Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
CPUT student bags architecture prize
A CAPE Peninsula University of Technology student can now dream bigger following the success of his architecture project that recently saw him being a joint runner-up in the PG Bison Education Initiative 2022 competition in Johannesburg.
Daniel November and Yolanda Mpanza, another architecture student from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, each bagged a R17 500 prize.
The competition showcased talents from across the country, challenging them to produce a creative design based on a brief written into the thirdyear curriculums of participating educational institutions. The design had to be practical, built in relation to its surrounding context, and be inclusive to sustainable living.
Marking its 30th edition, this year’s challenge was titled “Sunbird’s Nest” and focused on how they build their nests.
“This made me think about how I could create a nest-like community for people to live and thrive,” said November
“It was an amazing experience, the journey to completion, and the time I spent in Johannesburg with a brilliant and vibrant group of top 10 finalists.
“I was disappointed that there was no grand winner this year. The competition felt incomplete, and it was a moment of anticlimax for many contestants and lecturers alike.
“I always showed a passion for technical drawing that manifested itself into architecture during my matric year in high school. I now aim to finish my postgraduate years of study in architecture, become a professional architect and one day forge my own architectural practice.”
Explaining the outcome of the competition, Jason Wells, a marketing manager at PG Bison, said: “Their entries showed great promise and addressed most elements of the brief. While our expert panel of judges acknowledged the wealth of architectural and interior design talent on display at the judging event, they ultimately agreed that it would not be right to nominate a winner when no one entry met all the requirements we asked for, particularly taking into account the context of the site and the community at the heart of the brief”
Nathaniel Wakefield added: “We felt the submissions missed certain important aspects of the brief. It is important in any development to not only understand the technical requirements, but also those that relate to the human aspect.
“We feel that the students need to firm up this aspect of their competition submissions in future, and remember the focus is on meeting the needs of the people who will be using the space.”
“There was a considerable amount of time and effort put into this project, from researching the materials from PG Bison to gathering all the information I could from the building site. I was pleased that I could juggle my studies, an internship, and this competition,” said November, a thirdyear student.
He aspires to become an “influential” architect and bring about change to how we see the built environment, as well as how we live in it.