South African Architects Win Global Award for Sustainable Architecture

South African architects – East Coast Architects – have been awarded the 2016 Global Award for Sustainable Architecture.

The annual award is presented to five architects around the world by the LOCUS Foundation, under the patronage of UNESCO.

East Coast Architects’ directors Steve Kinsler and Derek van Heerden travelled to Paris this month to receive their award at a symposium at LaCité de l’Architecture & du Patrimoine, and to present a lecture of their work along with the other four winners.

The South African Institute of Architects (SAIA) said: “This is indeed a huge moment for members of SAIA as well as the entire South African Architectural Profession.”

In an announcement last month, East Coast Architects said: “We are truly honoured – blown away in fact!!!”

The South African company practices Social and Green architecture in mainly rural environments throughout southern Africa. According to their website, most of their projects are community-based.

They encourage engagement and participation of end users in their processes towards empowering them to take ownership of the resulting building.

The company says: “Environmental and sustainable issues are important to us – we hold that if through good design we can use resources sparingly for ‘the planet’ then we’re also saving a community’s limited financial resources, thereby allowing a better spend on the business-at-hand – whether it be teaching and learning or the delivery of health care.”

The other winners were: Patrice Doat – Grenoble, France; Kengo Kuma – Tokyo, Japan; CASE Studio, Patama Roonrakwit – Bangkok, Thailand; and Gion Caminada – Vrin, Switzerland.

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http://www.eastcoastarchitects.co.za/