Adventis Inhouse Africa (AIA) Limited is a firm of Consulting Architects, Interior Designers & Project Managers with offices in Nairobi, Kenya. AIA was incorporated as a Limited Liability Company in February 2005 following the merger between In-House Architects and Adventis Limited. Both of these firms brought together an extensive combined experience in designing and supervising a wide range of projects.
The founding partners are Benson Sande Ndeta, Douglas Omondi Ochong’, Evans Gitobu, Kinyua, Isaac Lajos Ong’ondo Ogai, Lee Muchiri Waititu, Mohammed Khamis Munyanya and Osman Oduka Abunge. All are holders of Bachelor of Architecture Degrees, Members of the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) and registered Architects with the Board of Registration for Architects & Quantity Surveyors (BORAQS). They each possess a wealth of experience acquired through various positions held in major architectural firms and projects carried out in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Southern Sudan and Somaliland.
AIA technical personnel include 8 Architects, 1 Graduate Architect and 7 Technicians. The company also employs administration and support staff.
Mission
Through a single point of contact, AIA Ltd aims at providing comprehensive design and project management service to efficiently deliver high quality service and value to its clients and stakeholders.
The firm handles all categories of projects within the built environment. This effectively means the firm is capable of undertaking commercial, residential, industrial and other cadres of projects.
Services
AIA provides architecture, planning and other services. In architecture the services include, Office Buildings, Commercial / Shopping Centres, Banking / Financial Institutions, Hospitality, Recreational Facilities, Housing / Residential, Industrial Facilities, Health-care Facilities, Educational Facilities, Community Centres and Institutional Facilities
In planning the firm offers Site planning and analysis, Space Audits and Pre-design feasibility studies
Other Services other services include Interior Design, Project Management, Landscape Design, Environmental Design and Design and Build
Major Projects
Since inception, AIA has handled numerous projects such as Passenger Terminal Building at Malindi Airport; Passenger Terminal Building at Manda Airstrip – Kenya Airports Authority; Office block and godowns for Goldrock on Mombasa Road; Cement Factory and Offices– Savannah Cement; Jacaranda Gardens; SCB Pensions Scheme Ambassadorial Houses in Muthaiga; Renovations to KRA Staff Housing in Langata; Nyanza Club, Kisumu and; Ridgepark Villas, Riat Hill, Kisumu
Out of these projects, AIA is especially proud of Ridge Park for a number of reasons, among them being the fact that the Villas have been designed to take advantage of the RIAT Hill slope which offers residents stunning panoramic views of Lake Victoria as well as Kisumu City and the development has incorporated the latest ultramodern infrastructure and employs green technologies in areas such as lighting and water management to make each resident feel catered for.
Industry Concerns
According to AIA, there is need to update the building code to reflect the current technological developments in the building industry. The company also feels that statutory approvals (architectural, structural plans etc) should be streamlined to ensure there are no delays in commencing projects.
Regarding the business climate prevailing in Kenya today, the firm feels that the climate has favoured the construction industry. There has been a marked improvement in access to financing, allowing many people to become property owners.
On government support to stakeholders, the company says it has noticed a significant improvement, citing measures such as the reduction in the percentage of withholding tax, nomination of professionals from the industry to state organs that deal with the build environment, changes to the procurement act following recommendations by AAK regarding provision of architectural services, and enactment of bills aimed at streamlining the building industry.
AIA is also upbeat about the quality of professionals, noting that many of them are increasingly gaining valuable skills through exposure to the more advanced techniques used in other parts of the world. However, fresh architecture graduates still face challenges in the work place since many of them are not adequately prepared for challenges. They therefore take time to gain practical knowledge.
Future
AIA is intent on becoming one of the leading architectural houses not only in Kenya but across the whole African continent in the years ahead.
