African project
The Edge – Uganda
T
he firm has seen particular
evidence of this in some of
its own projects. The Edge,
a sizeable new upmarket
residential development
in Kampala, Uganda, is
a good current example.
This 160-unit complex in
Naayla, Kampala, is being
developed by Ascent
Point Investments, a Ugandan property
development company. Messaris
Wapenaar Cole Architects (MWCA)
secured the project based on its extensive
experience in high density residential
architecture, with the firm having been
referred to Ascent Point Investments by
one of its long-standing South African
clients, Limestone Properties. Its track
record of successfully completing projects
in a variety of African countries was an
additional contributing factor.
A process of continual learning
Jeffrey Cole, the partner in charge of The
Edge project at MWCA, comments that
although the firm has approximately 30
years experience in residential projects
and over ten years of experience in Africa,
the success of every aspect of the design
in this project has been as a result of
willingness to learn about the cultural
and lifestyle requirements of Ugandans,
the business and operating environment
in that country, and the overall social,
environmental and infrastructural
conditions which inform the process.
“Our design of the units at The Edge
initially followed a fairly typical South
ndard for Kampala
ry country and every market conforms to the same rules and circumstances.
g outside of SA’s borders to do business? Architecture is a profession which requires
Messaris Wapenaar Cole Architects believe that the willingness of even a seasoned
ant difference to doing successful business in other African countries.
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