The South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) announced the prize winners at its annual convention in September 2024, honouring the most innovative and influential projects in the property sector.
This year’s convention also marked a leadership transition within SAPOA, with Jackie van Niekerk, CEO of Attacq, giving her final address as President. Van Niekerk commented on her tenure, emphasising the association’s progress and dedication to promoting long-term growth in the property sector. Itumeleng Mothibeli, Vukile Property Fund’s Managing Director for Southern Africa, was introduced as the next SAPOA President, expressing his goal for inclusive growth, sustainability, and advocacy in the sector.
2024 SAPOA Property Development Awards for Innovative Excellence Winners
These awards recognise developments that excel in creativity, sustainability, and economic impact. A panel of industry experts judged the winners based on their design innovation, functionality, and contribution to community and economic development.
Overall Awards winners
Overall Development Award winner:
New Science Centre – Nelson Mandela University (NMU)
The client brief called for designing a new Science Centre for Nelson Mandela University and accommodating a new 150-seater digital planetarium installation. From the onset, a decision was made to set the building back from the main arterial movement route on the eastern edge, creating a public plaza and gathering space.
The building’s eastern edge along this plaza is then further extended as landscape onto the public realm, thus creating a ‘living edge’, allowing visitors to circulate vertically and horizontally within a multi-levelled terrace.
The building is conceptualised as a multi-layered pavilion, allowing for maximum spatial flexibility while capturing the notion of science in academia. The main spatial components include the planetarium Dome, which creates the composition’s main focal and formal element. This is placed off-axis on the plan as a datum within the double-volume foyer, inviting visitors on a journey before entering the Dome and further allowing them to experience the building in a 3-dimensional manner. Lecture venues and auxiliary spaces complement the main exhibition area. The dome structure is a composite layer of steel and concrete with a specialised digital installation.
Architects SVA International (Pty) Ltd Project Managers Nelson Mandela University Quantity Surveyors BTKM Quantity Surveyors Civil Engineers Bosch Projects Structural Engineers Bosch Projects Mechanical Engineers Bosch Projects
Principal Contractor/s WBHO Construction Electrical Engineers Bosch Projects Fire Consultants Bosch Projects
Transformation Award winner:
Balfour Clinic
The Balfour Clinic is a public healthcare facility in Phola Park, Balfour, within the Dipaleseng Local Municipality of Mpumalanga, South Africa. It provides essential healthcare services to the local community and is part of the network of public clinics to improve access to medical care in the region. The centre is equipped with a Midwife Obstetric Unit (MOU), an Emergency department, a Radiology department, treatment areas for minor conditions, chronic disease management, health promotion services, maternal and child health services, a pharmacy, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and a Forensic Mortuary.
Architects TJ ARCHITECTS NELSPRUIT Project Managers TJ ARCHITECTS NELSPRUIT Quantity Surveyors CHAUKE QUANTITY SURVEYORS Civil Engineers MZANSI PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING Structural Engineers MZANSI PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING Mechanical Engineers MPUMALANGA CONSULTING ENGINEERS (DUDUMA ENGINEERS)
Other Consultants IX ENGINEERS, SAKHIWO, THAGASELLO NETWORK SOLUTIONS Principal Contractor/s Enza Construction
Electrical Engineers DUDUMA ENGINEERS Fire Consultants MPUMALANGA CONSULTING ENGINEERS (DUDUMA ENGINEERS)
Heritage Award winner:
Eyethu Shopping Centre
The new Eyethu Retail Shopping and Lifestyle Centre gets its name from the historical Eyethu Theatre or Bioscope that occupied this landmark site in Mofolo Central, in the heart of Soweto, for over 5 decades. This was once the home of theatre and cinema in Soweto and hosted legendary actors and performers. It was a vibrant stage for evolving black cinema and an iconic venue during the struggle days. The theatre is still partly owned by the Tshabalala Family, descendants of Ephraim ‘Mshengu’ Tshabalala (born 1910), the visionary owner who established the Eyethu Bioscope in 1969.
This lifestyle centre will address a real demand for convenience shopping, entertainment, restaurants, fast food, banks, etc., bringing much-needed jobs and economic upliftment to the area. There will also be a taxi terminus, car wash, and opportunities for informal traders and small business incubation units. From the outset the immense cultural & historical significance of the Theatre is what informed the new design. The whole development team was acutely aware of the impact this structure had historically and so the aim was always to find a role for it to play going forward into the future and to celebrate it in a sustainable and proud manner, not just as a relic from the past.
This lifestyle centre will address a real demand for convenience shopping, entertainment, restaurants, fast food, banks, etc. and will bring much-needed jobs and economic upliftment to the area.
Owner/Client Eyethu Joint Venture (Pty) Ltd Developer Abland Property Developers Architects DBM Architect
Project Managers Abland Property Developers Quantity Surveyors Matla Quantity Surveyors
Civil Engineers L&S Consulting (PTY) LTD (South Africa) Structural Engineers L&S Consulting (PTY) LTD (South Africa)
Mechanical Engineers Ingplan Consulting Engineers Other Consultants Broll Property Group (Pty) Ltd, RITA POTENZA
Principal Contractor/s Edilcon Construction Electrical Engineers RWP Consulting Engineers Fire Consultants RKA and Associates
Other Winners
Corporate Office Development winner:
AVBOB South Africa
(Abland Property Developers)
Industrial Development winner:
Plumblink – Proudly Bidvest
(Attacq Limited, Empowered
Spaces Architects)
Innovative Award winner:
Net Zero Waste
(Liberty Two Degrees)
Interiors Award winner:
Attacq Head Office
(Attacq Limited)
International Development winner:
Stanbic IBTC Head Office
(@Profica)
Mixed-use Development winner:
Barlow Park Phase 1
(GASS Architecture Studios)
Other Development winner:
New Science Centre – Nelson Mandela University (NMU)
(SVA International)
Refurbishment winner:
Bridge City Shopping Centre
(MDS Architecture, Community Property Fund, Capital Land)
Retail Development winner:
Eyethu Shopping Centre
(Abland Property Developers)
Rural & Small-Town Development winner:
Tshakhuma Mall
(McCormick Property Development, MDS Architecture)
Student Accommodation winner:
Thrive @ Horizon Heights
(Feenstra Group, Growthpoint)
These developments reflect the industry’s commitment to innovative design, sustainability, and community growth and set a benchmark for future projects in South Africa.
CLICK ON THE COVER BELOW to see all entries
