The winners of the 2017/2018 AfriSam-SAIA (South African Institute of Architects) Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation were announced on 26 October 2018 at an awards ceremony in Cape Town.

The awards were judged by Maryke Cronje, 2018 President of the South African Institute of Architecture (SAIA); Dr Sechaba Maape (sustainability architecture academic and architect); Philippa Tumubweinee (academic and co-founder of IZUBA INafrica Architects); Dr Emmanuel Nkambule (academic with particular interest in the social environment); AfriSam Raw Materials and Sustainability Manager, Niraksha Singh and Richard Stretton (founder of architecture and furniture design studio Koop Design).

“The recipients of the various awards have demonstrated that if we each take responsibility in shifting our own behaviour, we can trigger the type of change that is necessary to achieve sustainability for human other organisms on our planet,” says Niraksha. “They have taught us that we can change our planet, our environment and our humanity every day, every year, every decade, and every millennium.”

Apart from the four buildings/structures chosen as winners in the Sustainable Architecture category, listed below, awards also went to the Gauteng City-Region Observatory in the Research in Sustainability category for its research into a framework for a green infrastructure planning approach in the area. In the Sustainable Products and Technology category, Use it Waste Beneficiation (RF) NBC, which developed a sustainable building product (called Rambrick) that only uses 5% cement and no water, was awarded, as well as hearScreen, a hearing screening solution created by hearX Group that makes use of a smartphone to test children’s hearing without the need for a health professional to be on site.

Silindokuhle Preschool by Colletif Saga, a winning project in the Sustainable Social Programs category, was built using sustainable, recycled materials by the community of Joe Slovo, with the aim to provide children with a better learning environment.

The Wilds was another winner in this category, that saw a 40-acre public space in Joburg transformed by artist James Delaney, together with a group of volunteers, into a beautiful park.

Below are the four buildings/structures that were awarded in the Sustainable Architecture category:

● House Burnett Prinsloo by architect Robert de Jager

Energy use, light and the relationship between humans and nature came to the fore during the seven-month design process of this Cape Town home.

● Fulham Heights by Local Studio (Pty) Ltd

Regeneration and the community were top of mind when it came to designing this mixed-use development in Brixton.

● House Gardiner by Simply Sustainable

Located on Monaghan Farm, this eco-estate made use of locally sourced, natural materials (including decomposed gravel found on site) during the construction process. The estate also promotes organic farming.

● RBDIZ Entrance Gate by architects Jeremy Steere and Sphelele Mhlongo

An environmentally sensitive entrance gate designed in partnership between architects Sphelele Mhlongo and Jeremy Steere in the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone.

For more information, visit sustainabledesign.co.za. See this year’s full shortlist, here.

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The AfriSam-SAIA (South African Institute of Architects) Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation shortlist of 14 projects has been announced.

The Award recognises the best contributions to the field of sustainable architecture, in terms of both practice and innovation, as well as how the project affects living environments.

The shortlist comes as a result of an intensive screening process by an esteemed panel of judges and is divided into four categories, namely Architecture; Research in Sustainability; Sustainable Products and Technology; and Sustainable Social Programmes.

Below, you’ll find a selection of seven of the projects up for an award this year:

• Northcliff House by Architecture for a Change (A4aC)

• House Burnett Prinsloo by Robert de Jager Architects

• Fulham Heights by Local Studio (Pty) Ltd

• RBDIZ Entrance Gate by Jeremy Steere Architect

• Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre by architect Lewis Levin

• Malawi Church by A4aC

• Silindokuhle Preschool by Collectif saga

The winner of the AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation will be announced at a gala event at Zeitz MOCAA on 26 October 2018.

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We caught up with South African ceramic mosaic artist Jane du Rand, now based in Brisbane, Australia, to talk about her work and the mosaics she created for the facade of the K-RITH tower building in Durban, home to the Africa Health Research Institute.

What prompted your move to Australia?

I never meant to leave South Africa but all of my family had moved, including my parents, and I didn’t want them to grow old in a place where I would not be able to see them.

What is it about ceramic tiles that is special to you?

I love the feeling of the clay in my hands. It offers so much opportunity to experiment with texture, pattern and shape. The surface does not have to be flat; it provides a base on which to build and a surface to carve. The scale of some of the projects you’ve undertaken is mind-boggling.

What is the biggest piece you have produced?

My biggest project in terms of square metres was a building at Melrose Arch in Johannesburg, which I did together with Bronwen Findlay and Andrew Verster. The building part was 400 m², and I did a further 300 m² of mosaic on the paving in front.

On both sides of a curved wall enclosing a courtyard are depictions of indigenous plants with healing properties, such as bitter aloe, buchu and wild ginger.

What was your brief from the client for the mosaics you created for the K-RITH Tower Building in Durban?

I did not have a very detailed brief from the clients for this project. I knew it was part of the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine and that research into HIV and TB was done in the building. The client gave me the drawings showing the various sites on the building where artwork was required. They did specify using the double helix on the stairwell wall and asked me to involve disadvantaged youth in making the ceramics. I proposed using different themes in each area, with repetitive shapes and interconnected patterns serving as the common thread. So on one wall we had indigenous plants used in traditional African medicine, on another some cells and viruses enlarged and juxtaposed with plant forms, and on the reception floor healing mandalas. [Jane worked with HIV-positive patients in the creation of the mosaics.]

On both sides of a curved wall enclosing a courtyard are depictions of indigenous plants with healing properties, such as bitter aloe, buchu and wild ginger.

Much of your work has a three dimensional quality to it. What do you want people to take away from seeing your pieces?

I suppose I would like people to be able to recognise the natural world that I most often use as a reference in my work, and to perhaps start to have an appreciation for the native plants and creatures around them.

The K-RITH Tower Building in Durban, designed by FGG Architects, was a finalist in the Corobrik SAIA (South African Institute of Architects) Awards 2017/2018 of Merit and for Excellence.

For more information, visit ahri.org and durandmosaic.com.

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The winners of the 2018 Corobrik SAIA Architectural Awards have been announced.

After creating a shortlist from 61 regional winners, six projects received Awards of Excellence, 24 Awards of Merit and five received commendations. Judges included SAIA President Maryke Cronje, Corobrik Commercial Director Musa Shangase, VISI’s Editor-in-Chief Sumien Brink, academic Professor Paul Kotze and architect, urban designer and Director of DesignSpaceAfrica, Dr Luyanda Mpahlwa.

The six Awards of Excellence winners included the research project publication NZASM Footsteps Along The Tracks, written by Nicholas J Clarke & Roger C Fisher, assisted by Siphiwe Simelane. Below, in no particular order, are the five buildings and structures that received top honours.

New Residence (as featured on page 60 of the latest issue of VISI)

Location: Constantia, Cape Town

Architects: Malan Vorster Architecture

Image credit: Adam Letch

Image credit: Adam Letch

Image credit: Adam Letch

The Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre

Location: Forest Town, Johannesburg

Architects: Lewis Levin Architects

The Lake House

Location: Midlands, KwaZulu-Natal

Architects: Koop Design

SASOL Place

Location: Sandton, Johannesburg

Architects: Paragon Architects

The Delville Wood Memorial

Location: Longueval, France

Architects: The Creative Axis Architects and Mayat Hart Architects

To view 2015/2016’s winners, click here. For more information, visit saia.org.za.

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The eleven winners of this year’s AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation, made up of seven awarded projects and four commended projects, were recently announced at an event in Cape Town.

“The Awarded and Commended projects amply demonstrate the three main criteria that the adjudicating panel was looking at;- regeneration, reconciliation and restoration,” says AfriSam’s Richard Tomes. “These projects all make the world a better place by minimising their impact on the environment. They also bear the hallmarks of great architectural and social design. Together they represent the very best in sustainable architecture and innovation.”

The Awards were divided into four categories, namely Sustainable Architecture, Research in Sustainability, Sustainable Product/Technology and Sustainable Social Programme.

Below you’ll find a list of all winners, both awarded and commended.

For Sustainable Architecture (Category A)

1. DEA Building, Pretoria (AWARDED)

Architects: Boogertman+Partners Architects

The Department of Environmental Affairs building in the City of Tshwane has a 6 star green office v1 design rating, boasting a number of sustainable features including rainwater and greywater harvesting, double glazed windows, evaporative cooling for air conditioning, solar heating, environmentally-savvy insulation and photovoltaic cells.

2. Gorgeous Green House, KwaZulu-Natal (AWARDED)

Architects: Sagnelli Associate Architects

This eco-friendly house makes use of rooftop gardens, evaporative cooling ponds, rainwater harvesting and recycling, as well as solar power and green walls. Together with the use of environmentally friendly materials like bamboo, the interiors of the house make use of recycled carpets and kitchen countertops. There is also a veggie garden, bee hives and a natural swimming pool with fish that attracts over 40 species to the house.

3. Oudebosch Camp Kogelberg, Western Cape (AWARDED)

Architects: Architecture Coop

This camp, surrounded by an extremely biodiverse conservation area above Betty’s Bay, features a collection of lightweight, stilted buildings on stone bases with planted roofs. The project focused on non-toxic materials and renewable energy.

4. iCat Eco Factory, Pretoria (COMMENDED)

Architects: Earthworld Architects

5. Maboneng Precinct, Johannesburg (COMMENDED)

Architects: Daffonchio & Associate Architects

6. Outreach Foundation Community Centre, Johannesburg (COMMENDED)

Architects: Local Studio

7. WWF SA Braamfontein, Johannesburg

Architects: Alive Architecture

For Research in Sustainability (Category B)

8. Designing Hope for Pathways to Regenerative Sustainbility (AWARDED)

By: Dominique Hes & Chrisna du Plessis

For Sustainable Product/Technology (Category C)

9. Otto Cottage, Botswana (AWARDED)

Architect: Paul Marais

This small house is built using natural materials, from rammed earth and timber to locally harvested reeds. It’s 100% off the grid, not being connected to local electricity or water services.

For Sustainable Social Programme (Category D)

10. Bridgingmzamba, Mbizana, Eastern Cape (AWARDED)

Architects: buildCollectiveNPO with Carinthia University of Applied Science

This community-led project came about as a result of the local residents’ desperate need for a way to cross a nearby river safely. The result of this project is a 140 metre long suspension bridge that made us of local resources and concentrated on low environmental impact.

11. Malawi School, Malawi (AWARDED)

Architects: Architecture for a Change

This project involved the construction of a canopy for a local school. The canopy makes use of shade netting, lightweight steel and corrugated iron, while the the masonry was completed by local women.

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The SAIA Awards programme is structured over a period of two years, and conducted in three stages. In the first year, Awards for Architecture are presented by the various Regional Institutes affiliated to SAIA. The Corobrik-SAIA Awards of Merit are bestowed in the second year and thereafter, the Awards for Excellence are announced. The Awards for Excellence are rewarded only for an exceptional achievement in the field of architecture. Only projects which have received an Award of Merit are eligible for this award. 

Here are the eight 2015/2016 winners of the Awards for Excellence, announced this past weekend:

1. House La Lucia

Located in La Lucia, Kwazulu-Natal and designed by Designworkshop:SA.

2. Military Health Base Depot for the South African Military Health Services (SAMHS)

Located in Thaba Tshwane, Pretoria. Designed by Jeremie Malan Architects and Interiors and Impendulo Design Architects for the Department of Defence: SAMHS.

3. New Residence

Located in Waterkloof, Pretoria and designed by Johann Slee and Yvonne Onderweegs of Slee & Co, Stellenbosch.

4. Residence at 79 Brommersvlei Road

Located in Constantia, Cape Town. Designed by Metropolis Design for architects Jon Jacobson and Mandi Pretorius of Ja Pretorius.

5. 17 Glen Avenue

Located in Higgovale, Cape Town. Designed by Sean Mahoney and Michael Lumby of studioMAS for Justin Letscher.

6. ‘Malapa’ Fossil Cave Cover and Visitors’ Platform

Located in the Cradle of Humankind UNESCO World Heritage site, Mogale City, Gauteng. Designed by Krynauw Nel Associates Architects from Johannesburg for the University of the Witwatersrand.

7. Number 1 Silo: Allan Gray Headquarters 

Located at the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town. Designed by Van Der Merwe-Miszewski Architects (VDMMA) and Rick Brown Associates for V&A Waterfront and Allan Gray.

8. Eclectic ZA Wilhelmiens: a Shared Dutch Built Heritage in South Africa

Compiled and edited by Karel Antonie Bakker, Nicholas J Clarke and Roger C Fisher (editors) of Visual Books, Pretoria (2014) for entrant Roger C Fisher with and on behalf of co-editors Nicholas J Clarke and the late Karel Antonie Bakker.

For more information, visit saia.org.za.

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Entries are now open for the AfriSam-SAIA (South African Institute of Architects) Awards, with two new categories allocated for 2016.

The focus of the awards is around sustainability and bringing forward an integrated approach to design, planning, architecture, communities, technology and natural systems.

The categories are as follows: Sustainable Architecture, Research in Sustainability, Sustainable Products and Technology and Sustainable Social Programmes.

“The emphasis is no longer on just the architecture and building practice,” explains Kevin Bingham, Vice President of SAIA. “It is now on the ongoing collaboration and innovation of these two key stakeholders working with communities, natural systems, technology and planning across all levels. This is the only way to bring sustainable innovation to the inhabitable environments.”

The criteria for entrants is as follows:

• Harmonise the use of resources with the conservation and strengthening of ecosystems (natural, social, human, financial, infrastructure).
• Address the dignity of people through the creation of a socio-economic environment that is inclusionary, humane, self-sustaining, maximises the financial viability and impact, and acknowledges lifecycle cost efficiency during and post the implementation process and contributes towards and develops an ongoing regenerative future.
• Enhance the architectural landscape and contextual urban environment.

The adjudicators consist of convener, Kevin Bingham along with Daniel Irurah (sustainable architecture academic), Llewellyn van Wyk (sustainable architect, CSIR), Sebasti Badenhorst (AfriSam representative), Eric Noir (Africa region director of the International Union of Architects’ work programme, Architecture for a Sustainable Future) and Richard Stretton (architect and furniture designer).

Previous winner Stretton’s Koop Design won in the category of Sustainable Architecture in 2010 and 2014. 2014 also saw the Alexander Forbes Sandton Headquarters (pictured above) designed by Paragon Architects taking top honours in the built work category.

Entries close in March 2016. For more information on entry specifications, visit 4tmrw.co.za.

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This is the first time a congress of this magnitude has been held in Sub-Saharan Africa, constituting the largest gathering of architectural, design and environmental professionals in the country.

The Union of International Architects (UIA) organises a world congress every three years and this is its silver jubilee. This year’s theme (Architecture OTHERWHERE) celebrated diversity by exploring other communities, regions, disciplines and ways of thinking about, practicing and teaching architecture.

Days were spent engaging with students and professionals from around the world – in conversation, debates, lectures and tributes, or simply over a craft beer or delicious curry. Not only was the weather in Durban perfect and the venues exciting, international delegates gave the congress an exotic flair.

A whopping 350 sessions took place in 38 venues over 5 days, kicking off with the spectacular Corobrik-South African Institute of Architects (SAIA) gala dinner, of which all award-winning projects (barring five) were featured in VISI over the last two years. Proud moment!

Apart from events in the main venue, like Japan Forum: Beyond Disaster, through solidarity, towards sustainability: Toyo Ito, the fringe kept the delegates running not to miss out. Highlights included: 

·       The Informal Studio: Marlboro South exhibition

·       The Rivertown Precinct project, which includes the refurbishment of the classic Beer Hall building

·       Faith47 at work in the Warwick Triangle. (Watch this teaser!)

·       The Durban International Film Festival

·       Architect Africa Film Festival

·       The UFS Department of Architecture’s Sophia Gray exhibition (the first female Architect in South Africa)

·       A well-stocked Book Lounge, of course!

For more information about UIA 2014 Durban: Architecture OTHERWHERE, visit uia2014durban.org.

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We featured Phase 2 of the UNISA Cape Town campus in the latest issue of VISI.

On 1 August 2014, the winners of the 2013/2014 Corobrik-South African Institute for Architects (SAIA) Awards were announced – and this design by architect Michele Sandilands (of Michele Sandiands Architects) won a coveted Award of Excellence.

Read the full story in Issue 73 of VISI.

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As it’s Women’s Month this August, we thought it important to mention that four women were recognised for their outstanding achievements in architecture this year:

• Johannesburg-based Anne Graupner of 26’10 south Architects won an Award of Merit for her role as lead architect on a studio home in Brixton.
• Michele Sandilands of Cape Town’s Michele Sandilands Architects (MSa) received an Award of Excellence for her work on Phase 2 of UNISA’s Parow campus.
• Charlotte Chamberlain and Nicole Irving of Charlotte Chamberlain Architects, also based in Cape Town, won an Award of Excellence for their work on Springfield Convent School’s new pre-school and Art buildings.

Former vice president of SAIA, Nina Saunders, says “This is a notable achievement in an industry where women are only recently coming to the fore.”

Awards of Excellence also went to:

• Chris Fick and Johan Malherbe (Malherbe Rust Architects) for their work on Babylonstoren’s historic buildings.
• Office of Collaborative Architects (GAPP Architects/Urban Designers, Mashabane Rose Associates and MMA Architects for the //hapo_Freedom Park Museum.
• Cape Town-based Noero Wolff Architects and Noero Architects for the new addition to St Cyprian’s Girls’ School.
• Designworkshop:sa Architects for the Dunkirk All Suites at the Dunkirk Estate in KZN.
• House Kleynhans in Marble Hall, designed by TG Architects + Interiors (namely Thomas and Sureen Gouws).
• Johan Wentzel of W Design Architecture Studio CC for House Snyders in Blair Athol, Johannesburg.

saia.org.za

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