Henning Rasmuss, born and raised in Johannesurg, was influenced by the building boom in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was fascinated by the energy of the large building sites and chose to study Architectire, graduating Cum Laude from Wits University in 1994.

Henning founded Datascape Architects Africa in October 2021; a specialist practice focusing on Data Centres and building Africa’s technology backbone, and Crux Archtiects Africa in May 2022; a generalist business that focusses on Master-planning, and Design-and-Build contracts. Both are independent businesses with strong partnership networks across the African continent. This was following 25 years of professional architectural practice with various partners in the Paragon Group of companies, where he was responsible for all of the group’s International Projects and for Business Development in Africa.

With particular interests in business development, contract law and inter-cultural communication, Henning is passionate about implementing projects in limited and less diversified economies on the African continent.

Henning believes in an architecture that is forward-looking and optimistic, and understands the practice of architecture as a form of communication. He values the anecdotes and stories that arise out of the making of buildings as being almost as important as the buildings themselves, and recognises that architects create the backdrops for memories and little moments of history, and for mentorship and teaching through storytelling.

Henning’s professional activities have led to project engagements in 23 countries, completed projects in 18 countries, and built work in 13 countries since 2001. He has worked as curator on exhibitions of South African architecture and urban culture in Venice, São Paulo, Berlin and South Africa. In 2022 and 2023 he thoroughly enjoyed teaching in the Management Development Programme for Endeavour Mining in Côte d’Ivoire on ‘Design Thinking and Innovation’.