Building a Better World Through Sustainable Architecture

Posted on 28th July 2023

Designing innovative spaces that deliver unique user experiences, Aesthetic Designs Uganda Ltd. is an architectural design firm that strives to deliver cost-effectiveness and sustainability. The firm is a part of the Aesthetic Group, which designs sustainable housing developments across India, the UK, and now Uganda. The group is led by experienced architect Ar. Huzaifa Chahwala, Chief Executive Officer, who has been awarded Most Influential Sustainable Housing CEO of the Year 2023.

As humans, we spend a significant amount of our time inside built spaces, particularly at home and in our places of work. It has been shown that building design and architecture can have huge effects on our psychological wellbeing, health, and productivity, ultimately impacting our quality of life.

Since 1990, Aesthetic Designs has consistently delivered successful and innovative designs, showcasing its immense expertise in project planning, designing, construction documentation, bidding, and administration. It focuses on creating experiential spaces for humans that provide a balance of creativity, functionality, cost effectiveness, materiality, aesthetics, and sustainability. Using form-mass optimisation, Aesthetic Designs truly delivers great user experiences.

Initially, the firm was established in Mumbai by Principal Architect Ar. Juzer Chahwala, who obtained his master’s degree in urban design at the University of Oklahoma before embarking on his architectural career, practicing across the globe. Over the years, he has worked on a range of distinctive and successful projects, building an extensive and loyal client base through his hard work, reliability, and high-quality designs.

In 2008, Aesthetic Designs inaugurated its London office. Later, in 2020, it established its Ugandan branch. Since 2016, the Aesthetic Group has been headed by CEO Ar. Huzaifa Chahwala, who completed his master’s degree in Sustainable Tall Buildings at the University of Nottingham, before he went on to practice architecture across the world in Mumbai, London, Dubai, and Uganda.

Today, Aesthetic Designs has over 110 years of collective experience designing and developing quality, sustainable architectural solutions across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The firm believes that development should meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It aims to build a truly sustainable future for everyone, creating spaces that do not only benefit today but also tomorrow.

According to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, there are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are a set of integrated and interrelated goals that call for action from all countries. Their purpose is to drive humanity to end poverty, improve health and education, reduce inequality, and boost economic growth, all while tackling climate change and preserving the Earth’s oceans and forests. The idea is that if all countries aim to accomplish these goals, humanity can achieve peace and prosperity by 2030.

In its projects, Aesthetic Designs caters to 10 out of the 17 SDGs. To do this, it uses a number of strategies throughout the design process. Firstly, it ensures form-mass optimisation, which is the process of optimising the building’s shape and mass to reduce energy consumption, increase natural ventilation, and improve indoor environment quality.

Secondly, Aesthetic Designs uses daylighting strategies for energy saving, which involves maximising the amount of natural light that gets into a building to minimise energy use. Natural light is also beneficial for the wellbeing and productivity of occupants. Furthermore, Aesthetic Designs incorporates renewable energy systems such as solar, wind, and geothermal systems to reduce the building’s carbon footprint and increase energy independence.

Thirdly, the firm implements systems to efficiently manage and recycle water, reduce potable water consumption, and mitigate the impact of stormwater runoff. It also uses sustainable construction methods such as prefabrication, molar construction, and green roofs to reduce water waste and increase efficiency during the construction process.

Additionally, by sustainably sourcing materials that are environmentally responsible, socially conscious, and economically viable, Aesthetic Designs reduces the impact of its buildings on the environment. The firm also ensures convenient access to public transportation at its properties, reducing occupants’ carbon footprint and promoting sustainable transportation.

Lastly, Aesthetic Designs strives to use new sustainable technology to support social and environmental sustainability, including clean energy, sustainable cities, and responsible consumption and production.

Aesthetic Designs believes that regularly reporting and communicating with stakeholders on its progress towards these goals is crucial, demonstrating its commitment to the environment. Through this, the firm claims full responsibility and accountability for taking the necessary actions to contribute towards the SDGs.

In the last 30 years, Aesthetic Group has collectively designed and constructed over 10 million square feet of projects. Most recently, it has invested in its Ugandan branch, Aesthetic Designs Uganda, which has been involved in the design of numerous projects over the last three years.

For example, it has recently worked on the design of Habitat 854, a mixed-use building that will consist of residential units, a supermarket, and a co-working space. As with its other projects, Habitat 854 was designed to be a truly sustainable building, not just a greenwashed property, focusing on climate, culture, and costs. Although currently under construction, the building will undoubtedly redefine the housing market in Kampala, Uganda, offering a unique, sustainable residential community designed to enhance the quality of life of its residents. The firm continues to design similar projects in Uganda, contributing towards a better future by providing more sustainable housing.

Since he stepped into the role of CEO in 2016, Huzaifa Chahwala has successfully led Aesthetic Group in its pursuit to design a number of outstanding sustainable housing projects that will have a positive impact on the environment for generations to come. In addition to this, he has guided the group through its recent expansion into Uganda and its successful completion of many more projects there. As a result, he has been awarded Most Influential Sustainable Housing CEO of the Year, Uganda, in the Most Influential CEO Awards 2023. We congratulate him on this achievement and look forward to seeing what he goes on to accomplish with the support of his team.

For business enquiries, contact Huzaifa Chahwala from Aesthetic Designs Uganda LTD on their website – https://aestheticdesigns.in/