The Making of Barnard Mutua Architects

I think it was always a dream of mine to be an architect, I was attracted to the very subtle ” connection between science and art. A logic yet is subjective at the same time. You can’t argue with beauty and you also can’t argue with structure, something that is beautiful is universally beautiful. And structure works, its science, its physical, it has to meet the logic of gravity, of support, and be able to function with basic properties. I think for me that was the attraction, I could express my logical thought and also the artistic side of my mind Relays Francis Mutua, one of the visionary Directors, behind the Architectural firm Barnard Mutua Architects. ”

With a 25th-anniversary reckoning at the firm's door, the Construction and Mining Namibia Magazine had a sit-down with the director of the architectural firm, Francis Mutua.

In 1996 what is now known as Barnard Mutua Architects (BMA) was founded under the leadership of Leon Barnard, who has now moved into a passive role in the firm. The company over the years has had several name changes but remained rooted in a common philosophy; designing buildings that are free from pre-determined stylistic intent, and buildings that are a critical response to the region in which they are located.

BMA came from humble beginnings, remarks Francis about the firm’s early days, “The size of the office’s when it first started, was quite small with less than ten employees, and at the time they had bought a fridge and used the cardboard boxes from that as furniture in the office” Francis chuckles. BMA recently celebrated its 24 years of service, and the company barely resembles ‘’small offices’’ and ‘’cardboard boxes’’ with an immense prolific profile with some of the most stylistic and high tech buildings in Namibia, such as the Mutual Tower, Namibia’s first green skyscraper and Nujoma offices, and Apartments, the building scoped an NIA award.

Other notable mentions amongst the many buildings under BMA’s belt are; the Namibia Institute of Pathology Headquarters, City of Windhoek Headquarters, NUST – Health and Sciences Building, Southern African Customs Union Headquarters, NUST-Parking, and Post-grad center. Francis before joining the architectural firm had been working in Tanzania when Leon contacted him. “Even though I had studied Architecture, I was initially in software, selling software and training architects in use of software”.

Francis remarks that back then an email interview ensued with Leon, and at the time was the only way possible to conduct an interview. “I came primarily to transform the firm to another level of technology, from CAD to ARCHICAD, to start producing a different type of documentation that took our offices to quite a different level in terms of presentation, working grounds, our clients and capacity.”

Joining the firm was a critical move for Francis, he adds that it was great for him and the firm to be part of revolutionizing the way things were done.

BMA since its inception 24 years ago has amassed themselves into a force to be reckoned with in the Industry. The firm is currently the largest architectural firms in the country. The companies profile consists of building projects done all over Namibia, South Africa, and Ethiopia.

“I think we reached the peak of our growth around 2010 when we had quite a significant amount of work, we had more than a billion dollars’ worth of work which is quite a great achievement, “beams Francis. The company’s principal activity is providing the full range of professional architectural services, from project appraisal and concept design through

to contract administration. Supplementary services include project management, urban design/renewal, interior design, custom made fittings, procurement, and landscaping design.

BMA over the years had some changes in regards to the directors and name changes.

“We are proud to have spawned quite a few firms like Howard and Chamberlain Architects, now Chamberlain and Associates Architects, and Herrmann Mueller Architects. I think there are four or five firms, that have emerged from Barnard Mutua Architects, growth comes from people leaving and others joining,” notes Francis.

He makes a comparison to firms such as Kerry McNamara Architects, being one of the first few architectural firms in Namibia, and that they bred the growth of most Architectural companies in Namibia. “Everyone worked for Kerry McNamara at some point in the industry, we are a product of Kerry McNamara Architects.” Francis states.

When faced with the question, of what the new vision and trajectory of BMA is, after nearly 25 years of service, of which those consisted of becoming and maintaining, being an ‘industry giant’. The director relays that the new vision would be to get the younger generation in.

“It is not very wise to stay fully engage for so long it has the makings of a heart attack especially when you are as passionate”, chuckling he adds “because architecture, fully engages everything your hands, your mind, your emotions, you are not just managing the firm, this can be very draining. It has a very finite timeline, after a while, you need to move out of the career or move into a kind of a passive stage and let younger people take over. You need to reach that point and keep fresh life coming in, let them spend their 20 years in the firm, and then come and join you watch other people grow.”

BMA celebrated its 24 years of service this year, and the firm looks forward to stepping into a different trajectory under the vision of younger architects. BMA Director - Francis Mutua,

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