A “showstopping” design by a talented Interior Design student has scooped an award in a prestigious international competition.

Jaime Scholz won the category: Jury’s Favourite in Interior Design – Institutional in the BLT Built Design Awards.

The awards celebrate the best of architecture, interior design and construction worldwide and attract submissions from professionals, emerging designers and students.

Jamie, who hails from Melkbosstrand, said it was a huge honour to see her name and project between those of “such prestigious interior designers and architects’ projects “

“I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity and excited for what lies ahead.”

Referring to her design, she said she was guided by the brief to accommodate a primary care clinic, which focuses on wellness visits, physicals, vaccinations, screenings for illness, and acute illness and injury care for all patients.

“With a strong focus on inclusive design – I ensured specialised kitted examination rooms for paediatric, bariatric, disabled, elderly and the general patient. I focused on being environmentally conscious and reusing or refurbishing the existing walls instead of demolishing and rebuilding unnecessarily.”

She said the spatial design concept needed to maximise usable space “without sacrificing the hallway to promote a spa-like feel, creating a sense of comfort and well-being for all patients.” Most of the furniture and equipment would be sourced from local South African suppliers/manufacturers.

Jaime said she loves the puzzle of practical problem solving through design and this, together with her fascination with how the built environment affects our lives and its surrounding environment, led her to study interior design with the goal to study further in architecture.

Senior lecturer Colleen Cocotos said that when she heard about the competition, she did not want to miss the opportunity of highlighting the best work, which was submitted to the competition and won.

“It was a pleasure working with Jaime because she has an exceptional work ethic, and she is engaged and open to learning and receiving constructive feedback. The entire class reviewed exceptional case studies, which we critically discussed. Jaime had a clear understanding of how to execute her design, as she is a very intuitive designer. I know my guidance assisted the class, yet Jaime’s Clinic was indeed the showstopper.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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An Architectural Technology alumna is shining bright in Belgium where she has received a prize for her Master’s thesis.

Chioma Obasi was recently announced as the winner in the international student category of the Thesis Award 2021 from Hasselt University (UHasselt).

She said the prize is awarded to the best development-relevant Master’s thesis.

Her thesis is titled: Activating Landscapes Through Memory: A Journey Through Fragments of Cape Town’s Strand Street Quarries. Obasi said she had not expected to win the prize.

“But afterwards, I felt very happy and honoured because receiving recognition for all the hard work put into my research was humbling. My thesis touches on a sensitive area in South African history, so I was happy to share the topic internationally and for it to be recognised and appreciated.”

Obasi first went to UHasselt as a CPUT exchange student and, in 2020, was awarded a Master Mind scholarship to study towards a one-year International Master in Interior Architecture (Adaptive Re-use) at UHasselt.

She said her time at CPUT laid a firm foundation for her postgraduate studies.

“When I first started studying architecture, I don’t think I fully understood what it meant or entailed. However, the lecturers at CPUT were amazing and quite patient with the students, taking their time and explaining theories and concepts to us. And I believe that this laid an excellent foundation for me. Unlike most traditional universities, CPUT focuses on both design and technology (with more emphasis on technology), which creates a good balance when designing architecture,” she said.

“Though my Master’s was mostly design-based, I could make calculated and informed decisions with my background in technology. Also, the teaching method of working in groups and asking my fellow students for advice on my work created an atmosphere that prepared me to work cohesively with the people I met while abroad.”

She has now set her sights on enhancing her skills and preparing for a professional career.

“I might be looking into a doctorate to do some research that contributes to developmental and social architecture issues. However, I would also like to find a firm where I will learn and contribute, especially towards developmental projects. Many students come up with or have many ideas to give, yet they only stay on paper, and we don’t always get the opportunity to execute them. But I would like to bring my ideas to reality.”

Obasi, born in Nigeria and moved to South Africa at age five, said life in Belgium over the past few years has been bitter-sweet.

“With the pandemic on the one hand and missing home on the other, it hasn’t been easy. I’ve had to learn to adjust to a new way of life, studying, living, etc. However, I have learned so much and grown a lot as a person, both personally and professionally. I have had the opportunity to experience new cultures and meet diverse groups of people, so the journey has been quite interesting.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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