Aziz Tayob graduated at the University of the Witwatersrand as the first architect of colour in South Africa in 1969. The practice was established in 1970 in Pageview, Johannesburg. After the removal of Pageview by the previous government, the practice has since operated in Laudium, Pretoria.
Over the past 54 years of its existence, the firm has strove to create buildings that are honest, functional, thought provoking and innovative. The design approach has been to achieve the most advantageous design for the very limited resources and space available. This has resulted in the maximum utilisation of land and space, whilst also focussing on cost efficiency, efficient life cycle, quality and creative design. In recognition of this, the firm has received numerous merit awards from the various architectural institutes.
Being the first black architectural practice in the country, the practice has during its existence trained and employed many architects and technicians from the disadvantaged sector. As an established firm, the practice is still a training ground of professionals.
The firm has worked on more than 600 projects, ranging from the urban scale down to the small logo design and covers work in the private, corporate and public sector.
The firm has a Level One, 135% B-BBEE Status (100% black owned)
- Going According To Plan
The Architectural Journal of Aziz Tayob
We are pleased to announce the release of our book “Going According To Plan – The Architectural Journey of Aziz Tayob”.
Going According to Plan is an endeavour to unveil the remarkable journey of architect Abdool-Aziz Ahmed Tayob through his many projects that showed a meticulous attention to detail and thought. His creations not only left a lasting impression on clients but also introduced the transformative power of architecture to many who encountered it through his efforts for the first time in their lives.
Commencing in the 1940s, it navigates the intricacies of his experiences, including the hurdles of growing up as a person of colour in apartheid South Africa and then having to study and work under the same oppressive system.
It was a journey that despite the numerous challenges, saw the realisation of several hundred projects.
“…It took me many years to fully appreciate how Aziz represented the transformation of an all-White profession. His service to the profession and to his community has been exemplary….” Prof Amira Osman, Tshwane University of Technology
The book is available at Iqra Books (www.iqra.co.za) / direct link
- CAD-BIM-Legacy: Ensuring Continuity in Drawings
With the long term relationship we like to develop with our clients, most of our projects go through various phases over the years.
It’s therefore important to ensure that we are able to take all the CAD drawings from the past into the latest CAD/BIM software of today.
The following image is a brief summary of being able to call up a a drawing done more than 18 years ago and with a couple of tweaks bring it into the latest software, with all the benefits that come with it.
- Green Building – Our Approach to Sustainability and Eco-friendly Design
Our firm has always attempted to create buildings that:
- Have a low lifecycle cost and which require as little maintenance as possible
- Respond to climate and site conditions
- Make sensible use of materials
Our firm currently uses EcoDesigner to do all our energy modeling. We are able to do detailed energy requirements calculations, compare various options (such as materials, openings sizes, shading, orientation and location) to determine energy efficiency as well as carbon footprint. The software is integrated with our CAD software, allowing us to do these at any stage of the project, from design through to as built to support us in determining the most efficient design. All of our projects from 1998 are able to be put immediately through our energy modeling software.
We are firmly committed to continually responding positively to the movement to ensure that buildings are sustainable and ecologically friendly. We do not believe that these buildings are more costly to the client. We subscribe to the belief that in addressing the problems faced by human kind and the planet that:
“Doing something will cost a bit…Doing nothing will cost the earth”
- Awards
1969 – David Haddon Prize for Professional Practice
1972 – Transvaal Provisional Institute of Architects for House & Studio Tayob
1982 – Institute of S.A. Architects for House E.S. Dockrat
1999 – SA Architect Award for Outstanding Achievement in Urban Design (Integrated Urban Design Framework for Marabastad)
2000 – Nedbank Mail & Guardian Green Trust Urban Renewal Award.
2003 – SA Institute of Architecture National Award and Mpumalanga Institute of Architects Regional Merit Award for the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature. World Architecture Nomination, Berlin. (as part of MPTS)
2003 – Pretoria Institute of Architecture Brickwork Award for the Darus Salaam Islamic Centre, Pretoria.
2005 – Ekurhuleni Municipal Chambers for Gauteng Institute of Architects (as part of MPT)
2012 – Inaugural Norman Eaton Award, PIA
- Animation History
Our first tinkering with animation started in 1996 when we adopted Archicad. Our first serious attempts at animation in-house go back to 2000 when we did a short clip for the Robben Island Competition.
We’re now migrated to using the same rendering engines used for popular gaming software