Gerrit Wassenaar

Director - Professional Architect (PrArch)

I was born on a farm in Mpumalanga but my family moved to Pretoria when I was four years old. Although I was fascinated by architecture, early memories of farm life motivated me to study agricultural engineering. I soon realised that engineering was not my true calling. I completed my degree and promptly enrolled at the architecture school of the University of Pretoria. It has turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I commenced private practice immediately after completing my studies. I worked from home under mentorship of Heinrich Kammeyer, but soon realised the limitations of a home office. In 1996, ARCA Unlimited was born. The first office was located at the award-winning studio at The Ivy Villa and Stables in Clydesdale. My passion for collaboration resulted in more members joining and ARCA personnel numbers increased steadily. The office was relocated to its current location in 1998.

I am passionate about Pretoria and am a director of the Capital Collective Projects NPC that drives various social-responsibility projects in the inner city such as The Market at the Sheds; an urban renewal project where Tshwane's cultural variety is celebrated on weekends.

Michelle Kruger

Director - Professional Architect (PrArch)

Faan Nel

Director - Professional Architect (PrArch)

Even as a youngster, I wanted to be an architect. As the son of a university professor, the variety of buildings at the University of Pretoria fascinated me. Naturally, I selected Tuks for my architecture studies.

In 1995, I started my professional career at a prominent firm of architects in London. Over the course of 5 years I gained valuable experience on large multi-storey buildings and studied part-time at Kingston University. After registering as an architect in the United Kingdom, I travelled around the world and returned to South Africa in 2000. I worked at a leading brand agency in Johannesburg for 7 years, where I was promoted to the position of Creative Director. Working with brand environments in Africa and Germany, I established a strategic evidence-based design methodology, which still inspires my approach to design.

I joined ARCA Unlimited in 2007 and have never looked back! Working with Gerrit Wassenaar and a fantastic team of professionals, we succeeded in positioning ARCA as a prominent player in the built environment.

Being an ardent proponent of architecture, I serve as president of the Pretoria Institute for Architecture and as board member of the South African Institute of Architects.

Vishanka Naidoo

Junior Director - Architect (PrArch)

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Eghardt Pieterse

Associate Director - Professional Architect (PrArch) - PMP

As a young boy, the value of crafting, shaping and building was instilled in me by my grandfathers one a keen carpenter and the other a metal worker. Born and bred in Pretoria, Tuks was my obvious choice of university. I originally enrolled for mechanical engineering, but was soon frustrated by the limitations this discipline set on creativity. I realised that I needed more freedom of expression and swapped engineering for architecture a year later.

I interned at a small architecture firm in Irene, where I gained valuable work experience and was fortunate enough to travel to Cameroon. In 2013, I joined ARCA Unlimited. I enjoy the responsibility entrusted to me as a professional architect and have headed a variety of projects, including a shopping centre, a truck dealership and various private residences. I love the studio environment and the evolution of a design through collaboration with colleagues and clients.

I believe in simplified design - making the most with the least number of elements - and I draw inspiration from architects such as Samuel Mockbee and Tom Kundig.

Tania Pelser

Associate - Professional Architect (PrArch)

Ruan Jansen van Rensburg

Associate - Professional Architect (PrArch)

De Jager Booysen

Associate - Professional Architect (PrArch)

Chantelle Anfield

Human Resources Consultant

Dee Jennings

Office Manager

Bianka Wiid

Interior Designer

Jacenca Coetser

Architect

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Kungayo Xuma

Senior Architectural Technologist

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Natalie Erasmus

Interior Designer

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Mbono Mncwabe

Senior Architectural Technologist

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Hanjo du Plessis

Senior Architectural Technologist

1

Lungelo Mbhele

Jnr. Achitectural Technologist

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Liesbeth Malaza

Office Assistant

Frans Masemola

Maintenance

Faan Nel

Director

Even as a youngster, I wanted to be an architect. As the son of a university professor, the variety of buildings at the University of Pretoria fascinated me. Naturally, I selected Tuks for my architecture studies.

In 1995, I started my professional career at a prominent firm of architects in London. Over the course of 5 years I gained valuable experience on large multi-storey buildings and studied part-time at Kingston University. After registering as an architect in the United Kingdom, I travelled around the world and returned to South Africa in 2000. I worked at a leading brand agency in Johannesburg for 7 years, where I was promoted to the position of Creative Director. Working with brand environments in Africa and Germany, I established a strategic evidence-based design methodology, which still inspires my approach to design.

I joined ARCA Unlimited in 2007 and have never looked back! Working with Gerrit Wassenaar and a fantastic team of professionals, we succeeded in positioning ARCA as a prominent player in the built environment.

Being an ardent proponent of architecture, I serve as president of the Pretoria Institute for Architecture and as board member of the South African Institute of Architects.

Gerrit Wassenaar

Director

I was born on a farm in Mpumalanga but my family moved to Pretoria when I was four years old. Although I was fascinated by architecture, early memories of farm life motivated me to study agricultural engineering. I soon realised that engineering was not my true calling. I completed my degree and promptly enrolled at the architecture school of the University of Pretoria. It has turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I commenced private practice immediately after completing my studies. I worked from home under mentorship of Heinrich Kammeyer, but soon realised the limitations of a home office. In 1996, ARCA Unlimited was born. The first office was located at the award-winning studio at The Ivy Villa and Stables in Clydesdale. My passion for collaboration resulted in more members joining and ARCA personnel numbers increased steadily. The office was relocated to its current location in 1998.

I am passionate about Pretoria and am a director of the “Capital Collective Projects NPC” that drives various social-responsibility projects in the inner city such as “The Market at the Sheds”; an urban renewal project where Tshwane’s cultural variety is celebrated on weekends.

Anien Nauta

Architect

I have always interpreted the world as a series of pictures. Growing up in the countryside enticed me to use my imagination and I would spend hours at a time colouring, sketching and being creative. Nature served as a powerful stimulus and I developed a deep appreciation for its geometry, form and composition. My father, a quantity surveyor, sparked my interest in the building industry. This laid the groundwork for my pursuit of architecture as a career.

At the architecture school of the University of the Free State, I developed a phenomenological design approach. I believe that architecture must not only be grounded in place but also be humane; the spatial experience of the user must be at its core.

Before joining ARCA Unlimited in 2015, I worked for a small firm where I gained a great deal of experience on residential projects. At ARCA I lead a diverse range of projects and my field of expertise includes concept- and design development, documentation, project management, contract administration, 3D visualisation and graphic design.

Dewald Green

Candidate Interior Designer

As a young boy, I was fascinated by the impact of buildings on people’s lives. Unfortunately, growing up in Rayton, my exposure to design was limited. I developed a love for technical drawing at school, which served as a first indication as to my future career. By electing to study interior design at Tshwane University of Technology, I pursued my creative interests and have not been disappointed; my passion for design has only increased with time.

I joined ARCA Unlimited as a candidate interior designer in 2015 and have since obtained invaluable experience on a number of retail- and brand environment projects. I enjoy both the design aspect of my day-to-day responsibilities and the co-operation with clients, other professionals and colleagues. It is a pleasure to translate a client’s vision into three-dimensional experiences. By considering the impact of the built environment on end-users, I utilise performance-based design methodologies to ensure wellness.

I have a love for photography, which keeps me busy at weekends.

Eghardt Pieterse

Architect

As a young boy, the value of crafting, shaping and building was instilled in me by my grandfathers – one a keen carpenter and the other a metal worker. Born and bred in Pretoria, Tuks was my obvious choice of university. I originally enrolled for mechanical engineering, but was soon frustrated by the limitations this discipline set on creativity. I realised that I needed more freedom of expression and swapped engineering for architecture a year later.

I interned at a small architecture firm in Irene, where I gained valuable work experience and was fortunate enough to travel to Cameroon. In 2013, I joined ARCA Unlimited. I enjoy the responsibility entrusted to me as a professional architect and have headed a variety of projects, including a shopping centre, a truck dealership and various private residences. I love the studio environment and the evolution of a design through collaboration with colleagues and clients.

I believe in simplified design - making the most with the least number of elements - and I draw inspiration from architects such as Samuel Mockbee and Tom Kundig.

Helena Mouton

Candidate Architect

As a little girl, I was always fascinated by and drawn to my brother’s, totally off-limits, LEGO sets. I remember secretly building for hours at a time when he wasn’t around. Later, I would trade in those plastic building blocks for brick and mortar ones. I decided to study architecture at the Tshwane University of Technology.

As a master’s student, I did an internship in Cape Town. For a year, I had a view of Houtbay from the studio window. During this time, I gained valuable work experience and, almost as importantly, improved my surfing technique! I successfully completed my studies in 2014 and joined ARCA Unlimited as a candidate architect, where I now lead a variety of design projects. I enjoy the process of conceptualisation and love challenging design briefs in order to develop innovative and creative responses. Being responsible for the recruitment and management of student interns, I take pride in knowing that they gain substantial experience at ARCA Unlimited.

I am academic in nature and serve as a post-graduate design mentor at TUT. I find the interaction with students rewarding and am regularly inspired by their imagination.

Inus Goussard

Candidate Architect

As a small town Mpumalanga kid, I was fascinated by the skyscrapers in movies. I was drawn to the urbanism of life in the big city and used to play SimCity while my friends played outside.

After exploring the UK on a post-matric working holiday, I returned to study architecture at the University of Pretoria. In 2003, I joined ARCA Unlimited as a student intern and never left. I completed my master’s degree at Tshwane University of Technology in 2014.

I firmly believe that creativity is combinatorial in nature and that radical ideas are incubated by way of collaboration. I thus prescribe to an iterative and progressive design process, which involves rigorous coordination and consultation with professionals and clients.

I’m passionate about nurturing emerging talent and recently assisted the TUT master’s degree (architecture) students with a precedent study of Ozmik House; a sustainable office project for which I was the design lead. I’m also involved in the recruitment of student interns at ARCA Unlimited.

During my lunch hour, I Google-Earth stalk the urbanism of places that inspire me. I still play SimCity.

Michelle Kruger

Architect

As a child, I was captivated by the beautiful buildings in the Pretoria city centre. It fascinated me that somebody’s daily occupation could be to design buildings. I simply had to do it! When the time came, I enrolled at the University of Pretoria and obtained my degree. In 2007, I joined ARCA Unlimited as a candidate architect and gained experience in a range of projects: automotive, commercial, mixed-use and office.

In 2011, I joined a global strategy execution company where I engaged with company executives, including quite a few from Fortune 500 companies.My task was to simulate business environments to transform employee mind sets and drive business results. I was fortunate enough to travel often and tick off many bucket-list destinations. I emerged with an enriched understanding of business strategy and an improved ability to understand and meet unique client needs.

However, my passion for architecture could not be stifled and in 2016 I returned to ARCA where I am now the design lead for various leisure projects. I am passionate about people and love interacting with clients. After all, it is because of clients and their dreams that we get to do what we love.

Ochert Wasserman

Associate

Coming from Pretoria, I’ve always had in an interest in the architecture the capital has to offer, especially its heritage buildings. I studied architecture at The University of Pretoria. As a student, I worked for a company that did a refurbishment project on the Union Buildings.

I joined ARCA Unlimited immediately after graduating in 2001. As an associate at ARCA, I am responsible for office systems, office logistics and employee skills development. I enjoy collaborating, mentoring and assisting colleagues with queries related to design and technical aspects.

As an architect, I enjoy the intricate challenges set by building projects. Since no two clients are the same, I believe that every building must have a unique design solution that responds to its context. By combining the client’s needs with my design input, we can develop a product that exceeds the expectations of both parties. I enjoy this transformation of ideas: to drawings and finally to buildings.

As a member of both the Pretoria Institute for Architecture and the South African Council for the Architectural Profession, I take pride in not only my professional development but also in keeping abreast of industry changes.

Rudo Viljoen

Architectural Designer

I grew up in Van Dyksdrif, a small mining town near Witbank. My father was a mechanic and my mother an artist. These opposing childhood influences steered me to architecture: a marriage of technical knowledge and artistry. After school I joined my father’s business and worked as a mechanic. I gained valuable technical knowledge, but one thing was certain - I did not want to be a mechanic!

Subsequently, I enrolled at the architecture school of the Tshwane University of Technology. In my second year as an architecture student, I started working at ARCA Unlimited as an intern and immediately felt at home. I decided to stay on and continue my studies part-time. After obtaining my degree, I had stints with other firms. I eventually set up a technical drawing business; delivering a drawing service to ARCA and other architects.

In 2004, I decided to dedicate my architectural services to ARCA. My philosophy is that successful buildings are only possible through the application of good design principles, coupled with extensive knowledge of building technologies.

My entrepreneurial nature drives me to always have a business on the go. At the moment, I own a video shop and a catering business.

Sariena Keuler-Venter

Interior Architect

I have always been interested in design. As a young girl in Pretoria, I designed furniture and often put my dad's carpentry skills to the test.

I spent a gap year in Scotland where I worked at a boutique hotel. I gained valuable people skills, but missed design and being creative. In 2003, I enrolled for BSc Interior Architecture at the University of Pretoria and it was soon confirmed that I had found my niche.

After completing my degree, I joined the team at ARCA Unlimited in 2007. I soon realised that I wanted to specialise in interior design and returned to Tuks to complete my master's degree. In 2011, I graduated as the top interior architecture student.

As an interior architect at ARCA, I have completed a number of design-, fit-out- and refurbishment projects and love to see the transformation of drawings into reality. I find that dynamic environments are created by integrating media, materials and technology. I aim to create beautiful but functional spaces with human well-being at their heart and utilise evidence-based design methodologies to achieve the desired results.

I am inspired by all art forms and have a passion for music and dance.