The new comprehensive tertiary education campus being developed by JSE-listed higher education provider, STADIO, is steaming ahead in Durbanville, with Phase 1 set to launch in mid-2025. According to Salmon Smith, Senior Architectural Technologist at BPAS Architects, the firm behind the campus design, Phase 1 of the development is progressing efficiently and remains on track for timely completion. With careful planning and execution, the project continues to meet key milestones. Phase 2, scheduled to commence in 2026, will build on this momentum, ensuring a seamless transition into the next stage of development.
“The appointed contractor, Isipani Construction, has efficiently completed the erection of structural columns and the casting of floor slabs ahead of schedule, representing a significant milestone in the project’s construction timeline,” he states.
Located in Durbanville, in the northern suburbs of Cape Town, STADIO Durbanville plans to offer schools in education, IT, law, media and design, commerce, architecture and engineering, with a planned capacity of between 4000 and 5000 contact learning students. The campus will officially welcome students in the 2026 academic year.
“The STADIO Higher Education campus is set to become a premier tertiary education hub – unlike anything else in the Northern Suburbs,” says Smith. “The campus is located in the developing Groot Phesantekraal precinct. It’s a hive of activity, with a 30,000m² shopping centre under construction and the future Cape Winelands Airport nearby.”
BPAS has ensured sustainability is at the core of the project’s design. “The campus integrates solar power solutions and passive design principles to optimise energy efficiency and will be a pedestrian-friendly campus that enhances student well-being,” says Smith.
He explains that the evolution of the design came during the construction phase and entailed a different approach to learning spaces. “The design theory of ‘The fifth Teacher’ (being the community) was embraced and incorporated to create connected and inclusive spaces,” he says. This builds on one of the people-first design philosophies BPAS adheres to, known as “environment as the third teacher”, which holds that students learn from teachers, peers and the space they’re in. This has evolved to include technology as a fourth teacher, and now community as a fifth.