Praticising Architect/Project Manager
B.Arch. (MUK), MSc Eng& Tech (RSUCE), PhD (Constr. Mgt), President Uganda Society of Architects and Chief Executive Officer of SASA architects
Dr. Ssemwogerere kenneth passion for reading, researching and acquiring more knowledge and new ideas to enrich his experiences is incomparable to not many others.Hiseagerness to learn new things and the fact that in Uganda there is a deficiency of latest reading materials for professionals in the construction industry, has led him to open up a resource center,Esterwills Libraryof Engineering & Construction.
Located on plot 519 Old Kira Road, this library is stocked with more than 400 latest books on architecture, Quantity surveying, all categories of Engineering and Construction which are highly recommended for architects, real estate developers, engineers and other players in the construction industry with a passion to go beyond the average.
Construction Review magazine had an interview with him and below are the excerpts.
Educational background
Arch Dr. Kenneth Ssemwogerere, the third born of Mr&Mrs William and Esther Serunjogi, retired Hoteliers, had his Primary education at Buganda road primary school, Kampala from 1981-1987. He later joined Kibuli Secondary school from 1988-1994 and in1994 joined Makerere University to pursue a Bachelor of Architecture degree where he emerged as the best overall final year architecture student 1998/99 earning himself the USA Presidents award for best architecture student that year.
Arch. Dr. Ssemwogerere obtained a Masters degree scholarship from the Russian Government through the Ministry of Education and Sports in 2001. After the Masters he engaged on a self-sponsored PHD in Construction Management and from Rostov State University of Civil Engineering, Rostov-on-Don, Russia. He served as chairman board of research and development 2009/2011 on the Uganda Society of Architects (USA) council. In December 2011 he was unanimously elected President of (USA) 2011/2013.
He lectures at the Department of Architecture and physical planning at Makerere University, Uganda. He is also an associate member of Singapore institute of Architects (ASIA).
Yet more, he is currently the Chief Executive Officer of SASA architects & Project Managers and has a partnership with some Siamese Architects.
To him, Architecture is not only a responsible and paying profession but also it influences everyday life. His philosophy in life is to be creatively practical in all his designs and to exhibit such admirable levels of competence and commitment in his work.
Arch.Dr.Ssemwogerere has attended many International conferences most recent being the 28th annual conference of the Association of Researchers in Construction Management in Edinburgh, Scotland (ARCOM), the Construction and Building research Association Conference(COBRA) in Las Vegas USA. He has compiled several papers from these conferences he has attended and these are available in Esterwills library.
SASA Architects, Engineers & Project Managers
Send A Seed Agency (SASA) is a consultancy firm based in Uganda and is set apart from other architectural firms because it’s a root for Ugandans in the Diaspora who have the need to invest back home. SASA has a vision of becoming the Leading Construction Investment Consultancy Firm in Africa, a gateway through which Africans living and working in the Diaspora carry out investments back home.
Why the concern with people in Diaspora?
During his time in Russia, Arch.Dr.Ssemwogerere was able to fully understand what it actually takes to live, let alone work in a foreign country – the cold winters, strict shifts and long work hours, racial discrimination, stresses of missing the train etc.
It is against this background that he developed the passion to ensure that those hard-earned monies are carefully and diligently planned for so that on retirement one can enjoy the fruits of their Labor.
He also fully understands that many have been ripped off of their savings and so find it hard to trust anyone back home, but together with his partners, they are more than ready to prove a point that there is still a not only a faithful but professional remnant back home.
SASA offers its services in four major areas; project feasibility studies, project design & construction management, project finance management and research in construction.
Esterwills library of engineering & construction
Esterwills library is the first of its kind resource center stocking the current edition books in computer, electrical, telecom, Automotive & power, Industrial, Environment, Civil & Electrical Engineering, Architecture, real estate and land economics. Located on plot 519, on old Kira road, the library is open to students, practicing architects and engineers who wish to acquire more knowledge on the latest trends in construction.
Some of the great books available at Esterwills library include:
• Legal Aspects To Architecture,Engineering and Construction, 5th edition- Justin Sweet
• Bids tenders & proposals, Harold Lewis
• Winning the Bid, NeilTweedley
• How to succeed with your own construction business, Steven &Janelle Dilles
• Health and safety in construction, Phil Hughes, Ed ferret 3rd edition
• Building a construction company, Patricia et al
• Revised edition of Running a successful construction company, David Gerstel
• Building maintenance management 2nd edition, Barrice and Peter Swallow
• Electrical and Electeonics engineering Wiley encyclopedia, John B Webster
• Ethics for architecture, Thomas Fisher
• Apartment interiors, 2007, CarlesBroto
• Winning shopping center designs 28th international designs and development awards, 2011
• Design and structural elements, ChanakyaArya
• The principles and practice of international commercial arbitration MagretL.Moses
• Methods of environmental impact assessment, Peter Morris, RikiTherivel
Also available at the library are conference papers, guidelines for continuous development seminars and mentorship programmes. Plans are underway to create an online version so that accessing these resources can be made easier for all.
Arch.Dr.Semwogerere, the brain behind this development further affirms his willingness to guide and mentor interested parties on how they can become the best that they can be in their fields of operation. Despite the poor reading culture in Uganda, this project is an opportunity that needs to be put to good use. The books arenot for sale and neither can they be borrowed from the library, only readers come and read for a small fee.
