Ms Reneé Minnaar, a master’s student from the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology was awarded the Corobrik Architectural Student of the Year Award. She impressed the judges with her thesis entitled, ‘Remediator- Restoring the dichotomous relationship between industry and nature through an urban eco-textile mill and dye house’.

The Corobrik competition is currently the only national competition for all universities that host Masters in Architecture (Professional) degrees. The competition has been running for 31 years and the Department of Architecture at the University of Pretoria has won the most awards of all the schools of architecture in South Africa, namely in 1991, 1994, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012 and 2013. The department's entrant in 2014 (Walter Raubenheimer) also received a Commendation for Excellence.

Prof Arthur Barker, MProf coordinator, Research, Archive coordinator and Heritage and Cultural Landscape Research Coordinator, noted that over the years, the University’s Department of Architecture had developed research directions that focus specifically on environment potential, heritage and cultural landscapes and human settlements and urbanism. Through these topical research directions, Reneé Minnaar synthesised adaptive reuse heritage principles with regenerative design in the historic gas works precinct in Johannesburg.  She has created a rich, sensitive, social and economic environment by repairing broken urban fabric, healing a polluted site, and providing much needed educational and economic opportunities for the local inhabitants. 

Corobrik’s continued support of architectural education has been key in rewarding innovative and relevant architecture, which is hoped will guide future architectural practice in South Africa.

Please find a detailed article here .