Van Der Merwe Miszewski Architects
South African architectural practice
Van der Merwe Miszewski Architects (VDMMA) is an architectural practice based in Cape Town, South Africa.
History
The company was founded in 1991 by directors Anya van der Merwe and Macio Miszewski.
Anya van der Merwe and Macio Miszewski met at the University of Cape Town School of Architecture in the early 1980s.
Anya van der Merwe completed the Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) with Distinction in 1984 before moving to London, England, to further her studies at the Architectural Association, from where she graduated with an Architectural Association Graduate Diploma in History and Theory (AAGradDip) in 1987. Anya left VDMMA as director in 2016.
Macio Miszewski obtained a Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) from University of Cape Town in 1984 before also completing an Architectural Association Diploma at the Architectural Association in 1987.
Both Anya and Macio spent two years working at Arup Associates in London, before returning to South Africa in 1990, opening the practice shortly after.
Selected projects
Residential
Tree House, Cape Town, South Africa – 1999
Bridge House, Cape Town, South Africa – 2001
Light House, apartment building, Cape Town, South Africa – 2005
Courtyard House, Cape Town, South Africa – 2006
Highveldt House, Gauteng, South Africa – 2008
Maison, Franschhoek, South Africa – 2009
Forest House, Cape Town, South Africa – 2009
Mountain House, Cape Town, South Africa 2010
Corporate
163 Bree Street, Architect's Office, Cape Town, South Africa – 1996
BMD Textiles office building, Cape Town, South Africa – 1999
Jenni Button, retail interior, Cape Town, South Africa – 2003
De Beers corporate headquarters (lead design in association with Gapp and Lucien le Grange), Johannesburg, South Africa – 2004
Hilton Weiner, retail interior, Pretoria, South Africa – 2004
Exact, retail interior, Durban, South Africa, 2006
Public
Cape Town International Convention Center(lead design in association with Foreshore Architects), Cape Town, South Africa – 2003
Masimbambisane Secondary School, Cape Town, South Africa – 2003
Gondwana Lodge, Barrydale, South Africa – 2009
University of Cape Town Student Administration, Cape Town, South Africa – 2010
University of Cape Town School of Economics, Cape Town, South Africa – 2011
Awards and competitions
The company has been widely recognised and awarded, both in South Africa and internationally.
South African Institute of Architects "Award of Merit", 1997 for Sun House
South African Institute of Architects "Award of Merit", 1999 for Tree House
UK Architectural Record "ar+d" international award competition, 1999 for Tree House
World Architecture Award, international competition for best built residential project, 2001 for Tree House
South African Institute for Civil Engineering, merit award, 2004 for Cape Town international Convention Center (lead design is association with Foreshore Architects)
South African Institute of Steel Construction, national overall winner, 2004 for Cape Town international Convention Center(lead design is association with Foreshore Architects)
Cape Institute of Architects, award of commendation, 2005 for Cape Town international Convention Center (lead design is association with Foreshore Architects)
South African Institute of Architects, merit award, 2005 for Cape Town international Convention Center (lead design is association with Foreshore Architects)
VISI magazine and South African Institute of Architects, "best building in South Africa" in public opinion poll, 2005 for Tree House
South African Institute of Architects, award of commendation, 2005 for De Beers Corporate Headquarters (lead design in association with GAPP and Lucian le Grange)
South African Institute of Steel Construction, residential winner, 2009 for Highveldt House
Chicago Anthenaeum/European Center for Architecture International Architecture award, 2009 for Highveldt House
Gauteng Institute of Architects, Regional award, 2009 for Highveldt House
Cape Institute of Architects, Regional award, 2009 for Maison
20th Sophia Gray Memorial Lecture Laureate (2008)
Notes
References
Cooke, Julian. "Notes on the Van der Merwe Miszewski method." Architecture South Africa, November/December 2008
Van der Merwe, Anya.
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