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IT’S A NEW ERA OF EXCELLENCE

by Media Xpose

SCAPE AWARDS USHERS IN A NEW INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN AT THE 2024
INAUGURAL SCAPE AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE!

Oh, what a night!

The SCAPE Awards of Excellence has officially set a bold new standard for South Africa’s architecture and design industry, redefining what excellence means for the South African industry. As an exciting next step for the established SCAPE Magazine, the Awards of Excellence is a movement in spotlighting greatness unlike anything South Africa has seen before!

On Friday, 4th October, SCAPE left ordinary at the door as the Awards of Excellence crescendoed with a dazzling gala event set against the backdrop of the Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town. The who’s who of design and architecture arrived dressed to the nines, ready to ring in a new era of excellence.

To present an awards of this calibre, a star-studded Jury of international industry icons was essential. From over 15 countries, more than 50 of the most esteemed professionals joined this initiative to assess the best projects and firms across South Africa (and Africa):

Marcial Jesús, Founder & CEO of 100architects

Kofi Bio, CEO of Adjaye Associates Accra Studio

Renzo B. Larriviere & Zara Pasfield, Founders of Atelier Sisu

Andrew Maynard, Founder of Austin Maynard Architects 

David Godshall, Founder of TERREMOTO

Alberto Eltini & Marina Marín, Founders of El Departamento

Natali Canas del Pozo, Co-founder of El Equipo Creativo

Janaya Hart, Senior Associate at Elkus Manfredi Architects 

Gemma Kim, Partner at RAMSA

Héctor Esrawe, Founder of Esrawe Studio

Peter Veenstra, Co-founder of LOLA Landscape Architects

Antonius Richard, Founder of RAD+ar

Coetzee Steyn, Founder of Steyn Studio

Alireza Razavi, Founder of Studio Razavi + Partners

Thomas Pheasant

Qianyi Lin, Co-founder of Various Associates

Dongzi Yang, Co-founder of Various Associates

Anamaria Pircu, Founding Partner of Vatraa Architecture

Rodolfo Reis & João Caria Lopes, Founders of Volume Architecture

Artem Zverev & Artur Sharf, Founders of YODEZEEN

Melodie Leung, Assocaite Director at Zaha Hadid Architects

Fereshteh Assadzadeh, Founder of ZAV Architects 

Mohamadreza Ghodousi, Principal Architect at ZAV Architects

Shabnam Gupta, Founder of The Orange Lane

Vinu Daniel, Founder of Wallmakers

Isabelle Sun & Tim Kwan, Co-founders of Office AIO

Claudia Afshar, Principal & Founder of Claudia Afshar Design 

Ive Haugeland, Principal at Shades of Green

Sanjay Puri, Founder of Sanjay Puri Architects

Aarushi Kalra, Founder of I’m D’Sign

Shushana Khachatrian, Founder of STUDIO SHOO

Pablo Pérez Palacios, Founder of PPAA Architects

Iván Bravo, Founder of Iván Bravo Architects

Julian Kosloff, Co-founder of Kosloff Architecture

David Taylor

Alexander Webb, Founder of Three One Four Studio

Yoko Choy, China Editor of Wallpaper* Magazine

Anna Trefely, Founder of Esoteriko Interior Architecture

Julia Peres & Victoria Braga, Founders of RUÍNA Arquitetura

Tim Cousin, Co-founder of Roofscapes

Matteo Poli, Co-founder of AOUMM

Hugh McCarthy

Julien De Smedt, Founder and Director of JDS Architects

Pashmin Shah & Satyajeet Patwardhan, Founders of Amoeba Design

Murray Penroe & George King, Founders of Penroe and King

Daniel Joseph Chenin, Founder of Daniel Joseph Chenin, Ltd

Heather Dubbeldam, Founder & Principal at Dubbeldam Architecture + Design

Aaron Peters, Co-founder & Director of Vokes and Peters

Jordan Cluroe & Russell Whitehead, Co-founders of 2LG Studio

Cyrus Patell & Eliza Higgins, Co-founders of CollectiveProject

Geoffrey von Oeyen, Founder of Geoffrey von Oeyen Design

Ben Warwas, Founder, ByBen

Daniel Germani, Founder of Daniel Germani Designs

An awards close to their hearts, and a dream for their industry, SCAPE pulled out all the stops, standing alongside their partnership brand Infinity Surfaces who collaborated to push play on this incredible initiative, alongside their impact partner, Oggie. 

“Our dream was to create something memorable, magical, and enchanting — to raise the bar for what championing and celebrating our industry looks like. We wanted to move beyond the borders of South Africa, and even Africa, to involve the most influential peers from abroad as a star-studded cast of Jurors to weigh in on hundreds of submissions, giving rise to a global spectacle! We are so humbled to be at the fore of a powerful movement which should echo through our industry as a reminder that we are not just keeping up, we are leading the way,” said Director of SCAPE, Chanel Besson. “We’re a future-focussed brand and we’re excited to move into a space that opens doors for the profession and an Awards of Excellence that for years to come exceeds expectations and gives our community a voice that places us alongside international awards.”

The gala evening was presented by Ryle de Morny, with beats by Digital Sangoma, and was a show of stellar proportions! The creation of the S tag in a massive candle was created by OKRA Candle to shine a light on our industry icons and add to this unique spectacle. To make sure the guests arrived in a style befitting of the term ‘excellence’, SCAPE also partnered with Laude Classic Cars as the elegant chauffeurs for the evening.

The evening was a journey through the highest performing homes, commercial spaces, hospitality builds, educational builds, refurbishments and community builds, African builds, sustainable spaces, landscapes, and design products from SA’s top makers. To top it off, stunning trophies crafted by Continua, a member of The Excellence Group, were the prized possessions taken home by the winners, featuring Infinity Surfaces and Oggie in their fabrication. As guests celebrated the industry, glasses filled with wine, crafted by and courtesy of the luxury wine brand Terre Paisible, clinked in jubilation. When it came to embodying excellence in every area of the night, no detail was missed!   

Of course, a gala evening wouldn’t be complete without gorgeous gowns and sterling tuxes, so a Best Dressed Award was also in order. Architect Julia Rutherfoord claimed the title and the accompanying prize — a sleek, handcrafted Oyster Grey Gin Trunk courtesy of Fieldbar.

Raising a glass to excellence, alongside our partnership brand Infinity Surfaces and impact partner Oggie, ladies and gentlemen, here are the 2024 winning projects and firms:

Landscape Design Project of the Year

Winner: DDS Projects, for Banhoek Farm Gardens

Runner-up: Josephine Noyce Landscape Design, for House Andrew

Landscape Design Firm of the Year

Winner: DDS Projects

Tied Runner-up: Margot van der Westhuizen Landscape Design 

Tied Runner-up: Contours Design Studio  

Landscape Architecture Project of the Year

Winner: AT Landscape Architects, for Penny Lane Park

Runner-up: TERRA+ Landscape Architects, for Bonteheuwel Town Centre Upgrade

Landscape Architecture Firm of the Year 

Winner: Square One Landscape Architects

Runner-up: CNDV Landscape Architects

Emerging Design Firm of the Year

Winner: Sketch Interior Architects

Runner-up: Morris & Co

Commercial Build of the Year

Winner: Gabriël Fagan Architects, for The Barracks

Runner-up: Paragon Architects, for 15 Fredman Drive

Hospitality Build of the Year  

Winner: Luxury Frontiers, for Madwaleni River Lodge

Runner-up: Source IBA, for Vrymansfontein

Commercial / Hospitality Refurb of the Year

Winner: Two Five Five Architects, for Uxolo Apartments

Runner-up: Peerutin Karol, for Budism Couture

Educational / Institutional Build of the Year 

Winner: Local Studio, for Lapalala Wilderness School

Runner-up: MMA Design Studio, for New Faculty Administration Building for the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, WITS

Residence of the Year  

Winner: Chris van Niekerk, for Mountain House

Runner-up: SAOTA, for Upper Albert

Residential Block of the Year  

Winner: Hours Clear Architects, for Clarens

Runner-up: VDMMA, for 29 Queens Road

Residential Interior of the Year

Winner: Clinton Savage Interiors & Architecture, for Schrywershoek Cottage

Runner-up: ATTIK Design, for Sunset House

Residential Refurb of the Year

Winner: ARRCC, for Glen Villa

Tied Runner-up: Studio BHD, for Woodsprings House

Tied Runner-up: ATTIK Design, for Sunset House

Community Build of the Year

Winner: Local Studio, for Lantern House

Runner-up: The MAAK, for New Rest Valley Crèche

Collab of the Year

Winner: Kate Otten Architects with Lesley Lokko, featuring Frances vH Mohair, The Herd Designs, Vriah Design and XLAM, for ‘threads’

Runner-up: Tétris Design x Build with Hoven Design Architects, featuring Ananta Design Studio, Patrick Bongoy and Wiid Design, for Upcycle

Sustainable Build of the Year

Winner: Local Studio, Lapalala Wilderness School

Runner-up: Noero Architects, for New Eco Lab, Wynberg Girls’ High School

African Build of the Year

Winner: Architectural Pioneering Consultants, for Simba Vision Montessori

Runner-up: Ochre Office, for Emantini Botanical Gardens, Medicinal Garden

Maker of the Year

Winner: TheUrbanative

Runner-up: Frances vH Mohair

Interior Design Firm of the Year

Winner: Clinton Savage Interiors & Architecture

Runner-up: ARRCC

Developer of the Year

Winner: Blok

Runner-up: Moolman Group

Architecture Firm of the Year

Winner: Paragon Architects

Runner-up: Bomax Architects

The 2024 SCAPE Awards of Excellence marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the industry. With plans already underway for the 2025 edition, SCAPE is set to become a cornerstone in recognising and elevating architectural and design excellence. This is just the start of an extraordinary journey.

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