AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation finalists announced

After an intensive inspection process at each location (in-loco), 22 projects out of 47 entries have been identified by the adjudication panel. Entries closed on 24 March this year to a record number of submissions.

BMW Head Office Building - Boogertman+Partners Architects

The qualifying projects span all four categories of the award - Sustainable Architecture and Research in Sustainability, as well as the two new categories, Sustainable Products & Technology and Sustainable Social Programmes. These reflect a growing national engagement with design, innovation and sustainability, with representation from many different regions of South and southern Africa.

Criteria of sustainability

“The award assessed by the project responds to the criteria of harmonisation, people upliftment, evolutionary paradigm and placemaking performance,” comments Richard Stretton, member of the adjudication team.

“Successful projects not only respond to these criteria but also use the criteria as design generating tools. Unsuccessful projects make tokenistic gestures to sustainability without demonstrating the understanding that the criteria of sustainability are as important as user function and aesthetic beauty. The building must have a clear function and be in use.”

Maboneng Precinct - Daffonchio & Associate Architects

Stretton, a previous winner and eminent architect and furniture designer, conducted the site visits with other members of the six-person adjudicating team - Kevin Bingham (VP of SAIA), Daniel Irurah (sustainable architecture academic), Llewellyn van Wyk (principal researcher at Building Science and Technology), Sebasti Badenhorst (AfriSam representative), and Eric Noir (Africa region director of the International Union of Architects’ work programme, Architecture for a Sustainable Future).

“The qualifying entries really show a track record of being designed for the humans and communities who will inhabit and use them,” adds AfriSam’s Sebasti Badenhorst.

“It has also been particularly gratifying to observe the drive to target net-zero energy and water use and to limit sanitation outflow, emissions, and to protect biodiversity.”

“Awarded projects combine all the criteria through the design process into a harmonised solution, that clearly demonstrates how the principals of sustainability are represented in the design,” concludes Stretton. “This solution goes beyond the basic function and aesthetic resolution of the architecture to provide greater service to people and the environment.”

Solar Turtle - Ugesi Gold

2015/2016 AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation finalists

Category A: Sustainable Architecture:

1. African School for Excellence - Local Studio
2. Barn House - Strey Architects
3. BMW Head Office Building - Boogertman+Partners Architects
4. DEA Building -Boogertman+Partners Architects
5. Gorgeous Green House -Sagnelli Associate Architects
6. Government House Pietermaritzburg - Robert JW Brusse Architect
7. Icat Eco Factory - Earthworld Architects
8. LIV Village - Designworkshop
9. Maboneng Precinct - Daffonchio & Associate Architects
10. New Business School for NMMU - The Workplace Architects with GAPP
11. Oudebosch Camp Kogelberg - Architecture Coop
12. Outreach Foundation Community Centre - Local Studio
13. Wits Rural Facility - Kate Otten Architects
14. WWF SA Braamfontein - Alive Architecture

Category B: Research in Sustainability

15. Designing Hope for Pathways to Regenerative Sustainability - Dominique Hes & Chrisna Du Plessis

Category C: Sustainable Product / Technology

16. Otto Cottage - Paul Marais
17. Pod Idladla - Collaborate
18. Solar Turtle - Ugesi Gold
19. Vodafone Site Solution Innovation Centre - Grosskopff Lombard Huyberechts & Associates

Category D: Sustainable Social Programme

20. Bridging Mzamba - buildCollectiveNPO with Carinthia University of Applied Science
21. Malwai School - Architecture for a Change
22. Ultimum Refugium - Ntsika Architects

The bi-annual AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture + Innovation is dedicated to acknowledging best practice and innovation in sustainable architecture. First introduced in 2009, the award recognises outstanding achievement in sustainable architecture, creating public awareness and debate on architectural issues. The final awards event will take place in October this year.