Iconica Construction is Lordship Africa’s specialist main contracting platform—created to align ambitious design, international technical standards, and accountable delivery on complex African developments.
A contractor built around the project
Established in Nairobi in 2023 as Whitesteid Construction Ltd, Iconica was formed to deliver 88 Nairobi when the project’s facade, structural, MEP, and finishes requirements called for specialist capability beyond what was then available in the local market.
Its evolution into Iconica Construction expresses a wider purpose: to deliver landmark developments across Sub-Saharan Africa while building a durable base of local construction expertise.
Direct alignment between developer and contractor keeps quality, programme, and long-term value focused on the same outcome.
Owner-aligned from inception to handover
Iconica operates as a special purpose delivery vehicle for Lordship Africa developments. Its Managing Director reports directly to the Lordship Africa board, bringing commercial decisions, quality control, and programme commitments into one accountable structure.
The model also preserves continuity. Technical knowledge stays with the team throughout construction, reducing handover risk and allowing project-specific lessons to strengthen each subsequent phase and development.
Company profile · 2026
Delivering world-class projects. Developing local talent. Building Africa’s icons.
The Iconica identity is tied to a practical promise: combine rigorous international delivery standards with lasting professional capability in the markets where each project is built.
- Precision in delivery
- Accountability throughout
- Capability that remains local
Four pillars of delivery
The operating model combines global specialist experience with deliberate local capability building and clear governance.
International standards
Technical work is executed and inspected against European Norms and the project-specific specification.
Specialist recruitment
Each discipline is led by professionals selected for directly relevant project and technical experience.
Local development
International specialists work alongside Kenyan professionals, embedding practical skills transfer into delivery.
Transparent reporting
Programme, cost, and quality reporting supports clear oversight for the employer and project financiers.
One coordinated team
Iconica’s project team brings together leadership in development direction, civil and structural works, facade engineering, MEP coordination, interior finishes, quality control, health and safety, and commercial management.
Managing Director Dane Hilton leads a multidisciplinary group whose senior specialists have delivered high-rise, hospitality, retail, residential, infrastructure, and mixed-use projects across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
- Construction and project management
- Structural and civil works
- Facade engineering
- MEP coordination and commissioning
- Quality assurance and interior finishes
- Health, safety, and environmental management
- Quantity surveying and commercial governance
- Programme and contractor coordination
88 Nairobi: the first proof point
Iconica is the main contractor for 88 Nairobi, Lordship Africa’s 47-storey luxury branded serviced apartment development on 4th Ngong Avenue in Upper Hill. The project applies European Norms across its structure, facade, MEP systems, and finishes.
With the developer and main contractor working within the same group, responsibility for quality, cost, and programme remains direct. That alignment is central to Iconica’s proposition—and to the standard it intends to carry into future projects.