New sustainable architecture awards promote regeneration, reconciliation and restoration

Seven Awards and four Commended projects were announced in the 2015/2016 AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation at the gala event in Cape Town.

The eleven projects chosen by the award adjudicators were among a total of 22 final qualifying entries that had been selected from a record number of eligible submissions earlier this year.

“The Awarded and Commended projects amply demonstrate the three main criteria that the adjudicating panel was looking at;- regeneration, reconciliation and restoration,” commented Richard Tomes from AfriSam. “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 increasing importance of sustainable and innovative design practice in the South African built environment was confirmed across all four categories of the 2015/2016 AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation.

Sustainable Architecture Award

Category A - Sustainable Architecture, saw three Awarded projects – the DEA Building by Boogertman+Partners Architects, Gorgeous Green House by Sagnelli Associate Architects and Oudebosch Camp Kogelberg by Architecture Coop. These were joined by four Commended projects - Earthworld Architects’ iCat Eco Factory, Local Studio’s Outreach Foundation Community Centre, Daffonchio & Associate Architects’ Maboneng Precinct and WWF SA Braamfontein by Alive Architecture.

Research in Sustainability Award

Category B - The Award for Research in Sustainability went to Designing Hope for Pathways to Regenerative Sustainability, a book by Chrisna Du Plessis, while Paul Marais’ Otto Cottage was Awarded in the Sustainable Product/Technology category (Category C).

Finally there were two Awarded Projects in Category D - Sustainable Social Programme - buildCollectiveNPO with Carinthia University of Applied Science’s Bridging Mzamba and Architecture for a Change’s Malawi School.

The 2015/2016 AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation took place in a unique space adjacent to the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, a project supported by AfriSam. It was attended by representatives of the most compelling architectural practices, construction companies, social businesses and thought-leaders in the country.

“The awards are a resounding endorsement of sustainable and innovative design practice in the South African built environment, said Kevin Bingham, Awards Convenor and SAIA Vice- President. “We have entered a new era in which sustainable design is becoming a non-negotiable, integral part of the building industry. Alongside significantly impacting the lives of those who use them, the Awarded and Commended projects provide fantastic inspiration for Architects – and indeed everyone playing a part in our built environment.”

The adjudicators of the 2015/2016 AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation were Kevin Bingham (convener), Daniel Irurah, Llewellyn van Wyk, Sebasti Badenhorst , Eric Noir and Richard Stretton.

Department of Environmental Affairs Building by Boogertman+Partners Architects

The new Pretoria headquarters for the South African Department of Environmental Affairs.

Gorgeous Green House by Sagnelli Associate Architects

The renovation of a 1940’s dwelling located in the northern suburbs of Durban. A client driven green research project, Gorgeous Green House is a great example of user-end sustainability. Read more here.

Oudebosch Camp Kogelberg by Architecture Coop

An eco-tourism facility located in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve.

iCat Eco Factory by Earthworld Architects

A new office building located in an industrial park in Pretoria.

Maboneng Precinct by Daffonchio & Associate Architects

The rejuvenation of an inner city precinct, Johannesburg.

Outreach Foundation Community Centre by Local Studio

An infill community facility located in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.

WWF SA Braamfontein by Alive Architecture

The reworking and reuse of an existing building for the WWF, located in Johannesburg.

Designing for Hope: Pathways to Regenerative Sustainability by Dominique Hes & Chrisna Du Plessis

Essential reading for practitioners working in sustainability and the built environment.

Otto Cottage by Paul Marais

The utilisation of construction technologies, on a cabin located in Botswana.

BridgingMzamba by buildCollective NPO, CUAS, bridgingMzamba Community Steering Committee

A new pedestrian bridge linking the two sides of the Mzamba River, Eastern Cape.

Malawi School by Architecture for a Change

A new community school for Malawi. Refurbished shipping containers were used as structurally sound elements with a dual function.

Source: Sustainable Design