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11 Sep

Posted at 07:56h in
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House Ruacana – Pretoria   An artist and her pilot-husband asked for an inventive, affordable house and studio.  The beautiful setting, on the steep southern hangs of the Magaliesberg, faces Pretoria. To the north it borders on the Magaliesberg Nature Reserve, to the south it overlooks suburban Pretoria.  Both the Voortrekker Monument and Freedom Park are visible in the distance. The living pavilion steps along the contours of the slope, sidestepping the most important indigenous trees. Elevated platforms relate to thresholds, rituals and particular views. From a pragmatic point of view it provides the opportunity to build the structure in different phases, in accordance with a tight budget. The platforms are united with a slanting roof which follows the incline of the site. This provides a multitude of spatial opportunities in between the various platforms.   Studio and house are separated by the entrance courtyard. The artist, a sculptor, reduces tree trunks to...

11 Sep

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Studio Bottcher – Pretoria National SAIA Project Award 2008 “House Bottcher” Mathews, P. (ed.) Contemporary Capital (Pretoria: Visual Books, 2011) pp 246 – 249. This project, never realized, was for a studio for a glass artist on a spectacular site situated on the Spioenkoppie ridge, north of Pretoria.   The context called for a simple architectural intervention, respecting the natural features of the landscape. The architecture attempts a delicate balance in dialect between permanence and the transient. This dialect is communicated through the application of different materials responding to different functional requirements dictated by the program. The predominantly linear production process together with the requirements to naturally ventilate and naturally day lit interior spaces, results in a linear floor plate with permeable envelopes. The building depth never exceeds 8 meters. And the northern façade is articulated by a 2 meter deep covered area. This covered area serves as a secondary, exterior movement spine along...

11 Sep

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 Chapel of Light Award of Merit, PIA 2004 Award of Excellence, SAIA, 2004 VUT, Vanderbijlpark Architects: Morne Pienaar  with ComrieWilkinson Architects   The Chapel of Light has been published in a series of international jourals since its completion. It was also awarded both regionaly and nationaly.   2010   "The Chapel of Light" Tolic, Ines Contemporary Architecture/South Africa (Milan: 24 ORE CULTURA srl, 2010) pp 104 – 107. 2009   "Chapel of Light - Vaal University of Technology." 603 The Phaidon Atlas of 21st Century World Architecture (London: Phaidon, 2009). 2009   "Chapel of Light" Joubert, O. (ed) 10+ Years 100+ Buildings (Cape Town: Bell-Roberts, 2009) pp 209-212. 2006   "The Chapel of Light" T. Deckler, A. Graupner and H. Rasmuss Contemporary South African Architecture in a Landscape of Transition (Johannesburg: SHARPcity, 2006) pp 54 – 57. 2006: 54-57. 2005   "Chapel of Light “ Haig Beck (ed) ume 19 (Queensland: ume magazine, 2005) pp 34 - 39. 2005   "Chapel of Light, Vanderbijlpark”  World Architecture 2/2005, pp...

07 Jul

Posted at 09:00h in
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The medical pavilion was positioned to edge tightly along the northern boundary of the site, with cars tucked away neatly behind. A double volume defines the entrance, dramatically framed with the corner articulation that responds to its ambition of becoming a small landmark. The pavilion takes cues from the architectural history of Pretoria....

22 Jun

Posted at 07:33h in
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SABS Pavilion Executed while at the firm HolmJordaan The new Visitors’ Pavilion is a simple platform with several smaller pavilions that define the architectural space in between.   Visitors would enter by going up a ramp, and due to the slightly sloped site, would leave down another ramp in the direction of the entrance to the Campus, in this way articulating the entrance.  A secondary structural system holds the floating roof plane.  Given the modernist architectural heritage of the SABS Campus, the pavilion draws from the work of renowned modernist architect Ludwig Mies van Der Rohe.  Similar to his famous Barcelona Pavilion, the space in-between becomes continuous space; blurring inside and outside so that the building does not have a front and a back.   The design was premised on an absolute distinction between structure and enclosure—a regular grid of steel columns interspersed by freely spaced planes.  The entire building rests on a plinth,...

22 Jun

Posted at 07:10h in
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Novi Skin Centre, Pretoria Executed while at the firm HolmJordaan Award of Merit from the Pretoria Institute for Architecture 2013 The brief called for the design of a medical cosmetic centre. A clear distinction between the main functional tiers of the program was an important requirement from the outset, while bearing aspects of privacy, visibility and security in mind. Besides practical considerations, sensory awareness, especially for the spa, had to provoke an exceptional haptic experience. While several massing options were tested on the site from the outset, the building footprint was ultimately a combination of both best urban principles and statutory requirements. The corner of Tram and Bronkhorst is celebrated as the major vertical definition in the design, with a triple volume that is expressed on the outside of the building facade. The edges of the site is landscaped as linear water features, recalling the original canal system of the city. These also act as...

22 Jun

Posted at 06:32h in
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SABS new Laboratories Executed while at the firm HolmJordaan The position of the new laboratory building is along the southern edge of the site, along George Storrar Drive. The building has been divided into an estimated 8000m² for laboratories (over three floors) and an additional 1700m² for possible Conference facilities. The space between the existing buildings and the new would become a landscaped pedestrian 'street'. Essentially, three simple boxes form courtyards in between another. From the street, the boxes allow momentary glimpses into otherwise inaccessible laboratory spaces. Seemingly a box within another box, each has a double skin that offers opportunities to accommodate services. The structural grid of the existing buildings provided cues for the structural modular of the new building, while other formal cues were taken from the modernist neighbour. Extensive research was done on the latest architectural devices for laboratories, both nationally and internationally. Amongst others, this determined the provision of...

04 Apr

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Living in Muckleneuk EXECUTED WHILE AT THE FIRM HOLMJORDAAN   Client: Gerrit Jordaan. Situated on a sheer slope, the 4164m² site overlooks Pretoria CBD and the Union Buildings to the north. It is bordered on three sides by stand alone houses, and busy Berea Street immediately to the north. A high concrete wall partially retains the northern edge. The client needed a residential development of eight units, each roughly 350m² in size. While being comfortable and top-quality, low maintenance and environmental awareness had to drive design decisions. The design also had to respond to the distinctiveness of the site, within a stone's throw of the bustling city of Pretoria.   Design decisions are ultimately rooted in a response to site topography, local material, climate and ecology. Views toward the city also played a major role in design strategies. The design draws on local examples such as presented in the work of one of Muckleneuk's favoured sons,...

04 Apr

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TOLAB Centre EXECUTED WHILE AT THE FIRM HOLMJORDAAN Project name:   New Tshwane Transport Operating License Administrative Bodies (TOLAB) centre Client:   City of Tshwane Location:              Pretoria Size:       3500 Date:     2013-2014 Description:        The project called for the design of a new Transport Operating License Administrative Bodies (TOLAB) Centre, to support the existing Tshwane Testing facilities, bordered by Johannes Ramokhoase Street to the north, and in-between the split of E’skia Mphahlele Drive to the east and west   The site is located in close proximity to the Tshwane CBD, accessed predominantly with vehicles and pedestrian access is limited as the site forms an island surrounded by the prominent streets mentioned above.   Three major functions are expressed as three easily recognizable forms, linked with an internal, covered pedestrian spine.  As the longest sides of the site front west and east, the building responds with solid western and eastern walls and maximum exposure to north is afforded, with access and services situated along the...