Heritage-conscious architecture aims to preserve the cultural significance of buildings with historical and social value, while meeting present and future needs. Our approach is to treat each heritage building as a ‘document’, preserving its historical and cultural values through a process of restoration and conservation. This is done with care and sensitivity, respecting the hand of the original designers and craftsmen, and by following processes based on internationally recognised best-practice principles.
New additions and alterations are designed with a mindset to do as much as is necessary but as little as possible, respecting the existing architecture, materials, scale, and design, complimenting the building’s historical character and ensuring an authentic relationship with the building’s past.
Whenever possible, older buildings are reconfigured for reuse in a contemporary context, ensuring their continued vitality and economic sustainability with aesthetically pleasing, functional, durable and historically conscious spaces.
Our heritage architects and preservationists possess a deep understanding of historical architecture, restoration processes and techniques gained through research and the application of heritage design principles within the relevant urban context.
Our approach is based on an asset information software system pioneered by the Institute of Public Works in Australia (IPWEA), which has been adapted to South African standards to plan for lifecycle maintenance based on the expected lifespan of building components. The method uses a combination of criteria such as expected life cycles, current condition, importance ratings and replacement values of components to compile a predictive life-cycle cost profile and related maintenance plans for buildings well into the future.
Asset-related information such as asset registers, lease agreements, valuations, depreciation calculations and ownership details can also be captured and managed through the system. A user-friendly dashboard enables asset managers to effectively manage the asset portfolio on a day-to-day basis by means of targeted budgeting and controlled maintenance spending, which in turn optimises the utilisation of the asset portfolio.
This software is flexible and can be fully aligned with the needs and expectations of each client in terms of outcomes and reporting requirements. Assessments for social housing portfolios, as well as the asset portfolio of the Provincial Government of the Western Cape of over 8,5 million m², comprising of schools, medical facilities and general buildings, have successfully been completed.