At just 29, Anne Mwariri seamlessly slithers into the statistics of a few women breaking barriers in careers dominated by men.
After emerging top in the professional examination administered by the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors , Mwariri last year got licensed as an architect.
Boraqs is a state agency established by an Act of Parliament that regulates the practice of architecture in the country.
Mwariri has worked at Precise Architects Limited since 2021.
The company has five employees in the field of architecture, two of whom are women.
So, how did she find herself in the world of architecture?
“It’s all about interest. I am an art lover who loves to design things and this year, Boraqs licensed me to practise architecture in Kenya,” she said.
At the University of Nairobi, where she studied architecture, Mwariri was among 30 female students in a class of over 90 students.
Less than 20 female students, including Mwariri, graduated from that class.
The second-born in a family of five and the only architect, Mwariri’s career path is a departure from her parents’.
Her father is an insurance professional while her mother is a teacher.
“I noticed I was an artist from an early age and so I took upon myself to actualise my love for the arts. I chose to be an architect and my parents, without the coercion to do what they desired, came in to support me,” she said.
This interest started when she was in Class 6 and Mwariri would accompany her parents to visit a fundi who was constructing their family house.
"The fundi was called a Mr Kamau and I was really intrigued with his work. This left an imprint in me, an inspiration that never died, " Mwariri said.
While in Form 2 at Loreto High School, Limuru, additional classes were being constructed in anticipation of an increased number of students.
“I told myself that I can also prepare designs for construction of the classes. is never changed and in fact my desire and the love for architecture informed the career subjects that I chose.”
But Mwariri was also good in sciences.
“When I realised that my father desired that I take a course in medicine, I quickly dropped Biology so that it would not become a conversation. It was a statement of intent to my father,” she said.
Biology is one of the cluster subjects in the field of medicine.
“My mother never really showed what she desired me to be. She is the kind of a person who pushes you to the direction you want to go.”
When her parents noticed her interest in arts, they were not surprised.
“I was a young person trying to figure out what I wanted and they supported me.”
In 2011, she cleared her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, scoring a straight “A” that saw her admitted at University of Nairobi.
“This is where my journey in architecture began. I got admitted to UoN in 2013 to pursue what I loved most - architecture. It is what I chose and was determined to see it through.”
Architecture is a six-year course with two degrees.
The Bachelor of Architectural Studies Degree is awarded to students who have successfully completed the first four years of study.
Thereafter comes the two-year Bachelor of Architecture Degree, before the path to being licensed starts.
Aspiring architects are required to work for a minimum of 24 months in a Boraqs - registered architectural organisation for apprenticeship.
This involves engaging in projects and meeting clients under the guidance of the trainer or supervisor. After this, one is eligible to apply to the board for licensing - but after evaluation.
“Boraqs examines you in various areas to determine your readiness to handle the responsibility of being an architect for the common good of society among others.”
The licence takes two to three months to be processed after application.
While the industry has challenges and needs to be cleaned up, Mwariri has kind words for her trainer and team leader, Architect Arthur Mugo, a director at her workplace.
“He mentored me and he is very keen on success,” she said.
“I was put in places that challenged me essentially to grow.”
