Understanding Health Beyond the Physical Health is more than the absence of illness. The World…
Celebrating Women in Construction & Architecture
During the course of history, women faced numerous challenges, not only with regard to social norms and ideologies but within career paths as well. Celebrating Women in Construction & Architecture within South Africa, many women has made major contributions within the industry. In the early 20th century of South Africa, the primary role of women was a domestic one. Women had to only take care of their families and their children.
Economic activity beyond the home was acceptable, but not considered “feminine”. Later in the 20th century (after the 2nd world war) when more women entered the workforce.
There were only a select few career paths that could be considered, more female-focused roles. Such as teachers, nurses, social workers or administrative roles; there were a small number of women entering the more male dominant roles such as doctors, lawyers, managers or professors. Women entering these types of fields only started to change during the 1990s.
The 21st century has developed into such a different era, with more opportunities for women and more open-minded individuals in the workforce. However, women’s contribution to the construction industry is much smaller than men within the industry. According to the South African Council for the Architectural Profession, in 2015 only 21% of the registered professional in South Africa were women. That number increased in 2016 by 42% of new registrations were females. Unfortunately, even today there are not many well-known female architects that have received attention in South Africa.
This article will feature and highlight 3 architects or interior designers that made an impact on the South African construction industry in the last 20 years.
Tia Kanakakis
Tia Kanakakis obtained her Master’s Degree in Architecture. Thereafter she started her professional career when she joined MDS Architecture in 1990. During the next four years of her career, she dedicated herself to her work and received the title of partner at MDS Architecture. She specialises in commercial spaces such as retail shopping centres, hotels, casinos and office development.
Tia is known for her great passion and drive to produce great quality of work. With a focus on work-life balance and an interactive management style. With her skills and experience, she was able to develop long-lasting relationships with clients and lead a team that worked on a variety of projects across South Africa. Sandton City Shopping Centre is one project that Tia utilized her extensive years of experience. She played a key role in the design development and long-term vision implementation of the project. She took the role of principal designer and lead architect on the project, which was successfully completed in 2016.
Ilze Wolff
Taking a look at a nominated candidate for the prestigious Women’s in Architect award in 2020, Ilze Wolff has made waves within the architecture industry. She is currently a partner at Wolff Architects and co-founder of Open House Architecture. Her outlook on design practices revolves around a consequence, she uses mediums of design, advocacy, extensive research, and documentation, with committed and engaging interaction with her designs. With her extensive amount of experience and skills, her teachings and lectures have been recognised on a global scale.
Wolff’s insights and expertise have been included in various international exhibitions that have been featured in Switzerland, Germany, Italy, the USA, Canada, Japan and India. One project that stands out within her body of work is the Cheré Botha School – A school for learners with special educational needs. This project required creative solutions and design implementation as students with disabilities require other needs than abled-bodied persons. The solutions that were introduced within the design involved no interaction or clustering beyond the classrooms. Sculptural volumes, characteristic roof profiles and corrugated iron are the central celebrations of the architectural composition (Wolff Architects: Online). Volumes are clad in corrugated iron and rise like cumulus clouds at their base while the interior of the hall is triangulated in A-framed spaces. Enabling the hall to become an exaggerated version of other surrounding forms. Wolff continues to be a trailblazer.
Khensani de Klerk
Khensani is an architectural designer dedicated to discussing gender and racial equality within the architectural industry. Her passion stems deep to add value to applying learning in urban environments to rural communities with one common factor. That all persons should be able to use the same facilities. She focuses on the application of design principles in public spaces. To ensure space is used as a design feature where buildings are subject to natural or city surroundings. One featured project that Khensani has been a part of includes the Limpopo Youth Hostel project that was completed in 2019.
The design team was given the task to design two new hostel blocks that could provide housing for 120 people. The goal was to design and create healthy and interactive communal spaces and to extend the existing function hall. The design team developed the concept of living pods that is able to house eight students each. Bunkbeds were included within the pods and screen walls were incorporated with subtle lighting elements offered each student some sense of privacy. The innovative design solutions are just a testament to Khensani’s talent. She continues to push the boundaries within the industry.
When taking a look at these women in the industry, it is surely inspiring, and they have the influence to encourage other girls and women to move into this field of work. We hope that during the next few years that the roles in the industry will balance out. So that more women could enter the field and make an impact.
Our Services
Cairnmead Industrial Consultants offers application for a Construction Work Permit with the Department of Labour on behalf of the client. We take the complicated world of construction and operational health and safety and make it simple. For you. Using our knowledge, our experience and our hard-won insight into the industry. We advise, guide and implement safety procedures and standards. To be able to create a world where people, simply, feel safe
Contact us to find out more:
Christof Lourens
CEO Cairnmead Industrial Consultants (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 012 346 5752 | Email: christof@cairnmead.co.za
Follow us on our social media pages:
Related Posts
