Held biennially, the 2021/2022 Corobrik South African Institute of Architecture (SAIA) Awards of Merit and Awards for Excellence recognises peers and celebrates unique talent. The recipients of these awards were announced at a gala event recently in Johannesburg, Gauteng.

The adjudicators who are independent of the regional awards process were:

• Amira Osman, President of the South African Institute of Architects and convenor of the adjudication panel. Amira is a Sudanese/South African architect, researcher, academic, activist, public speaker, and author. She is a Professor of Architecture at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT).
• Karabo Motsepe-Marutla – Corobrik Head of Department (HOD) for Government Development.
• Sushma Patel – a South African registered professional architect, urban designer, lecturer and researcher.
• Althea Peacock, a South African registered professional architect and founding partner and director of her Johannesburg based practice, Lemon Pebble Architects And Urban Designers.
• Michael Weeder, Dean of St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town ordained priest in the Anglican Church since 1984. He is a prolific writer of both non-fiction and creative work and has produced two anthologies of poetry: The Promise of Memory; and Lockdown, Love and Lament.

“The Corobrik South African Institute of Architecture (SAIA) Awards of Merit and Awards for Excellence are an important event in the South African architectural calendar. They are an opportunity to recognise and celebrate excellence in a profession that has a profound impact in shaping our homes, neighbourhoods and cities, thus adding value to our daily lives and experiences,”says Amira Osman.

Amira went on to add that, “After the shortlisting, we visit the project sites for in loco inspections and those visits are incredible important for the success of the awards programme. In my experience, it’s very difficult to fully adjudicate a project without actually walking through it, experiencing it and engaging in conversation with the architects. There are many aspects of the project, beyond the image and beyond the plans. It’s the conceptualising and the relationship with the client. It’s the very unique site conditions and site constraints that ultimately lead to the success of the project and many of those aspects are difficult to fully understand and fully engage with without a site visit, having said that, the quality of the submissions was very high and I think that we can be extremely proud of them.”

The following recipients received awards

Awards of Merit

• Roundabout Brooklyn by WDesign Architecture Studio.

• House Campbell by Michael Lumby Architecture.

• Oggie Showroom by C76 Architecture.

• House Ströh – Additions, alterations and pool house by Len Joubert Architects.

• UFS Modular Lecture Space & Assesssment Centre by Roodt Architects and GXY

Architects.

• Back to the Start by WDesign Architecture Studio.

• New Preparatory School for St John’s College by Pencharc Pty. Ltd.

• Ode to Oak Pavilion by Rebel Base Collective.

• Westbury Transformation and Development Centre by Ntsika Architects.

• Jewel City by GASS Architecture Studios.

• WGP Bloomingdales Hybrid New Additions and Alterations by DMV Architecture.

• 250 Buitengracht Street, Cape Town, by Team Architects.

• Dunkeld Row House by WDesign Architecture Studio.

• Buffelsdrift – The Main House and Wine Store by SAOTA & Jaco Booyens Architect.

• The Onyx – Jewel City by GASS Architecture Studios.

• New Atrium Extension for Herschel Girls’ School by KLG Architects.

• Research project – The architecture of Peter Rich: Conversations with Africa by Prof Jonathan Alfred Noble.

Awards for Excellence

• Jewel City by GASS Architecture Studios.

• Oggie Showroom by C76 Architecture.

• Ode to Oak Pavilion by Rebel Base Collective.

• 250 Buitengracht Street, Cape Town, by Team Architects.

• Westbury Transformation and Development Centre by Ntsika Architects.

• House Ströh – Additions, alterations and pool house by Len Joubert Architects.

• House Campbell by Michael Lumby Architecture.

• The Onyx – Jewel City by GASS Architecture Studios.

Commendations

• Watson Cottage by KLG Architects.

• House Ferreira by Pinard Architecture.

• Die Groenhuis by Slee & Co. Architects (Pty.) Ltd.

• Linksfield Shul and Community Centre by Hubo Studio.

• Barloworld Equipment Showroom by Paragon Architects.

• Rooftop Productions Alterations by Strukt Architects.

• Christ Church, Somerset West, by Noero Architects.

• Upper Wheelan House by Douglas & Company Architects.

• The Bank by Daffonchio Architects.

• Research Project – Neil Aggett Inquest by Savage + Dodd Architects.

For more information, contact the South African Institute of Architecture:
Tel: +27 11 782 1315
Email: marketing@saia.org.za
Website: www.saia.org.za

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