An outstanding student from the Department of Architectural Technology and Interior Design has been awarded a prestigious scholarship in Belgium.

Chioma Obasi has been awarded a Master Mind scholarship to study towards a one-year International Master in Interior Architecture (Adaptive Re-use) at Hasselt University also known as UHasselt.

She is currently an exchange student at the same university.

The government of Flanders awards these scholarships to outstanding students to study towards a master’s degree at a tertiary institution in the region.

Chioma, who is originally from Nigeria and moved to South Africa when she was about five-years-old, said she was ecstatic when she heard that she had been selected.

“I have always loved design. I loved the idea of being able to create things. However, I didn't just want to create, I also wanted to do something meaningful, something of value. I was inspired by my surroundings. The infrastructure and urban landscape weren't so great but there was potential. I wanted to fix things, I wanted to give people a better standard of living, I wanted to explore how architecture could be used to improve lives.”

She was selected as an exchange student to UHasselt in March last year, based on her academic record and a motivational essay. While in Belgium she applied for the master’s course before Hasselt University put her forward as a candidate for the scholarship.

Dr Els Hannes, international coordinator at Hasselt University, said Chioma’s application was put forward to the Flemish government, and the reviewers, scored her 90 out of 100.

“We are extremely happy and proud that Chioma is offered a chance to study at UHasselt for another year, and we believe that she will be a real asset to the programme.” said Els.

Dr Rudolf Perold, a senior lecturer in the Department of Architectural Technology and Interior Design and international liaison for the CPUT-UHasselt project, said Chioma is the third student from the department to be awarded this prestigious scholarship.

“We are very proud that Chioma scored the highest of all the applicants from UHasselt and am excited to see the work that she will be producing. Chioma has represented our department well during her exchange at UHasselt, and we wish her the best in her new endeavour as a CPUT alumnus and a fully-fledged student of UHasselt.”

CPUT and UHasselt have been engaging in student exchanges funded by the Erasmus+, Transitions, Participatory Country and Master Mind programmes since 2013.

“Since 2013, we have collaborated on a number of funding calls for exchanges, with great success: 15 outgoing students to Hasselt, 10 incoming students from UHasselt, six outgoing staff to Hasselt (one week), and eight incoming staff from UHasselt (one week),” said Perold.

Two staff members in the department have also completed postgraduate degrees at UHasselt: Perold completed a PhD and Niven Naidoo a Master in Interior Architecture, with a third staff member Maretha Dreyer about to commence doctoral studies at UHasselt.

He said the department had been supported by Carol Wilson from the Office of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

A passion for nurturing strong relationships with industry is paying dividends for both students and the companies who offer internships to them.

Senior Lecturer in the Department of Architectural Technology and Interior Design, Colleen Cocotos, has established this type of collaboration with Collaborate- an Interior Architecture and Commercial Design firm based in Woodstock. The partnership has seen BTech Interior Design student Siphiwe Conco and 3rd year student Nckubeko Shumane find their wings as Junior Design Consultants at the company, via internships, financial support and a significant amount of hands-on mentoring from Collaboration’s staff.

“When a company see how personally invested lecturers are in their students, it becomes easier for business to offer help in various ways, either through internships, mentorships or offers of financial aid. We also encourage the company to have a stake in choosing a candidate they feel will be the right fit and be able to grow and add value during their internships,” says Cocotos.

She says a major bonus of this close interaction between industry and academia is the feedback received from companies during internships, which speaks volumes about the relevancy of the course being taught.

“It also allows our students not just to get valuable work-integrated learning experience, but to feel honoured and elevated by their engagement with industry.”

Cocotos is quick to praise the administrative and advisory support received from CPUT’s Advancement Department, who expedited a smooth process for the transfer of funds from Collaboration to the students.

Faculties and departments wanting to do the same are urged to work with the Advancement Department to nurture and bolster ongoing industry alliances.

Written by Janyce Weintrob
Tel: +27 21 460 3514
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Students in the Department of Architectural Technology and Interior Design recently visited three Cape Town neighbourhoods to learn about the different housing typologies in these communities and how they were impacted by apartheid.

Junior lecturer Abigail Roberts said the Extended Curriculum Programme students visited three neighbourhoods – Langa, Pinelands and Ndabeni and the objectives were for students to learn about the history of these neighbourhoods and the factors that influenced the housing typologies and architecture styles.

“They then had to draw up a strip elevation which showed the relationship of boundary lines, pavement sizes and front yard sizes etc.”

Earlier this year the students also visited the District Six Museum Homecoming Centre and the Bo-Kaap Museum.

Roberts said the aim was for students to learn about the history of these areas and the people that lived in them to allow students to better understand how to support them from an Interior design and Architectural Technology perspective. These areas then became the sites for the students’ mobile home assignment.  

“The mobile home assignment was for Interior Design and Architectural Technology students to design a mobile home for their chosen community, which was either Bo-Kaap or District Six. The point of visiting these areas was for students to learn about the history of these communities and how this heavily impacted the architecture and interior design. Students then had to design a mobile home which celebrated these areas in their respective manners. They are currently concluding the design and technical drawings and will end the year with a model representing their mobile home.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

An outstanding student has scooped top honours in a prestigious international design competition for students.

Jaime Scholz, who entered the competition as an Advanced Diploma in Interior Design student in the Department of Architectural Technology and Interior Design, was announced the first prize winner of the Accor Design Awards 2023 during the recent awards ceremony, held in Paris, France.

Jaime said she was incredibly grateful to have been named the winner of the competition.

“Hearing the news felt like a dream turned into reality and I'm deeply honoured to be recognised alongside such talented designers and their incredible projects.
The journey to Paris was an invaluable experience that I can't thank the Accor Team and sponsors enough for making possible. Getting to know the Accor Team, the judges, and the other finalists, as well as their remarkable projects, was an absolute pleasure.”

She said the entire experience had not only been a boost to her personal growth but also a significant steppingstone in her career.

“The sky is the limit and I'm eagerly looking forward to what lies ahead. I want to extend my sincerest thanks to my mentor, Colleen Cocotos, for her unwavering guidance and support. To Colleen, the department, my family, and friends, I'm incredibly thankful for all the support they've provided. For any fellow students who are considering entering similar competitions, I hope my achievement can serve as inspiration for you to take that leap of faith. Success might be closer than you think.”

This year’s theme was: "Imagining Mercure hotels social hub, placing local food and beverage and sustainability at the heart" and Jaime’s entry was titled Mercure Africa Safari Edition.

The win marks the third international award for Jaime. She was among the winners in the renowned International BLT Awards for her Clinic Design and secured another victory in the International LIT Awards.

Head of Department, Rayner Moodley, commended the exceptional achievement, which he said highlighted the dedication and hard work displayed by both the student and staff involved.

For more information, please visit:

• https://www.instagram.com/accor_design/
• https://www.instagram.com/accor/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/accor/

Written by Ilse Fredericks
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Department of Architectural Technology and Interior Design celebrated Africa Day with an exhibition titled: Tribal Identities of South Africa.

Held at 80 Roeland Street, this vibrant event provided students with a platform to connect with fellow artists, faculty members, departmental lecturers, and visitors, while sharing the rich narratives and artistic journeys of their cultural tribes and identities.

The exhibition sought to honour the diverse cultural heritage of South Africa's tribal communities, which are a vital part of the nation's identity. Visual artists from the department were invited to participate in this unique showcase of artistic expression and cultural appreciation.

The preparations for the exhibition sparked significant interest among students, eager to express their cultural identities through art. This enthusiasm was palpable at the opening, where the audience warmly received the artworks, igniting curiosity about future exhibitions.

Staff and students shared their positive experiences. Staff member, Rezah Mogamat commented: "I think it was an awesome initiative. One of the students came to chat to me in private afterwards to say how glad he was to partake in this initiative. The hidden talent hey!!"

Students also reflected on their participation. Raeesah Toefy remarked: "It was overall a great experience. I feel like I could've spent more time on making my art piece look better, but I had fun painting it and researching about my culture. It was a learning curve for me which I enjoyed."

Raeesah added: "Yes, I would participate again. Life is all about risks and experiences, and exhibiting artwork is a fun and great experience. Even if you're new to the field or not too confident about your art pieces, you'll only get better at it."

In his opening address at the exhibition, Head of Department, Rayner Moodley, said: “As Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, ‘We are not people of one book, one truth, or one way. We are people of many books, many truths, and many ways…”"

Moodley thanked students for their enthusiasm in partaking in this exhibition and encouraged them to embrace their heritage and let it inspire their creativity and innovation.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

A student and an alumnus from the Department of Architectural Technology and Interior Design will make their TV debut on a brand-new interior design reality show this weekend.

Thabang Malamatsho and Bongani Puza are among the contestants of My Design Rules, which starts on SABC 3 on 29 September. Expresso Show presenter Ryle de Morny has been announced as the host.

Thabang, who graduated with a Diploma in Architectural Technology in 2019 and is now enrolled for an Advanced Diploma in Interior Design, heard about the show from Senior Lecturer Colleen Cocotos, who had been contacted by the show’s producers.

“Colleen looked at my portfolio and asked me to enter,” said Thabang. I was a bit hesitant because I am working full-time and studying but eventually, I decided to give it a go.”

The show invited design-oriented contestants to enter as pairs and at least one person per duo had to have some kind of design experience but not more than five years of professional experience.

Thabang and alumnus Bongani both work at Osmond Lange.

Thabang said he didn’t like to box himself as an interior designer or an architectural technologist but rather saw himself as an artist.

He described his experience on the show as brilliant, adding that he was grateful for all the people he got to meet.

Puza said he met Thabang on his first day at CPUT while they were both applying for student accommodation.

“We connected because we are both from Gauteng and studied similar technical subjects in high school, which ultimately helped us during our studies.

“I completed my National Diploma in Architectural Technology in 2019. After that, I continued my studies part-time while working full-time, pursuing an Advanced Diploma, which I completed in 2020. I later developed a passion for interior design due to the exposure I gained while working with interior designers in the office. I decided to further my studies in Interior Design by enrolling in an Advanced Diploma programme, which I graduated from in 2024.”

Regarding his decision to enter the competition, Bongani said: “I was inspired by Thabang. Although I was busy at the time, I told myself: ‘Why not show South Africa our talent?’ It presents a great opportunity to design something that will be showcased on TV, and I was also motivated by the prize that we could win if we succeed.”

Cocotos congratulated the duo and said: “Your calm, thoughtful approach, and professionalism reflect the qualities we value in the design industry. The work you presented was of outstanding quality, with excellent mock-ups that demonstrated your design talent. While the nature of television often emphasises the dramatic, the integrity and composure you exhibited will serve you well in your future careers. We are proud of your accomplishments and excited to watch you in action on SABC3 on Sunday, September 29 at 7 pm."

Written by Ilse Fredericks
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.