Site: Eastlea, Harare Architecture: Mukamba Muriwa Naggo Main contractor:
Heritage Construction Electrical work: Team Work Electrical Partitions: Design Quarter Metalwork: M & S Metal Fabricators Palisade fencing: City Fabricators FMC Finance is a registered Microfinance Institution (MFI) supervised by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. It provides consumer loans and enterprise loans like order finance, invoice discounting, bridging loans and Group Loans to its chosen customers. FMC Finance has been in business since 2010 It’s target market including customers employed by the Government; private companies and quasi government companies. It lends to companies and individuals requiring order finance, invoice discounting and bridging loans. It uses the group lending methodology to support productive lending in agriculture; marketing of agricultural products etc. FMC has 25 delivery channels throughout Zimbabwe and employs a further 200 agencies to distribute its products. FMC operates in Zambia and currently has two branches in Lusaka and Kitwe.
A 92 t 22 Fereday Drive, Eastlea in Harare, sits what should become the standard for all commercial properties in Zimbabwe. Finance companies are usually deemed shady and dodgy but this establishment gives you the confidence and trust that you are dealing with true professionals.
The build was designed with not only aesthetics in mind, but with purpose and very specifications. The process began with seeking special permission from the City of Harare, it being a commercial property being built in a residential zone. The building has powerful architectural elements that when you view from each angle, you gain renewed appreciation of the work done to making it possible.
Mukamba Muriwa Naggo say they took two months to come up with the design, which included a single staff apartment, also requested by the client. Building it took approximately 7 months. An old building that sat on the site was first demolished and the space that was needed to not only accommodate the new building and the staff apartment, but also two spacious parking area (inside the building’s walls and outside), needed some excavation and quite a bit of work to create this landmark. Once you arrive at FMC, the building and its large and bright reflective windows welcome you to the promise of good service. It is a very professional building with its almost symmetrical block design, but those windows and the balconies overhead bring class and elegant form to the function-led structure.
The front is practically – yet not exactly – symmetrical in outline. It’s a two story complex overwhelmed by strong direct and rectangular plan feel, and finished with a raised parapet furthermore, a focal gallery over the passageway. There are two different overhangs confronting the front, one on every corner. To one side of the passage is an extensive twofold story window, somewhat ventured once again from the line of the front exterior, behind which is the primary staircase. The underlying impression is of robustness, quality what’s more, toughness. There are no superfluous laces or twists, so it gives the impression of being a genuine, tried and true building – precisely the correct impression for an organization advertising money related administrations. A building carefully fit to suit their necessities and adjusted to the site. FMC considered all personnel and building needs when they communicated their brief
