Speaking to BDLife from his sixth floor office in Nairobi, Mr Manji says affluent Kenyans appear to have embraced high-rise residences conveniently located near the Central Business District but want property developers to restore greenery as well as provide trappings of modern living.
Aleem Manji, one of Kenya’s top architects, believes trees are the most beautiful architectural marvel that nothing can replace. And trees have dotted every project he has designed since graduating from the University of Nairobi with a degree in Architecture in 2005.
“While we excavate virgin land to build houses, I have fallen in love with trees and I like to introduce them on select terraces for exclusive access to residents on high-end luxury apartments,” he says.
Speaking to BDLife from his sixth floor office in Nairobi, Mr Manji says affluent Kenyans appear to have embraced high-rise residences conveniently located near the Central Business District but want property developers to restore greenery as well as provide trappings of modern living.
Rumaisa homes
Speaking of his latest development, Rumaisa, a 19-floor property comprising 66 duplex apartments (35 three bedroom apartments and 31 four bedroom apartments being built on nine blocks), Mr Manji says exposure had helped Kenyans appreciate what money can buy.
“The new building will have three pools with a total length of 120 metres completing the U-shaped infinity pool at its topmost floor that will give residents panoramic views of Nairobi. On it’s the northern end, will be a terraced garden and a pub on the other end,” he says.
Mr Manji, who has designed and overseen development of 1,000 apartments in Nairobi, says he loves his projects equally and none is his favourite “as each has its own uniqueness.’’
“I enjoyed designing each project from individual houses to apartments but the bigger the project the bigger the task of ensuring quality, timelines and budgets are met.”
The soft-spoken architect adds that growing interest in penthouses has created a new niche market where architects burn the midnight oil to provide facilities that one would enjoy on their own compound.
“We have had to include a fully equipped communal but residents’ only gym, pub, spa and sauna as well as individual jacuzzis in each apartment,’’ he says. Mr Manji says the demand for high-rise apartments has also been driven by prohibitive land prices that made it impossible for developers to recoup their investments by building single dwelling units.
“Say you bought a parcel of land for Sh200 million. What house would you put up to enjoy a well-timed return. We advise property owners to build apartments where a single apartment could cost as much as Sh100 million but we attempt to ensure each buyer enjoys the privacy of a single dwelling unit,” he adds.
Bedroom office
Mr Manji who started off his private practice on a table in his bedroom expressed sadness with a persistent trend among property owners who appear to dictate the type of building they want.
“You cannot carry a painting by Picasso and demand a replica. You could end up with a Monalisa painting that will eternally be a pain in your heart. We are trained to accommodate varied tastes and all a property owner needs to do is to explain what they need and leave the rest to our imagination,’’ he says.
The leeway, he added, enables architects to accommodate modern trends in property developments where natural lighting, ventilation and water harvesting are key as well as improving the property’s landscape.
“Narrow corridors, stuffy rooms and poorly lit alleys affect our emotional stability and such a house disrupts a family’s harmony. You want a facility that naturally cools itself and can function even without electricity lighting. We are encouraging solar energy use as well as water recycling to reduce operational costs,’’ he says.
For property developers and owners, he advises, one must hire a landscape architect at the planning stage to ensure the finished property is in harmony with its surrounding.
