Aleem Manji Architects (AMA) recently clocked 10 years. The architectural design studio born in the founder’s bedroom with only a computer, a desk, a chair and big dreams is now a force to reckon with on Kenya’s architecture landscape with a project portfolio valued at billions of shillings. The firm also operates from one of Nairobi’s most prestigious addresses – The Mirage on Waiyaki Way. It’s a far cry from the early days when Principal Architect Aleem Manji would shudder at the prospect of a client asking for a meeting at AMA’s “offices”. At the time, Aleem would immediately offer to buy the client coffee at Java instead.
The firm has also grown in personnel and now has three architects, one project manager, three technicians, one Architectural Visualizer and administrative staff.
“We’ve been lucky”, says Aleem, who plunged into self-employment 10 years ago this month after a five-year stint with another studio. But it’s more than luck and he quickly corrects himself.
“It’s a little bit of both luck and hard work. I’ve been lucky to work with a very talented and supportive team as well.” He says the property boom at the time of AMA’s conception also significantly helped to propel the firm’s take-off.
So why did Aleem leave the comfort of steady employment income and plunge into the often treacherous world of entrepreneurship? “I wanted to make my own mistakes”, he says with a chuckle. Aleem, who at one time hosted a morning show on East FM during his University of Nairobi days and used the earnings to pay for his studies, says his first big break was a project called Casilda. The 5-bedroom townhouses project in the upmarket Nairobi suburb of Kyuna launched AMA and gave Aleem the much needed funds to move into a small but decent office on General Mathenge Drive in the Westlands area of the city.
Aleem’s projects would later dominate the entire Drive and surrounding areas.
Aleem went on to design award-winning projects, bagging the coveted African Property Awards in 2017/18 for his two projects The Elegance and Rumaisa. The 42-year old also made it to Nation Media Group’s Top 40 Under 40 Men in 2017.
Today, many projects around Nairobi bear AMA’s unique signature. As the firm’s Principal Architect, it is Aleem’s job to provide leadership to the team and execute projects to the best of its ability and to the satisfaction of clients. Many of AMA’s clients are repeat customers, something that Aleem believes is the ultimate endorsement of his work. “AMA does not bid for projects”, he says, disclosing that the firm instead receives invitation to take on projects.
Aleem thinks the architectural sector in Kenya could do with a few changes. “For example, the way professional fees is arrived at should be looked at afresh”, he says. “I believe we have evolved beyond one size fits all.”
Currently, his firm is working on several significant projects including The Rumaisa at Riverside, Atithi Apartments and Treewall on General Mathenge Drive and The Loft Residences at Two Rivers. The Loft is a project of investment giant Centum.
As he looks back to the dramatic rise of AMA over the last 10 years, Aleem also looks forward to retirement. But architecture remains his passion and his ideal situation is to reach a point where he no longer does it to pay bills but for self-gratification.
