Paragon Architects

According to their website "...Paragon Architects is a dynamic and innovative architectural design business, based in Johannesburg / South Africa, and active since 1997. It is the originator of the Paragon Group of design businesses.

We love what we do, and it shows. Our work is driven by true passion for the process of architecture, and by a hands-on engagement with all opportunities presented in the modern building industry. We believe that the true measure of our skill is our ability to engage at all levels and with all players that make up the colourful world of construction.

Our buildings look forward. We embrace the future, because we will be a part of it. With its problems and responsibilities, and with its great freedoms and achievements.

Most of all, we have not lost our sense of humour, and we are genuinely optimistic. Our work and our business conduct have a solid and consistent ethical basis, and we consider ourselves as generalists.

Our business has been built on our willingness to apply our knowledge to almost any design task, and we have completed buildings and projects of many different types in almost all property industry sectors. Our current core competencies lie in the design of workplace environments, specifically head offices, along with retail, sports and leisure architecture.

We have expanded our operational footprint beyond Southern Africa into Africa, and have specific current project interests in Angola, Ghana, Uganda and Rwanda. In 2009, we established a practice under the name of Paragon Arquitetura in Brazil.

Paragon Architects is known for being flexible and diverse in its approach to design. Our work is not style-driven, but lifestyle-driven. Elegant and efficient planning are at the core of our designs.

We understand the needs of our commercial developer clients, and know how to find ever new architectural forms in a competitive property market. To this extent, our work is fashion-driven, and we move forward from project to project, as our skills grow and our clients’ trust in our ability grows.

The Soweto Theatre

According to Afritects Architects "....The Soweto Theatre is to provide equitable access to arts & culture facilities for the residents of Soweto, the largest satellite district of the city of Johannesburg. The aspirational characteristic of the first public building in Soweto was highlighted as necessitating a unique response calling for a building that the community would take ownership of and feel invited to use and enjoy.
This was answered through an assembly of forms that directly responded to their function whilst exposing their interior connective tissue of ambulatory lobbies to the curious eyes of a passerby. This legibility is contradictory to the standard theatre prototype.The architectural concept arises from solidifying the existing pathways of people through the site when travelling between home and work.
The form has two fortress walls that contain ancillary spaces and hold the three different core theatre venues: a 90-seater, a 180-seater and an auditorium of 430 seats. Unlike others of its type, this is not a solid secret box but exposes all its contents: from everywhere you can identify each of the theatre boxes and also relate to the exterior through the light fissures between the forms.
Each theatre box is clearly identifiable through its primary colours of yellow, blue and red, rendered through ceramic tiles.
The quasi-moiré pattern effect is achieved through using two different tones in both matt and gloss; the resulting basket weave pattern glistens with the sun rays and glimmers at night as car lights reflect off it. This beguiling effect is intended to parallel an African dancer with its glimmering torso and flashes of body adornments.
Sustainability is addressed through the determined use of local labour; the patterned application of the tiles both stretches and develops local skills; finally, the ceramic tiles through their colour fastness will withstand the African sun for 100 years. The main foyer is an outside tent-covered area signifying ‘event’ and where ‘teaser’ performances can happen to entice people...."

Afritects of South Africa

Afritects was established in 1998 and has quickly established itself as one of the notable practices in Johannesburg – South Africa.

The firm has already left a trail of uniquely designed buildings in it wake ranging from commercial and hospitality to institutional typologies.

Afritects operates out of it own studio at 236 Afritects Place in Ferndale, Randburg.

Photos courtesy of Afritects

Uche Isichei Architects

According to their website "...Uche Isichei Architects are a small design oriented architectural practice offering creative solutions to our clients. We are committed to creating fantastic living and working spaces that enhance the lives of our clients. Our projects are designed responsibly using ecologicaly sustainable materials and “green” design strategies like passive solar heating. We design a wide range of projects and are happy to talk to you to find out what we can add to your project...".

Photos courtesy of Uche Isichei Architects.

Design Union

Design Union is an indigenous Nigerian design outfit that specialises in Architecture, Engineering,Graphics, Interiors, and Project planning.

According to their website "...Design Union consulting LLC was incorporated in Nigeria in the year 2000 to provide the highest level of professional consulting services in architecture, interior design, planning, engineering and graphic design. Our firm's commitment to excellence stems from the belief that great
enterprises and cultures start with great planning and design.



From our humble start, the firm has grown into a powerful consortium of over 25 professionals in various disciplines serving a wide range of clients on diverse projects around the country. Our clients include blue-chip companies like Oando PLC, Guaranty Trust Bank PLC, Standard Trust Bank PLC, and International companies/brands like Standard
Chartered Bank Nig. Ltd., Starcomms Ltd. and Chicken Licken Restaurants.



Highlights in the firm's achievements over the past few years include the creation of a new modern look for Oando service station outlets nationwide, the
re-branding/re-positioning of Starcomms as well as winning a design competition for the new Head Office building for Standard Chartered Nig. Ltd. For Atlantic Hall School, the firm took a 10-year long construction project site, turned it around and successfully completed it in 1 year.

Photos courtesy of Design Union.

Slee & Co Architects

Their website writes "....Slee architecture and interiors is a multi-disciplined architecture and interior design practice operating in South Africa with offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Knysna.

The philosophy behind our design is to incorporate and respect the diverse aspirations and heritages of our clients; to learn from advanced technologies and to create a vernacular architecture, embracing our unique people, skills, climate and space.

Our architectural palette has its origins in the earth - muted earth colours, textured finishes reflecting abundant sunlight. Our built structures reflect simplicity and honesty, echoing the vernacular of local built forms. The beauty of detail is in the crude simplicity.

We create space to live in. Our expertise lies in residential spaces, holiday homes and lodges, and selective commercial work that falls into our design philosophy..."

Photos courtesy of Slee & Co Architects

African Architects

Architect Africa is a directory of practicing architects in the Republic of South Africa.The site also covers other intesting stuff like free CAD software sites, Jobs, architecture news, the list of practices in South Africa and much more.

National Consultants, Ethiopia

With a staff strength of about 35 professionals and a head office located in Addis Ababa, National Consultants has established itself as one of the leading Architectural, Engineering and Construction management consultants in Ethiopia.

Established since 1968 National Consultants has been involved in a number of high profile jobs in Ethiopia which include the Addis Ababa International Airport, Ethiopian Airlines Maintenance Hangar and the Maritime & Transit Services Enterprise.

Managed by a number of talented Ethiopians,which include Mr Assefa Bekele. Their website says that "...Mr. Assefa Bekele has been with the firm for the past 34 years. He is the Chief Architect as well as the General Manager of National Consultants. He has over 39 years of experience in Architecture and Project Management. He has held numerous leadership roles in some of the largest projects undertaken in Ethiopia. He has a Bachelor of Architecture from Addis Ababa University and a Master of Architecture from Cornell University..."

Arch Design Uganda

They describe themselves as a group of developers, architects, contractors, suppliers, managers, economists that have integrated to form a team with the promise delivering greater architecture and engineering in Africa.

The Arch Design website says"....Fred Waix Waiswa together with two partners founded Arch Design five years ago. He brought with him a rich experience of design from the Petroleum Industry. He had worked for the petroleum giant Shell in several countries across the African continent.

His experience cuts across the continent, from Shell Uganda Ltd where he worked up to the level of Shell Projects Supervisor, responsible for Supervising Engineering for Shell projects, fuel stations, Office Building and depots right from the inception stage up to commissioning. He had also worked for the same company as a Retail Network Planner, in charge of retail marketing of Shell properties.

As a Design Engineer under the East African Shell Cluster, he worked on special Projects that included preparation of detailed designs and production drawings for, New To Industry (NTIs) modern retail outlets, Select stores (super markets), and motels, for Kenya Shell and B.P, Shell Mauritius and Shell Sudan. At Shell Rwanda sarl he worked on the Upgrade of storage fuel tank facilities, fire fighting facilities for the depot and the redesign and upgrade of the Shell Rwanda Head Office in Kigali.

At Shell Djibouti he took part in the Port Depot Seaport Fuel Terminal Upgrade as a lead Design Consultant, worked on new fuel pipelines at the Red Sea to the Terminal, fire Fighting facilities, Djibouti fuel Port Terminal and Drainage system and remodelling of Shell Djibouti Head Offices.

As an Architect/Partner at Arch Design, Kampala-Uganda, he has handled fuel depots for Jovenna Uganda Limited, Galana Oil Uganda Limited (Now Kobil Uganda Ltd.) and Head Office Building for Petro Uganda Limited. He was in charge of refurbishment of fuel Stations around Uganda and preparation of detailed Designs of Petro Uganda's ultra-modern services station with a supermarkets.

He has worked on various Commercial, Institutional and Residential buildings which include upgrade of Mweya Safari lodge to a 5 Star Hotel, Wakiso District Administrative Building & Council Hall, Mbarara District, Administrative Building & Council Hall, Soroti District Administrative Building & Council Hall, Mbarara District Local Government Administration. Soroti District Local Government Administration, Kiboga District Local Government Administration and Library for Ntale School.

He is a Corporate Member of Uganda Society of Architects (USA) and a Registered Architect with the Uganda Architects Registration Board (ARB)...."

Photos courtesy of Arch Design