TUT Architecture Students to Represent South Africa in Lisbon, Portugal

The Saint-Gobain Architecture Student Contest will take place in Lisbon, Portugal from 26 to 28 June 2023, and two final-year Bachelor of Architecture students from TUT and South Africa, Dylan Du Plessis (26) and Ethan Schneigansz (21).

St-Gobain, a French manufacturer of construction and building products, hosts the Architecture Student Contest every year. The competition, now in its 18th year, is aimed at promoting Saint-Gobain’s vision of sustainable buildings by attracting more than 1,300 students from 32 countries.

TUT Architecture Students to Represent South Africa in Lisbon, Portugal

“Universities prepare students for the future and students are already building it,” says Saint-Gobain’s Academy Manager, Samukelisiwe Mkize. Students are encouraged to submit projects based on sustainability, both for people and for the environment. It is an international contest which brings together students from varying universities across the globe to compete and win prizes.”

National and international phases make up the contest. The national contest, which took place in April, saw TUT win over Nelson Mandela University, University of the Free State, University of KwaZulu-Natal and University of Johannesburg to secure its place in the international competition. There was an option for each student to participate individually or as part of a team of up to three members. 

How the competition works

The Saint-Gobain Group selects a country that has an architectural challenge every year and works with the local municipality to create a task that addresses existing social and cultural problems.

An area close to Lisbon’s city center was rehabilitated this year as part of the city’s task for the year. A cultural center was to be constructed next to an existing building and a public space was to be designed for pedestrians to connect the two buildings.

A sustainable project dubbed Disturb to Undisturbed, which focuses on energy efficiency and a low carbon footprint, as well as enhanced living and leisure spaces, was delivered by the two students under the guidance of part-time lecturer Navarre Ebersohn and acting year coordinator Nadia Lloyd-Lister.

“Saint-Gobain products are to be used to create buildings that adhere to temperature, acoustic, and fire ratings, as well as produce adequate indoor air quality with the least amount of embodied carbon.

There are three parts to their project. A video library and multimedia environment will be created by renovating a building. The project also includes a new building that will be used as a residential space and will have a commercial space on the ground floor to coexist with the renovated building. This project also involves the landscape architecture of all the spaces between these two buildings. Dylan and Ethan included a Portuguese market, an amphitheater, children’s play areas, sitting areas, and a playground in their master plan,” she said.

TUT’s involvement in the competition

• Fourth-year students at TUT have been working on the Saint-Gobain project since 2018, when TUT first participated in the competition.
• Sixteen groups of Architecture Department students participated in this year’s competition, and the top two advanced to the national level.
• During the international competition, we wish Dylan and Ethan the best of luck.