Philosophy
NOWMA is founded on the belief that what we do now is what matters. Not as urgency, but as presence. A recognition that every project exists within a specific cultural, environmental, and social condition—and that meaningful architecture emerges when these forces are carefully understood and embedded in the design.
Our multicultural experience enables us to operate across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia with both flexibility and humility toward existing conditions.
Our work prioritizes local knowledge, material authenticity, and precise detailing to reveal the latent potential of each place.
Rather than imposing solutions, we pursue a collaborative design approach—seeking a careful balance between project economy and design ambition, while strengthening the relationship between people, place, and purpose.
Our approach is attentive, adaptive, and precise, guided by the belief that architecture, when fully aligned with its context, has the capacity to create lasting and meaningful moments.
Matthew Ultey
Founder & Principal
Services
Architecture
Our projects are grounded in clarity of purpose and responsiveness to context. We approach each project with a focus on spatial, environmental, and cultural conditions—developing architectural responses that are both specific to place and programme. From concept through delivery, our work prioritizes material integrity, performance, and human experience, ensuring that architecture is a meaningfully response to the clients needs.
Urbanism
Our urban work focuses on a balanced approached to infrastructure, ecology, and community. We develop frameworks that respond to both near-term needs and long-term growth, recognizing that cities are evolving systems shaped by layered conditions. Through strategic planning and design integration, we create resilient environments that support social interaction, environmental performance, and economic viability.
Design
We work across all scales of projects and our design efforts extend beyond buildings to encompass objects, systems, and experiences. At NOWMA, we apply a process of distilling complex scenarios into clear, purposeful outcomes. Whether at the scale of interiors, products, or spatial interventions, our work is guided by an understanding of how design can shape user perception and interaction.
Advisory
Our advisory services support the strategic, operational, and commercial requirements of design and delivery. We engage with clients, developers, and project teams to provide clarity across project definition, procurement, and execution—drawing on experience across diverse regions and project types, to advise on programme, resourcing, and coordination frameworks. Our approach is grounded in practicality and insight, enabling efficient and informed decision-making throughout the design process.
