The recipients of the 2021/2022 Corobrik South African Institute of Architecture (SAIA) Awards of Merit and Awards for Excellence were announced at a gala event held in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 26 April 2023 and live-streamed to audiences across South Africa via Facebook.

Althea Peacock, Architect and newly admitted academic researcher, award juror and co- Master of Ceremonies kicked off the awards with the following words: “In our careers as architects and in our careers in the architectural fraternity we don’t often share our work on a regular basis: these awards provide us with the platforms to share the outcomes of sometimes tricky relationships, which we navigate in order to realise our projects and to measure our global standing on our own terms”.

Amira Osman,SAIA President and Corobrik-SAIA Awards Convenor introduced the keynote address, which was delivered by the Right Reverend Michael Weeder, Dean of St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town. A historian and prolific writer of both non-fiction and creative work, he served as the eminent person on the adjudication panel. His poetic reflection entitled The locus of architecture – a perspective from the palaces of memory’spoke about his relationship to architecture within the South African context of his experiences as an activist and pastor during the era of the Group Areas Act. He made reference to the land question, identity and the story tellers telling our stories.

Amira added that “Sometimes we need to step back from the immediacy of the daily news cycle and, in so doing, gain deeper wisdom and avoid panic. This is how I view Michael Weeder’s poetry; aesthetically beautiful, simultaneously immersing us in reality while transporting us back in history and forward in optimistic prayer – occasionally spiced with undeniable humour. His cultural frame of reference transcends spiritual and geographic boundaries – a kaleidoscopic authenticity reflecting his multi-layered Cape heritage. For me as an architect, the texts deeply resonate as they speak of identity, race and spatial justice denied”.

Katlego T. Lebethe, Architect, Interior Designer and co-host of Perception The Podcast, and co-Master of Ceremonies introduced Corobrikas the official sponsor with the following words: “Corobrik has been a major source for us, as architectural professionals. Corobrik is a patron of the South African Institute of Architects and has been a sponsor of the awards since 1998. She added that “SAIA values its partnership with Corobrik, as the success of the awards programme is dependant on the continued support given by Corobrik”. “Our continued involvement in the Awards is not in just about giving back, but is part of our collective belief in excellence for both the profession and Corobrik” says Nick Booth, CEO, Corobrik.

The adjudication panel received a total of 42 projects including two research projects, that were entered into the National Awards programme which is structured over a two-year period and is conducted in two stages.

Stage one sees the regional awards for architecture presented by the nine regional institutes affiliated to SAIA. In Stage two, the winning regional projects that are entered into the National Awards receive either a Commendation, an Award of Merit and/or an Award for Excellencewhich recognises exceptional achievement in the field of architecture.

The national group of adjudicators is independent of the regional awards process and is selected by the SAIA President in their capacity as Convenor. “The SAIA awards 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, “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, it’s 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”.

2021/2022 Corobrik-SAIA Awards of Merit and Awards for Excellence adjudicators

were:

Amira Osman, 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) and holds the position of SARChI: DST/NRF/SACN Research Chair in Spatial Transformation (Positive Change in the Built Environment). Amira is currently a joint coordinator for the international Council for Research and Innovation in the Built Environment and Construction (CIB W104) Open Building Implementation network and convenor of the SAIA-endorsed conference series: A City is [Not] a Tree: the Urban Ecologies of Divided Cities. She is the director of the organisation PLATFORM100.

Karabo Motsepe-Marutla, Head of Department (HOD) for Government Development. She has been with Corobrik for 16 years where she has been part of Sales and Business Development and is responsible for developing opportunities in target markets, nurturing and developing relationships within government departments, researching, planning, and implementing new target market initiatives.

Sushma Patel, a South African registered professional architect, urban designer, lecturer and researcher. She teaches full time at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). Sushma has a Bachelor of Architecture (1997) and a Master of Urban Design (2017) degree, both from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

Althea Peacock, the founding partner and director of her Johannesburg based practice, Lemon Pebble Architects And Urban Designers, is a graduate of the School of Architecture at the University of the Witwatersrand and is professional architect based in Johannesburg.

Michael Weeder, Dean of St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town ordained priest in the Anglican Church since 1984. He is also a historian and obtained his Masters in History at the University of the Western Cape (cum laude) in 2006. 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 2021/2022 Corobrik-SAIA Awards of Merit and Awards for Excellence were awarded to the following recipients:

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.

Awards of Merit

• Roundabout Brooklyn by WDesign Architecture Studio.

• House Campbell by Michael Lumby Architecture.

• Oggie Showroom by C76 Architecture.

• House Ströh – Additions, Alterations & 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 & 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 Pavillion by Rebel Base Collective.

• 250 Buitengracht Street Cape Town by Team Architects.

• Westbury Transformation & Development Centre by Ntsika Architects.

• House Ströh – Additions, Alterations & Pool House by Len Joubert Architects.

• House Campbell by Michael Lumby Architecture.

• The Onyx – Jewel City by GASS Architecture Studios.