News
APG News
September 2024
14 September 2024 - Macassar Book Launch
Clint Abrahams had his Macassar book launch on the 14th September 2024. The link below is to an article covered by the District Mail – Helderberg Gazette about the event.
July 2024 POZI Exhibition in Rome, Italy from the 02 – 06 July 2024
When June exams culminated in youth month. It was exciting to work on this exhibition that developed agential synergy as curricula core architectural skills are being taught. The project in the design studio ran by Ms Buhle Mathole saw the students in their mid-year review project for BAS 1 working on a project called “POZI” a South African slang word for a place/home or simply put a cabin. They designed for real clients amongst those chosen clients being Giggs Kgole, a young South African visual artist based in Rome (John Cabot University) . Today’s youth despite even undergraduate degrees are faced with significant challenges such as joblessness and economic instability. Thus they are propelled to define their future in a new way. The exhibition embodied this spirit of creative thinking and binary ways of working across the arts and architecture. This signifies the bridge between local talent and skill on an international stage. The students have explored their architectural design skills whilst also grappling with their own introduction to architectural language and ergonomics required for habitable spatial creation at first year level. This is a new narrative that fosters workspaces and a creative dialogue. Special thanks to Giggs Kgole, South African Embassy in Rome (Minister Mashao) and Art Residency Project that hosted the exhibition from 2 – 6 July 2024 in Roma.
Pozi Exhibition
July 2023
2022 Social Responsiveness Award
“An ordinary shack for extraordinary uses” is how Clint Abrahams describes Bong’s Inn, a cultural landmark in Macassar and the pinnacle of a pioneering, seven-year community-led project that has won the University of Cape Town (UCT) PhD candidate, architect, and lecturer the prestigious 2022 Social Responsiveness Award.
You can read the article at this link: Macassar’s community ‘storytelling project’ wins 2022 Social Responsiveness Award
New book for A/Professor Nicholas Coetzer: An Architecture of Care
This book charts the way the Arts and Crafts Movement established the moral ethos of ‘an architecture of care’ that not only remains embedded in current discourse and practice but also that is being given a more vocal presence in our climate-crisis and social justice world.
You can find out more details at this link: An Architecture of Care in South Africa From Arts and Crafts to Other Progeny
February 2022
Opening APG school talk - APG Head of department - Nancy Odendaal.
(View the talk on YouTube) https://youtu.be/ZUqrs9dYj5A
September 2021
Professor Vanessa Watson Tribute letter on behalf of MCRP class of 2017.
Emeritus Professor Vanessa Watson passed away on 15 September 2021 after a long, brave fight with cancer. Vanessa will be remembered for her kindness, her quiet strength, her mentorship and guidance, her passion for planning, her friendship and so much more.
You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
You can read a Letter of Tribute from Professor Alan Mabin here.
The Masters of City and Regional Planning class of 2017 wrote a tribute letter You can read the full tribute here.
The Memorial Service was online via Zoom. It was recorded. You may watch the recording here.
June 2021
“The special prize of this edition was given to the South African team from the University of Cape Town (UCT). The jury was won over by the excellence, audacity and originality of the "Mont Verde" project, which reinvents collective housing around a wetland park to regenerate local biodiversity. The very pure architecture offers a sense of security and conviviality while guaranteeing the comfort of the inhabitants. Well connected to the rest of the city, the project imagines, beyond an island of renewed nature, a lively neighborhood with shopping streets.”
m.arch digital exhibition 2020
2020 Annual Prize giving and Vivienne Japha / Len & Gunnel Hicks Memorial Lecture
(click on thumbnail image)
April 2020
Inspiring colleague and graduate:
Congratulations to Noziphiwo Sigwela, who graduated in March with a Bachelor of City Planning Honours degree. Nozi achieved this while working full-time as the Principal Library Assistant in the Built Environment library and being a mother to two girls.
You can read the full article here.
Four week bridging course in APG:
In January, the Centlivres Building was abuzz with students who had signed up do an intense four-week bridging programme. The programme is offered to students who do not have a design-based undergraduate degree, who wish to enter the honours in landscape architecture or the master’s in urban design.
You can read the full article here.
New book for A/Prof Whittal:
A/Professor Jenny Whittal from the Division of Geomatics has written a book together with Roger Fisher, titled Cadastre, Principles and Practice.
You can read the full article here.
Co-design workshop:
In 2019, Kathryn Ewing from the School of Architecture, Planning & Geomatics (APG) was awarded an Engage Scholarship Teaching and Learning grant which kick-started a partnership with the Gugulethu community and the urbanStudio, called Gugulethu HOPE.
You can read the full article here.
Response to COVID-19:
John Coetzee, the Principal Technical Officer in the School of Architecture, Planning & Geomatics, has produced protective shields for medical practitioners with resources he has at home. He is looking for a source for acetate or flexible plastic, so if anyone has any contacts, please contact John.Coetzee@uct.ac.za. So far the masks have gone to dentists, Groote Schuur hospital and a pharmacy in Ottery.
You can read the full article here.
December 2019
Green Talent: Kathryn Arnold, a postgrad student in Geomatics, was named as one of the 2019 Green Talent awardees. She is supervised by Dr Julian Smit and her CSIR co-supervisor where she works. Her research focus is on geoinformatics and advanced geospatial analysis for urban and regional planning support.
You can read the full article here.
Retirement - Professor Iain Low:
Professor Iain Low from the School of Architecture, Planning & Geomatics came from Wits University to join UCT in 1998. He has been the convenor for the architecture postgraduate programmes. Iain was a Fulbright scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, a Pew Fellow in the Arts in Philadelphia and a visiting scholar at the American Academy in Rome.
You can find the article here.
Chair of the Africa Regional Network:
Earlier this year, Associate Professor Jenny Whittal from the Division of Geomatics was appointed the Chair of the Africa Regional Network (ARN) of the international Federation of Surveyors (FIG).
You can read the full article here.
Architecture in Top 100:
Architecture/built environment is one of the subjects at UCT that has been ranked among the top 100 in the 2020 Times Higher Education Rankings by subject.
You can read the full article here.
October 2019
Creative Works Award for Who we are Macassar :
Clint has been awarded a 2019 UCT Creative Works Award which will be formally presented to him at the EBE Faculty graduation ceremony in December for his Macassar community project.
You can read the full article here.
Pixel exhibition:
This year, the UCT School of Architecture hosted their first year's exhibition entitled PIXEL at the AVA Gallery as part of First Thursdays. You can read the full article here.
Second place at Solar Decathlon Africa:
A solar-powered, “green” house designed and built by staff and students of the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University has been awarded second place in the architecture category of the continent’s first Solar Decathlon Africa title in Morocco.
You can read the full article here.
Best little (sustainable) house in Africa :
Rendition of House Mahali, the only sub-Saharan entry in the Solar Decathlon African competition to create the best wholly solar-powered, “green” house.
You can read the full article here.
Awards for two books:
Michael Louw, senior lecturer in the School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics, received an award from the Cape Institute for Architects for his book the Industrial Heritage Protection and Redevelopment and
You can read the full article here.
Kevin Fellingham, senior lecturer in the School of Architecture, Planning & Geomatics, received a commendation for his book The Way of all Flesh: Reflections on entropy at work on the buildings of Roelof Uytenbogaardt.
You can read the full article here.
July 2019
Student designs reimagine District Six :
This work explores ways of reconceptualising the area, while accommodating the ongoing restitution process and residents’ ultimate return to the neighbourhood.
You can read the full article here.
June 2019
International Architecture Awards 2019:
URBAN DESIGN FRAMEWORK IN A WILDERNESS CONTEXT - ARCHITECTURAL BEGINNINGS - THE LIGHTHOUSE PRECINCT | Agulhas National Park, South Africa | 2016
Architects: Piet Louw and Dave Dewar Architects, Urban Designers and City Planners
You can read the full article here.
May 2019
Winner of the Book Award in the Environmental Design Research Association’s (EDRA) 2019 Great Places Awards
Co-authored by Professor Tomá Berlanda from UCT’s School of Architecture, Planning & Geomatics, in collaboration Professor Korydon Smith from Buffalo University in the United States, the book reflects Berlanda’s teaching in and research on Rwanda. You can read the full article here.
New HOD for Architecture, Planning & Geomatics
Dr Philippa Tumubweinee is the new Head of the School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics (APG). She is a senior lecturer at the School and co-founder and director of IZUBA INafrica Architects.
You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
Unpacking the Cape Town Drought Lessons Learnt
In anticipation of National Water Week (18-24 March 2019) and UN World Water Day (22 March 2019) African Centre for Cities (ACC) released a new paper Unpacking the Cape Town Drought Lessons Learnt by Associate Professor Gina Ziervogel.
You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
Multidisciplinary research project
Professor Tomá Berlanda from the School of Architecture, Planning & Geomatics is one of the researchers selected to participate and present his research at a seminar which will be held at the Ethiopian Institute for Architecture, Building Construction and City Development on 20 and 21 May 2019.
You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
October 2018
Interpreting Kigali, Rwanda
Professor Tomá Berlanda , Director of the School of Architecture, Planning & Geomatics, co-authored a book with Professor Korydon Smith from the University of Buffalo. The volume contains reflections from Prof Berlanda’s teaching and research time in Rwanda. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
“Who we are” Macassar community exhibition
As part of a community outreach initiative and a design-build experiment, Clint Abrahams, a lecturer, and John Coetzee, a principal technical officer from the School of Architecture, Planning & Geomatics, curated an exhibition entitled “Who We Are” in Macassar, a township 38 km from Cape Town. The two worked with Studio Light a non-profit youth development organisation consisting of ten participants from the area. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
You can also read the UCT News article here.
Drones add new perspective to Geomatics
Geomatics is an applied science with its roots in traditional land surveying. With the advent of technology such as global positioning systems, three-dimensional laser scanning and geographic information systems, it was renamed in the 1990s. But, if a recent drone-based survey of UCT is anything to go by, geomatics is set to take off once more.
You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
September 2018
Solar-powered house to compete internationally
Three University of Cape Town (UCT) lecturers are part of Team Mahali, building a net-zero-energy house to compete at Solar Decathlon Africa in Morocco next year. Read the article here.
August 2018
Enhancing infrastructure in Imizamo Yethu
In response to poor water and sanitation services in Imizamo Yethu, the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics has been helping to introduce innovations that improve daily life for residents of the informal settlement, while simultaneously giving students hands-on experience of design and construction. Read the article here.
July 2018
Breaking a Guinness World Record
A/Professor Jenni Whittal and Dr Simon Hull from the Geomatics Division assisted the Western Cape Girl Guides in breaking a Guinness World Record of stringing bottle tops together. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
Obituary for Professor Fabio Todeschini
It is with shock and sadness that we have learned about the sudden passing of our colleague, mentor and friend, Fabio Todeschini, Emeritus Professor, Urban Designer, Architect and Heritage Authority. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
Diverse prospects in Geomatics
To show the undergraduate students in the Division of Geomatics what a wide range of career opportunities there is for geomatics graduates, Mignon Wells invited four young alumni to come and talk about their experiences.
You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
April 2018
New book for Professor Watson
Professor Vanessa Watson and her 2014 PhD student Richard de Satgé co-authored a book which has been published by Springer... This book addresses the on-going crisis of informality in rapidly growing cities of the global South. The authors offer a Southern perspective on planning theory, explaining how the concept of conflicting rationalities complements and expands upon a theoretical tradition which still primarily speaks to global ‘Northern’ audiences.
You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
Teaching stint at Sri Lanka Institute of Architects in Colombo
Emeritus Professor Fabio Todeschni, of the School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics, has recently returned to Cape Town from another stint of invited teaching of two urban design courses at the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects in Colombo. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
United Nations Invitation
In May, A/Professor Nancy Odendaal from the School of Ar-chitecture, Planning & Geomatics has been invited to partici-pate in the Integration Segment of the United Nations Eco-nomic and Social Council, at the United Nations Headquar-ters in New York. The theme of the Segment will be “Innovative communities: leveraging technology and innova-tion to build sustainable and resilient societies.” You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
Aurecon supports Zamani’s heritage project in Zanzibar
Global engineering and infrastructure advisory company Aurecon is one of a group of companies sponsoring the Uni-versity of Cape Town to document the intervention and upgrading of the his-toric Stone Town Seafront in Zanzibar. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
Award for first-year architectural students at international conference
In December 2017, three first-year architectural studies stu-dents presented a paper at an international conference hosted by the Faculty of Architecture Research Unit (FARU) at the University of Morgtuwa in Sri Lanka. Their paper titled “Bringing water to new heights” received a commended stu-dent paper award. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
First-year architecture student co-authored article in international publication
Growing up in Cape Town, Phumzile Konile was interested in architecture from a young age. Her father is a civil engineer, and she was intrigued by the process of how buildings came to be.She is now a second-year architecture student, and in her first year of studies she was given the opportunity of a lifetime. She was asked by Jan Schabert, a lecturer in architecture, to collaborate on writing an article on the Zeitz MOCAA,Museum of Contemporary Art Africa ,for the Detail Magazine, a highly rated architectural publication in Germany. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
December 2017
2017 SAIA Architectural Writers and Critics Award
Professor Iain Low from the School of Architecture, Planning & Geomatics received the 2017 South African Institute of Architecture Architectural Writers and Critics Award at an event held on Thursday 23 November. The award is made in recognition of a distinguished contribution to architectural criticism and/or writing. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
September 2017
Great achievement
Two remarkable women, Linda Chola, a cleaner in Centlivres, and Noziphiwo Sigwela, the Built Environment librarian, completed the Planning Theory course(APG4020F) in the first semester. The course is part of the Bachelor of City Planning Honours which is run by A/Professor Tanja Winkler. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
Best published paper for Planning
A/Professor Tanja Winkler and James Duminy received the Association of European Planning of Schools (AESOP) “Best Published Paper Award 2017”.James is a PhD student with Professor Vanessa Watson and is based in the African Centre for Cities. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
July 2017
Architecture outreach programme
In the July holidays, Simone Le Grange from the School of Architecture, Planning & Geomatics organised the 10thArchitecture outreach programme for high-school learners. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
ACC Senior Researcher honoured with international award
African Centre for Cities Senior Researcher Dr Jane Battersby was honoured as the 2017 laureate of the Premio Daniel Carasso at a ceremony in Valencia, Spain, on 18 May. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
Teaching at Huazong University of Science and Technology
Emeritus Professor Fabio Todeschni, of the School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics, has just returned to Cape Town from another lengthy stint of invited teaching of two postgraduate urban design courses at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning of the Huazong University of Science and Technology (HUST) at Wuhan, Peoples’ Republic of China. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
New Deputy Director for ACC
Dr Andrew Tucker joined the African Centre for Cities (ACC) as Deputy Director on 1 July 2017. The role will see him supporting Director Prof Edgar Pieterse in the overall management of the centre and ensuring that ACC maintains and advances its position at the forefront of urban research and engagement on the continent and in the Global South. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
April 2017
Curry Stone Design Prize
The firm Active Social Architec-ture, that Pro-fessor TomàBerlanda co-founded with Nerea Amoros Elorduy in Ra-wanda in 2012, has been recog-nised as a 2017 Social Design Circle Member by the Curry Stone Design Prize. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
BAS (Hons) simulated office studio
During the second half of 2016, the BAS (Hons) simulat-ed office design studio engaged in a series of community-based design projects. As part of their public engage-ment, the programme held an annual open house at the end of their learning cycle... You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
1 October 2016
Valuing Waste and Wasting Value: Rethinking Planning with Informality by learning from “Skarrelers’” in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs
Adam van Heerden has won the Student Award at the 2016 Royal Town Planning Institute’s (RTPI) Awards for Research Excellence. You can read the full article in the Faculty Newsletter here.
9 June 2016
Architecture with a social conscience
Among the June graduates is architectural master’s student Ashleigh Killa, who has teamed up with fellow UCT alumni in order to use their skills in a way that will benefit South African society as a whole. Read more...
3 May 2016
Sadiq Toffa, the nGAP scholar with a commitment to transformative knowledge
Sadiq Toffa took up an nGAP lectureship at the School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics earlier this year. Toffa, who was born and raised in Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, has an immense passion for cultural heritage and transformative knowledge. Read more...
1 October 2015
UCT Architecture students excel at architectural design competition
Two UCT Architecture teams received the first and third prize for the 2015 Murray & Roberts Des Baker architectural design competition. Read more...
11 September 2015
Planting the seeds for a more sustainable city
To bridge the divide between the academy and practice, four UCT researchers have spent the last three years (from 2012 to 2015) ‘embedded’ within city council departments to observe how policy is being developed and implemented. Read more...
5 August 2015
Architecture - engaging with communities
During the June vacation our second-year architecture students, together with a few key staff members and members of the local community, helped to construct the sixth annual platform situated at Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay. Read more...
21 January 2015
UCT Landscape Architect wins innovative award
Amy Thompson, a 2014 UCT Landscape Architect graduate, receiving the prestigious Corobrik most innovative landscape architect project award from Christie Van Niekerk of Corobrik. Read more...
28 August 2014
Prestigious award for architecture student
Domenico Cirillo, a third year student at UCT’s School of Architecture, Planning & Geomatics, recently won 1st prize in the prestigious annual Murray & Roberts Des Baker Architecture Student Competition. Read more...
7 April 2010
A sustainable city that can serve us all
Last night saw the book launch and exhibition opening of Counter-Currents: Experiments in Sustainability in the Cape Town Region. Edited by Edgar Pieterse... Read more...
Monday, 7 December 2009
Three decades of architecture chronicled in Noero's book
The Everyday and the Extraordinary - Three Decades of Architecture charts the "extraordinary period of change" that South Africa has undergone... Read more...