Uganda Architects to Celebrate 60 Years as Profession Confronts a Technology-driven Future

September 29, 2026 in Business, Real Estate & Property, Science and Technology, Trade & Industry by Editor

Uganda’s architects mark 60 years of their professional society and 30 years of regulation with a symposium on technology, the built environment and the future of the profession.

 

The Uganda Society of Architects (USA) and the Architects Registration Board (ARB) will this week bring together architects and other built-environment professionals to examine the evolution and future direction of architecture in Uganda.

The one-day symposium, scheduled for October 2 at Kabira Country Club in Kampala, will mark 60 years of the Uganda Society of Architects and 30 years of the Architects Registration Board.

Held under the theme “USA @ 60 Years & ARB @ 30 Years – Reflecting on the Past Achievements, Seizing Today’s Opportunities and Addressing the Future,” the meeting will look at how architecture has shaped Uganda’s built environment and the changing role of architects in the economy.

The organisers say the discussions will span three broad periods: the profession’s development over the past six decades, its current role and opportunities, and the changes likely to shape architectural practice over the next 60 years.

The symposium comes as the profession faces a rapidly changing technological environment, including the increasing use of digital design tools, new construction technologies and artificial intelligence.

Among the speakers will be Makerere University Vice Chancellor and architect Barnabas Nawangwe, who will deliver the keynote address. Nawangwe was also a key figure in the establishment of the university’s Department of Architecture.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa is expected to be the guest of honour.

Panel discussions will bring together senior architects, young professionals and specialists in digital innovation and technology to consider how emerging tools are changing architectural design, project supervision and professional practice.

The discussions will also examine the contribution of architecture to Uganda’s economic development, while bringing the profession into conversation with engineers, surveyors, interior designers, government officials, material suppliers, investors and development partners.

The anniversary provides an opportunity for the Uganda Society of Architects and the Architects Registration Board to look beyond the profession’s institutional history to the wider question of how built-environment professionals can contribute to economic development and innovation.

The symposium is open to members of the public at a fee of UGX200,000.