American Institute of Architects honours SA female architect

The AIA, the largest professional organisation of architects in the world at 80 000 members, is honouring Van der Merwe for her significant contribution to architecture and society, based both on her professional body of work and contribution to academia.

Van der Merwe will be inducted into the AIA's Lifetime Honorary Fellowship and will receive an accompanying medal at a special ceremony at the National Cathedral in Washington DC in May this year. Five other architects, from Australia, Germany, France, Paraguay and China will also receive this prestigious recognition.

Designed award-winning buildings

"I am tremendously honoured to receive this recognition from the AIA. As I said to my colleagues, one must always keep a healthy perspective on these things - awards come and go, but I am still very grateful for and appreciative of the AIA's acknowledgement," Van der Merwe said.

As design architect Van der Merwe has been responsible for many important architectural pieces in South Africa including the award-winning Cape Town International Convention Centre, the head offices of De Beers in Johannesburg, the presently under-construction Allan Gray head office in the Cape Town Waterfront, the new UCT Student Administration and Economics Facilities, and several unique contemporary residential buildings, mainly in Cape Town.

During her career Van der Merwe has worked as a member of the academic staff at the School of Architecture of the University of Cape Town, and was appointed Adjunct Professor of Architecture in 2009. Herself a graduate of UCT in 1984, Van der Merwe completed her graduate studies at the Architectural Association in London, the oldest school of architecture in the world.