Curriculum Vitae for
GEORGE KIGARA KAMWERU
Department of Architecture & Building Science, University of Nairobi
Tel: 0722 759471
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CURRICULUM VITAE for GEORGE KIGARA KAMWERU
Postal: P.O. Box 35166, GPO, Nairobi 00100 Telephone: 0722 759471 (Personal) e-mail: kkamweru@gmail [email protected]
1. PERSONAL DATA
Surname: KAMWERU First Names: GEORGE KIGARA Profession: Registered Architect, University Lecturer. Specialization: Building Technology, Building Services, Architectural Design, Urban Design Other Key Interest: Policy directions for quality of Built Environment, esp the Urban Environments of Kenya. Current Position: Lecturer, Dept. of Architecture and Building Science School of the Built Environment University of Nairobi P.O. Box 30197 Nairobi, Kenya Doctoral Candidate, University of Nairobi Date of Birth: 15 Nov. 1959 Place of Birth: Nyeri, Kenya Marital Status: Married with children Nationality: Kenyan Languages: English, Swahili (Kikuyu as mother tongue)
2. EDUCATION BACKGROUND
• M. Arch (Master of Architecture) University of Auckland, New Zealand 1990
• Architects Professional Examination, Nairobi 1992
• B. Arch (Hons) University of Nairobi, Kenya 1985
• Registered Architect, Corporate Member, Architectural Association of Kenya • Acquired Competencies: o Strategic Planning
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o Institutional Management o Operations Management
• Candidate for Doctor of Philosophy. Under Preparation: Ph.D Thesis: The Effect of the Building Regulations on Urban Resilience: A Case Study of Nairobi. An investigation into the fortifying impact of building regulations on Urban Resilience in the Nairobi Megapolitan area. (Supervisors: Prof Robert Rukwaro, Dr. Owiti K’Akumu)
Expected Completion date: December 2019
3. WORK EXPERIENCE
3.1a 1991- Present LECTURER, DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING SCIENCE
Head of the Department of Architecture and Building Science (2002- 2010).
ACHIEVEMENTS AS HEAD OF DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING SCIENCE: AUG. 2002 – JULY 2010
Key Achievement • Spearheaded a highly innovative revision of the Architecture Curriculum to introduce an intermediate degree and re- structure the entire curriculum to provide for a wider range of career paths.
• Guidance of the Department to full Accreditation by the Commonwealth Association of Architects
• The orientation of the Department to take full advantage of emergent technologies in the ICT field. The Department is now regarded as a leader in this matter in the College of Architecture and Engineering.
• The building of a varied cadre of professionals and academicians into a strong team that has won the confidence of students, the University Administration and the Architectural profession in Kenya.
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• Under my leadership, our students have received international recognition through their work entered in varied architectural competitions.
• The successful positioning of the Department of Architecture as a leading Department in the University through creative thinking and the pursuit of academic values.
• Development of collaborative programs with international partners. Among linkages developed during my tenure:
§ Oslo School of Design, Oslo, Norway: Managed a highly innovative joint program with, Universities of Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam (later Ardhi University), University of Cape Town and Makerere University. § KTH University, Stockholm, Sweden § Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland (Managed a joint program which also involved the Harvard Graduate School of Design) § Universdad Politecnica de Madrid(UPM), Spain § Cologne University of Applied Sciences § University of Kansas § University of Rome § University of Cairo § Texas Tech University § University of Witwatersrand § University of KwaZulu Natal. § University of Cape Town.
• Re-launch of Research activity in the Department to begin a repositioning as a leading research Department.
• Over the five years, under my leadership, the course became one of the most competitive in the University both for regular and fees paying students.
• In 2006, a team of 12 lecturers from the Department, under my leadership, went for a study visit to Egypt and Italy, the first time such a visit has been organized in the University.
Previous: Tutor and Year-master: 5th Year Studio. Key studios in Housing and Urban Design
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Year-master, 3rd Year Responsible for coordinating the academic program in the year. Key studio in spatial organization and site analysis. Teaching Areas include: • Housing and Human Settlements • Architectural Design studio • Building Technology and Services • Building Science • African Architecture • Supervision of Final year Students • History of Construction (Service course for Dept of Real Estate and Construction Management) • Integrated Construction Studio (Service course for RE&CM)
Other Responsibilities: Served in numerous committees at the Department, Faculty and University levels.
3.1b SAMPLE OF PREVIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE DEPARTMENT
Chairman Deans committee on the Organization and running of Faculty Photolab
Served on numerous occasions as Member, Staff appointment committees.
Member, Alumni Organizing Committee
Responsible for development of database on the state of services and products in the Kenya Building Industry.
Chairman, Preparation Committee for Commonwealth Association of Architects, Accreditation visit to Department of Architecture. Feb 1993
Member, Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Financing Committee in both Department of Architecture and Faculty of Architecture, Design and Development.
Served on many Strategic Planning Committees/Task Forces at Departmental, Faculty and University level.
Note: My work in the University of Nairobi has earned me a special commendation from the Vice Chancellor in 1999.
3.2 1990-1991
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Research Architect, Ministry of Public Works Headquarters Duties included Compilation and management of a database for use by the Design architects within the Ministry Headquarters.
Design and management of Government Projects where MOPW was client Ministry. [Immediate superior; Ms A. N. Munano]
1988-1990 Study Leave Post-Graduate Student, Department of Architecture University of Auckland, New Zealand.
1985-1988 Assistant Architect, Ministry of Public Works [Health Group] Duties included: Design and supervision of Health related projects or projects where the Ministry of Health was client. [Immediate Superior, Mr. J. W. Kahara]
Sample of organisations related with, in the course of Professional work College of Health Sciences Design of Lecturer Theatres Design of Administration offices Design of Departmental offices for Dept of Surgery Design of a Training Centre for Dept of Paediatrics Design of Offices and Classrooms for School of Nursing Kagumo High School Design advisory of various school facilities. Twiga Chemicals Proposal for refurbishment of current offices, Viewpark Towers. Simbarite Limited Major project to create a new set of Technical/marketing catalogues for their product range. Mareba Enterprises Project to create a new Technical catalogue Village Market Ltd. Proposal for better utilisation of current space on their premises. Don Bosco Shrine Work on the acoustic environment of their church. German Embassy Supervision of acoustic redesign of Visa section. Loreto School, Msongari Design of a prayer room. Nation Newspapers Columnist on the Built Environment Randforum Resource person from building industry.
4. EXPERIENCE WITH INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGIC PLANNING
• Team Leader for the Conceptualisation, Design and Installation of the Huduma Kenya, Citizen Service Centres for the Ministry of Devolution and Planning (Involved the formulation of
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Guidelines for Huduma Centres in Kenya, Design and Construction of the Pilot Project, and construction of 11 centres spread across Kenya)
• Member, Commonwealth Association of Architects representative in the Joint Validation Panel for University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa; March 24-27, 2013
• Member, National Task Force to Review Building and Planning Regulations and draft a Planning and Building Bill.
• Member, Task Force on Strategic Plan for the College of Architecture and Engineering, 2008
• Member: Vice-Chancellor’s Task Force on Strategic Plan 2005-2010. Member of the key Technical Committee of the Task Force
• Member: Technical team for the Third Strategic Plan for the University of Nairobi Enterprises and Services Ltd. (UNES).
• Lead Consultant: Strategic Planning Team for the University of Nairobi Press.
• Member: Strategic Planning Team for the College of Architecture and Engineering, University of Nairobi. (2002).
• Member: Technical team for the Formulation of the Presbyterian University of East Africa (2001-2002)
• Member of Special Consultants team for the 2nd Strategic Plan of the University of Nairobi Enterprises and Services Ltd. (2001)
• Lead Role in the Preparation of Strategic Plan for the Department of Architecture, University of Nairobi. (1999-2000)
• Member of the University of Nairobi Restructuring Task Force – a Vice-Chancellor’s committee. (1999-2000)
• Member of Consultants team for the formulation and launching of the University of Nairobi Enterprises and Services Ltd to spearhead the paradigm of Income Generation within the University of Nairobi. My work in this task involved numerous special task groups and subcommittees. (1998)
Previous and Current • Served as advisor or participant in numerous institutional building forums relating to educational institutions, aspects of the building industry and several other areas.
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5. PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION (Past and Present) & COMMUNITY SERVICE
Corporate Member, Architectural Association of Kenya.
Member University Council of the Presbyterian University of East Africa Director Urban Eleven Limited Chairman Board of Management, Kagumo High School, (Nyeri County) (appointed after its elevation to National School) Chairman, ProPerArt Associates, a think-tank of specialists from varied backgrounds formulated as a Future-Oriented Consortium for Planning and Development. (ProPerArt Associates incorporates ProPerArt Creations, a creative arts forum that has won awards with its work, and ProPerArt Enterprises, a business oriented arm) Member Commonwealth Association of Architects Panel of Validators. (Nominated by the Architectural Association of Kenya) Ex-Member National Habitat Committee (nominated by the Architectural Association of Kenya) Director Sullivan Applied Research Co. Ltd (For Design, Architecture and Urban Development) Club Membership Parklands Sports Club, VetLab Sports Club.
Activities in the Environment of Professional structures
1. Former Head of Department of Architecture & Building Science, Univesity of Nairobi 2. Member of Technical Committee to review the Building Regulations under the former Ministry of Housing. a. Involved in a smaller panel (under Prof R. Rukwaro) to prepare guidance material for the regulations. b. Participated in workshops to relate the Regulations to Urban resilience (Sept 2016 and Jan 2019) 3. Advisory Roles for the development of Architecture Curriculum in the following Universities: a. Meru University of Science and Technology – Team Leader b. Riara University c. Africa International University – Sole Consultant d. Technical University of Kenya e. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology f. Nairobi Institute of Technology – Team Leader
6. RESEARCH, CONFERENCES AND PUBLICATIONS
Recent Papers
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1. Housing as Process: An Approach Based of a Multiple Client Approach. Paper presented at the 8th Annual East Africa Workshop and Exhibition, Sept 2018, University of Nairobi
2. Ubiquity as a tool of Urban Development: Leveraging Common Knowledge for more Humane Cities. Paper prepared for ISOCARP Conference in Nairobi. Sept 2010.
3. The Role of Architecture in Kenya Vision 2030. Commissioned Paper for the East African Workshop on Architecture and Practice, ADD Building, Aug 2010. Published in African Habitat Review 5, August 2011
4. The Phenomenon of Building Maintenance Culture: Need for Enabling Systems (with Jerry Magutu) Published in the Global Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, Sept-Oct 2015.
5. Positioning the African School of Architecture: Recent experiences in Curriculum Reform in the University of Nairobi. Paper presented at African Architecture Today Conference in Kumasi, Ghana, June 2007
Under Preparation 6. Ph.D Thesis: The Effect of the Building Regulations on Urban Resilience: A Case Study of Nairobi. An investigation into the fortifying impact of building regulations on Urban Resilience in the Nairobi Mega- politan area.
7. The Science We Build On: Selected topics in Building Technology. A reference text to help University level students understand the scientific basis for the technologies we use in building.
Other Research Interests: 8. Nature and Trends of the Kenya Building Industry with specific interest on the development of the Technology and institutional base.
9. The Trends and fundamental philosophy of Corporate Governance especially in respect to the maintenance of a value driven organisation.
10. Business Process Reengineering especially as a source for fundamental directions in varied aspects of human organisation.
Earlier completed
11. Positioning the African School of Architecture: Paper written and read in absentia in African Architecture Conference in Kumasi Ghana, 2008.
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12. Green Architecture: Developing Global Significance from Local Knowledge, Paper presented at the Green Architecture and Environmentally Sensitive, Sustainable development Conference held at the PanAfric Hotel, Nairobi July 24-25, 1996
13. Nairobi: From a Railway Yard to a Metropolis, (Co-authored with T.J.C. Anyamba) Paper presented at the “Africa 2000: Towards the Millenium” conference in University of Cape Town, South Africa, April 1995
14. A Study on Access to Binders and the Art of Binder Use for Low Income Housing Kenya (with D. K. Irurah and T. J. C. Anyamba): Major study commissioned by Intermediate Technology Development Group and presented at East Africa Regional conference on “Lime and Alternative Binders” in Tororo, Uganda, December 1994. (This work now constitutes a Chapter in the book Lime and Cement Alternatives)
15. Tourist Facilities Survey: Study commissioned by Japan International Co- operation Agency (JICA) as a contribution to the National Tourism Master Plan for Kenya. June 1994. Participated as field surveyor.
16. M. Arch Thesis: Design Language Development in Concrete Buildings
Other Publications
17. Infrastructural Restructuring for Productivity and Development in the Building Industry: Proposals for Kenya (with G. Robertson); Paper presented at the conference of the International Council For Building Research and Documentation; Sydney, Australia, 1990 and included in the published proceedings.
18. The Teaching of Architectural History; Paper presented in seminar on Architectural Education; University of Nairobi 1987
19. Resource Centre for the Professionalization and Marketing of Sustainability in the Construction Industry in Kenya: A Project Appraisal (co-authored with D.K. Irurah and I. N. Wagacha) ; A paper presented at the First Consultation on The Construction Industry, organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Human Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat); Tunis, Tunisia, May 1993.
20. (Previous) Managing Editor, Design & Construction; with stated aim to create an authoritative medium of communication for the building industry.
21. (Previous) Columnist for Daily Nation (Biggest daily newspaper in East Africa with readership in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania), writing a weekly column on matters architectural.
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Conferences Attended • Promoting Energy Efficiency in Buildings in East Africa. Workshop organized by the UN- Habitat, Kampala, Uganda, June 2012.
• Public Procurement Seminar: A three day seminar organized by the PPOA in Naivasha to think through procurement procedures for the construction industry.
• World Urban Forum IV, Nanjing, China November 2008
• Spain –Africa Universities consortium, Madrid, Spain Nov 2007
• The Role of the Professional in the design of the City: Architectural Association of Kenya Annual Convention, Mombasa Kenya, August 2007. (Presentation made)
• African Architecture Now. Academic Conference held in Kumasi, Ghana, June 2007 (Paper Presented)
• The NoFUA Conference. A gathering of key scholars from the Nordic Schools of architecture. AHO (Oslo School of Architecture) Oslo, Norway. October 2004.
• KIPPRA Brainstorming session on the Building Industry in Kenya. Grand Regency Hotel. Nairobi, Kenya. July 2004
• Architectural Association of Kenya Annual Convention. Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi Kenya, May 2004.
• Quality Factors in Sustainable Housing: Panel Discussion at the UN-Habitat governing Council Meeting, Gigiri, Nairobi, May 2003 (Lead Presenter)
• Workshop on Regional Integration Network for COMESA researchers, Meeting held in Pamodzi Hotel Lusaka, Zambia, Feb 1999
• Sustainable Architecture: A Practical Approach. Conference held at Northgate, Johannesburg, South Africa, August 1998
• Stakeholders/Sectoral Workshops for Industrialization by the Year 2020: A series of seminars organized by the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Planning and National Development. Milimani Hotel, March 1998.
• Export Processing Zone, Project Awareness Seminar, EPZ Athi River, May 1998
• EPZ/ICIPE Technopark: Project Planning Workshop. Held at ICIPE Duduville, Kasarani Nairobi, September 1997
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• Green Architecture and Environmentally Sensitive, Sustainable Development Pan-Afric Hotel, Nairobi July 1996
• First Africa-Wide Workshop on Innovative Food Processing Technologies for Commercialization, Nairobi, Kenya 24-29 June 1996
• Series of Three related workshops organized by The Research and Development Forum for Science-led Development in Africa: 1. Evaluation and Rationalization Workshop of the RANDFORUM Strategic Plan and Business Plan of the RANDFORUM Press. 15 March 1996. 2. Workshop on the Development of AFRAND (The African Foundation for Research and Development) Strategic Plan and Guidelines for the Submission of Grant Applications. 16 March 1996. 3. Design and Planning of an Innovative Model of a Research University in Africa. Final Evaluation Workshop.17-18 March 1996.
• The Third Presidential Forum on the Management of Science and Technology in Africa, Kampala, Uganda; July 1995
• The Inaugural Workshop of the Meeting of Technology Oriented Entrepreneurs in Africa, Kampala, Uganda; July 1995
• Conservation of Historical Towns, Workshop organized by the Department of Land Development, University of Nairobi held in Mombasa, February 1995.
• Lime and Alternative Binders, East Africa Regional Conference, held in Rock Hotel, Tororo, Uganda between 6th - 10th December 1994.
• African Architecture and Planning in the 21st Century. Held at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. Nov 1994.
• “Bridging the Gap II” - Seminar organised by the NGO/CBO forum to prepare for Habitat II in Lenana Mount Hotel, Nairobi, June 1995.
• “Bridging the Gap” - Seminar organised by the NGO/CBO forum to prepare for Habitat II in Lion Hill Lodge, Nakuru, August 1994
• CIB 90 [Conference of International Council for Building Research Studies and Documentation] Sydney, Australia, March 1990
• Pacific Concrete Conference, Auckland, New Zealand 1988
Public Lectures • African Traditional Architecture in a Changing Society; Lecture given by invitation as part of Architecture Week, Auckland, New Zealand, July 1988
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• The Structure of the Building Industry in Kenya, Commissioned by the Architectural Association of Kenya as part of the lecture series for professional qualification candidates, Sept. 1994. and Sept 1995
7. SCHOLARSHIP, AWARDS • New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Study Scholarship o New Zealand 1988-1990
• Certificate of Recognition for volunteer work in the running of Commonwealth Games, Auckland NZ 1990
• University of Auckland Travel Grant to attend CIB 90 in Sydney Australia [March 1990]
8. TRAVEL • Wide exploration of the North Island of New Zealand and the Canterbury region of the South Island.
• Architectural Tours of the cities of Sydney and Canberra, Australia.
• United States of America (both East Coast, West Coast cities, and Southern States)
• Most parts of Kenya over the years and parts of Uganda.
• Architectural tour of several cities in Norway including Oslo.
• Architectural Tour of Madrid, Spain
• Tour of Nanjing, China
• Study tour of Egypt; cities of Cairo and Alexandria and Italy; cities of Rome and Florence, (inc. the Vatican City).
• Other Countries visited: South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Tanzania, Israel, India.
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9. OTHER INTERESTS o Computer Applications: Especially 2D and 3D graphics programmes, databases and Sound manipulation software
o The Media and Media systems: Special interest in the medium of Video as a medium of intellectual communication and record.
o Sports both outdoors and indoors; Good level in the game of Chess
o Literature, Music and Current Affairs
10. REFEREES Prof. Francis W. Aduol Vice Chancellor, The Technical University of Kenya. Nairobi, Kenya Tel: 254 –20 –4347475, e-mail: [email protected]
Prof. Daniel K. Irurah Professor of Architecture School of Architecture and Planning, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Tel +27832364640, e-mail: [email protected]
Prof. Francis J. Gichaga, (Former Vice Chancellor, University of Nairobi) P. O. Box 30197 Nairobi Tel: (020) 318262 e-mail: [email protected]
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