Althea Peacock
Director and Principal Architect, LEMONpebble Architects and Urban Designers
CONFERENCE THEME
Where Architecture Meets… Us/Planet/Future...
The AZA 2025 conference theme, "Where Architecture Meets… US/PLANET/FUTURE...", explores the dynamic and crucial relationship between architecture, humanity, and sustainability.
We believe that the built environment has a significant impact on both our lives and the planet, both in the present and as we look to the future.
Through this theme, we strive to spark conversations and collaborations that will advance the field of architecture towards a more responsible and inclusive approach.
WHERE ARCHITECTURE MEETS US
The first part of the theme, "WHERE ARCHITECTURE MEETS US," highlights the multifaceted role of architecture in shaping our individual and collective experiences. It prompts us to reflect on how architecture influences our daily interactions, our sense of identity, and our social connections. It challenges us to consider how we can design spaces that not only meet functional needs but also enhance the well-being and inclusivity of diverse communities.
WHERE ARCHITECTURE MEETS PLANET
The second part, "WHERE ARCHITECTURE MEETS PLANET," invites us to acknowledge the profound impact our built environment has on the natural world. The extraction of building materials, construction processes, and energy consumption all contribute to the carbon footprint of architecture. This prompts us to explore sustainable design practices that reduce our negative impact on the planet and promote a healthier future for all.
WHERE ARCHITECTURE MEETS FUTURE
Finally, the third component, "WHERE ARCHITECTURE MEETS FUTURE," inspires us to think beyond the present and envision a future where our built environment is regenerative, resilient, and equitable. It encourages us to push the boundaries of traditional architectural practices and embrace innovative technologies, materials, and approaches to create a more sustainable future.
Overall, the AZA 2025 conference theme seeks to explore the critical role of architecture in shaping our world and promote discussions on how the field can contribute to building a better, more inclusive, and sustainable future for all. With a diverse line-up of speakers, workshops, and presentations, we aim to inspire and empower the architectural community to make a positive impact on the world through thoughtful and responsible design.
WELCOME FROM COVENER
Dear architectural profession
Through presentations, workshops, film screenings, tours, exhibitions, and debates, the ArchitectureZA 2025 (AZA2025) promises inspiration as to how and “where Architecture meets” the challenges and opportunities of today, and of our collective future.
The diversity of the AZA2025 conference speakers showcase the latest in creative production, and of its power on society. This will be evident in the magnificent body of work that they will be presenting.
Daniel van der Merwe
AZA2025 Convenor
With the theme “Where architecture meets us, the planet, and the future,” we embark on a journey of exploration, innovation, and collaboration.
In the bustling tapestry of urban landscapes, architecture plays a pivotal role, not merely as a physical structure but as a living, breathing entity that intersects with people’s lives. GIfA’s focus on urban regeneration in Johannesburg underscores the transformative power of architecture to breathe new life into communities, revitalise neighbourhoods, and foster social cohesion.
Our commitment to sustainability is crucial, recognising the pressing need to harmonise architectural endeavours with the delicate balance of our planet’s ecosystems. As stewards of the built environment, we envision solutions that minimise ecological footprints, harness renewable resources, and mitigate climate impact.
At the heart of our discussions lies the imperative of providing housing that transcends mere shelter to serve as a cornerstone of dignity, security, and opportunity for all. Through innovative design, inclusive planning, and equitable policies, we aspire to create living spaces that empower individuals and nurture thriving, vibrant communities.
Together, let us chart a course towards a future where architecture meets today’s needs and embraces future generations’ aspirations.
JANET SAAIMAN
GIFA PRESIDENT
CLAIRE MCCUSKER
SAIA PRESIDENT
SAIA, in collaboration with UJ, GSA and GIfA, are excited to announce the return of our ArchitectureZA Conference this year 2025. After the disrupted years due to Covid we are eager to meet with all in person again and add significantly to Architectural thought and discourse.
The Event Committee have consulted broadly to get your input into the choice of speakers and topics to be discussed. AZA will be hosting both international and local speakers that are sure to impact us all profoundly.
The Conference provides a unique opportunity for networking. It is our goal to bring professionals, academics, students, industry and public together, breaking down the silos we often find ourselves in.
On behalf of the Department of Architecture, warmly welcome you to the AZA Conference 2025.
This event is a significant milestone in our collective journey toward understanding, critiquing, and shaping the built environment through the lenses of race, class, and gender.
At the Department of Architecture, our vision has always been to ascend as the leading school of architecture on the subcontinent. This vision is driven by our unwavering commitment to alternative, progressive, and critical spatial practices.
We seek to define the future of architecture by pushing beyond conventional boundaries and embracing a design-led pedagogy that responds contextually and appropriately to the diverse environments we inhabit and shape. In Johannesburg, our dynamic and ever-evolving urban landscape, we find an inspiring living laboratory.
As we converge at this conference, we urge each and every one of you—especially our students—to engage with the architectural discourse in provocative and thoughtful ways.
Our identity as a school is characterized by teaching philosophies and design-studio cultures that reflect and adapt to the changing realities of today’s cities. By integrating physical practices, theoretical inquiries, field research, and design studio work, we provide a holistic educational experience.
Let AZA Conference 2025 be a celebration of our shared dedication to pushing architectural boundaries and sparking transformative change.
DR. FINZI SAIDI AND PROF. MARK RAYMOND
UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG
With the theme “Where architecture
meets us, the planet, and the future,” we embark on a journey of exploration, innovation, and collaboration.
In the bustling tapestry of urban landscapes, architecture plays a pivotal role, not merely as a physical structure but as a living, breathing entity that intersects with people’s lives. GIfA’s focus on urban regeneration in Johannesburg underscores the transformative power of architecture to breathe new life into communities, revitalise neighbourhoods, and foster social cohesion.
Our commitment to sustainability is crucial, recognising the pressing need to harmonise architectural endeavours with the delicate balance of our planet’s ecosystems. As stewards of the built environment, we envision solutions that minimise ecological footprints, harness renewable resources, and mitigate climate impact.
At the heart of our discussions lies the imperative of providing housing that transcends mere shelter to serve as a cornerstone of dignity, security, and opportunity for all. Through innovative design, inclusive planning, and equitable policies, we aspire to create living spaces that empower individuals and nurture thriving, vibrant communities.
Together, let us chart a course towards a future where architecture meets today’s needs and embraces future generations’ aspirations.
JANET SAAIMAN
PRESIDENT
GIFA
SAIA, in collaboration with UJ, GSA and GIfA, are excited to announce the return of our ArchitectureZA Conference this year 2025. After the disrupted years due to Covid we are eager to meet with all in person again and add significantly to Architectural thought and discourse.
The Event Committee have consulted broadly to get your input into the choice of speakers and topics to be discussed. AZA will be hosting both international and local speakers that are sure to impact us all profoundly.
The Conference provides a unique opportunity for networking. It is our goal to bring professionals, academics, students, industry and public together, breaking down the silos we often find ourselves in.
CLAIRE MCCUSKER
VICE PRESIDENT
SAIA
On behalf of the Department of Architecture, warmly welcome you to the AZA Conference 2025.
This event is a significant milestone in our collective journey toward understanding, critiquing, and shaping the built environment through the lenses of race, class, and gender.
At the Department of Architecture, our vision has always been to ascend as the leading school of architecture on the subcontinent. This vision is driven by our unwavering commitment to alternative, progressive, and critical spatial practices.
We seek to define the future of architecture by pushing beyond conventional boundaries and embracing a design-led pedagogy that responds contextually and appropriately to the diverse environments we inhabit and shape. In Johannesburg, our dynamic and ever-evolving urban landscape, we find an inspiring living laboratory.
As we converge at this conference, we urge each and every one of you—especially our students—to engage with the architectural discourse in provocative and thoughtful ways.
Our identity as a school is characterized by teaching philosophies and design-studio cultures that reflect and adapt to the changing realities of today’s cities. By integrating physical practices, theoretical inquiries, field research, and design studio work, we provide a holistic educational experience.
Let AZA Conference 2025 be a celebration of our shared dedication to pushing architectural boundaries and sparking transformative change.
DR. FINZI SAIDI AND PROF. MARK RAYMOND
UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG
Event at a glance
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN LEARNING, FUN, AND CREATIVE INSPIRATION AT AZA24. REGISTER NOW FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE FOUR DAYS OF CONNECTION, IMAGINATION, AND GROWTH!
Join us for AZA2024, the not-to-be-missed architecture event of the year! With over 50 speakers, including industry experts, academics, and emerging voices, AZA24 offers a diverse and dynamic line-up of inspiring keynotes, lively discussions, and thought-provoking workshops. But the experience doesn’t stop there.
Explore Johannesburg’s rich architectural heritage on walking tours, and join interactive workshops showcasing the latest industry trends and technologies. Network with over 1500 architects and professionals from around the world, and discover the latest products and services at the Trade Expo. From the Student Expo featuring future architects’ work to the SAIA Awards celebrating excellence in the profession, this is a conference unlike any other.
Speakers
Ant Vervoort
Co-Founder, Frankie Pappas International
Asher Marcus
Founder and Lead Designer, Hubo Studios
Ayanda Madev
Founder, We.Collaborate
Charles Nduku
President, SACAP
Clinton Aigbavboa
Professor at the Department of Construction Management and Quantity Surveying, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Dr Sechaba Maape
Founder, Afreetekture
Georg van Gass
Director, GASS Architecture Studios
Greg Truen
Director, SAOTA
Guy Briggs
Partner & Executive Director, dhk architects
Heather Dodd
Owner, Savage+Dodd Architects
Heinrich Wolff and Ilze Wolff
Directors, Wolff Architects
Henning Rasmuss
Founder, Datascape Architects Africa
Jacobus Uys
Owner, Black Sable
Jacquie Cullies
CEO, SAIA
Jo Noero
Founder, Noero Architects
Justin Cooke
Architect, architecture coop
Kate Otten
Director, Kate Otten Architects
Margarida Waco
Architect
Mark Schaerer
Architect, Scholes Rayne Schaerer Architects
Michelange Katende
Director, Michelange Katende Watches
Prof. Jonathan Noble
Professor, Head of Department, University of the Free State
Sandra Felix
Lecturer, University of the Witwatersrand
Steven Sotiriou
Director, Urban Signature Architects
Tanzeem Razak
Director and Pr, Architect and Urban Designer, Lemon Pebble Architects and Urban Designers
Thomas Chapman
Director, Local Studio
Vedhant Maharaj
Founder and Director, RebelBase Collective
Xavier Huyberechts
Director, Xavier Huyberechts & GLH Architects
Y. Tsai
Head of Tsai Design Studio
Yasmin Mayat and Brendan Hart
Co-Founders, Mayat Hart Architects
Call for Abstracts
The 2024 AZA Conference invites submissions on the theme Architecture meets: us, the planet, the future exploring race, class, and architecture in South Africa.
We seek papers on how these issues shape architectural practice, with sub-themes of
- Where Architecture meets us
- Where Architecture meets the planet
- Where Architecture meets thee future
Interdisciplinary perspectives and innovative solutions are encouraged. Selected papers will be published and presented at the conference, with opportunities for publication in a leading architectural journal.
Abstracts of 500 words are due by 10 July 2024, with notifications of acceptance by 26 July 2024.
Join us in creating a more equitable built environment in South Africa
For additional info contact [email protected]
SIDE EVENTS
CALL FOR WORK! NEW ARCHITECTURE NOW EXHIBITION
The 2024 AZA Conference on Architecture will not only be confined to the main event, but will also include various co-located and side events.
The New Architecture Now exhibition, which invites architecture schools from across South Africa to participate, aims to provide a platform for students and faculty members to critically analyze the current state of architectural education in the country.
This presents a valuable opportunity for schools to showcase their distinct perspectives and approaches to teaching architecture. For the first time, the call for submissions extends beyond Gauteng and is open to students from all Architecture Schools in the country. Interested parties can download the the call for work to find out more information.
Upcoming GIfA Events ! 4 September 2024
You are invited to a special screening of Mother City at the Killarney Cine Centre on
Wednesday 4 September 2024 at 18h00.
Mother City Documentary Screening
Date: 4 September 2024
Time: 18h00-21h30
Venue: Killarney Mall Cinema
CPD: CAT 1 CPD 0.3
Cost GIfA Member: R100
Cost Non-Member: R150
Cost Student : R50
Hard hitting and cinematic, Mother City recently opened the Encounters SA International Documentary Festival in Cape Town, where it screened to sold out audiences.
Festival Director, Mandisa Zitha said the following about the film:
“Mother City represents the heart of what documentary film-making is about. It is a universally powerful story of the triumph of the collective.”
The film starts in 2016 when the Western Cape government sold the Tafelberg School, earmarked for affordable housing, to a private developer. This careless disregard of desperate housing needs gave birth to the social justice movement, “Reclaim the City”. Mother Cityfollows, over 6 years, the David and Goliath battle in a city still disfigured by spatial apartheid.
Join us for an unforgettable movie night!! Panel discussion will follow after the screening securing your CPD points!
First 50 students get a free ticket.
Valid until the 23rd of August
Join Us
As we bring together architecture, humanity, and the future for a memorable and transformative experience at AZA 25.