focused staff ensures that the organization runs smoothly.
Major Projects and the Future
Key projects that the firm has undertaken include Kenya Ports Authority pension housing scheme, the Murang’a County Government building and the Library building for Kenyatta University, among numerous others. Several others are ongoing or at tender stage.
The partners are focused on maintaining their existing clientele base as well as welcoming others. They are determined to ensure that quality is never compromised regardless of structural or other changes in the firm.
Having clocked 30 years and more, Gitutho Architects and Planners looks to the future with optimism and thanks its clients, professional colleagues and partners in the construction industry for their continued support.
