PIA NEWS & ARTICLES
news
PIA OFFICE NEWS SEPTEMBER

Blog | Date: September 9, 2021

From the President’s Pen,

Dear Members,

The month of September represents the beginning of spring which is the time of rebirth, renewal and rejuvenation.

In the painting Primavera by Botticelli of (c.1480), Flora is portrayed as the epitome of spring showing her in floral dress and flowers in her hair all within the backdrop of a flower and fruit garden. Flora is also a Renaissance “hippy” and this image has become the face of spring – a youthful vision with flowers and fruit depicting rebirth and renewal by shaking of the shackels of the past.

Colour, warmth and growth is the essence of spring which inspires us with a new energy by shaking of the depression of cold and winter. Once again, we have the opportunity to embrace rebirth which should inspire our creative work. This single image of Flora in the Primavera is well worth studying for relevance in our modern day lives.

Nonetheless what has also got me thinking after considering the Primavera and the birth of spring, is that we are often influenced, inspired or depressed by single images of important happenings ie the Hiroshima nuclear bomb and mushroom like plume of smoke, or the Twin Towers burning and smoking or the Berlin Wall being relieved by happy Berliners. The images remain in our intellectual archive reminding us of good and bad times, of alarm or opportunity, etc.

Then I read an article in the latest Vanity Fair magazine (July / August 2021) of a single photograph which explores a single vision of a house which in turn has had a pronounced influence on architecture. The image is of House Stahl (1960) by architect Pierre Koenig which shows the uber modern Stahl family in their cantilevered glass lounge overlooking L.A. at night, on a warm spring evening in May 1960.

This single image influenced the mid-century modern movement but also late modernism. One of the most prominent architects of our time Sir Norman Foster commented on this image as follows: “If I had to chose one snapshot, one architectural moment, of which I would have been the author, this is surely it…” Foster further states the very image embodies “…the whole spirit of late 20th Century architecture.”

There are many other single snapshots, sketches, paintings, tourist photographs, cover pages, adverts, etc that influence us without us really taking the time to realize the importance but spring is one such time of the year in which we should re-think, rebirth and re-compose ourselves, even if only thinking about these single moments, simple sketches or once-off visions which have influenced our lives.

We could also refer to Oscar Niemeyers’ concept sketches in the 1950’s of the Brasilia complex and especially the sketch of the Congresso Nacional, Brasilia which in its absolute simplicity is reflected in the actual power of the completed building complex and which has greatly influenced modern architecture. Niemeyer continued to effectively use these simple but powerful sketches to convey his visionary intent to all concerned.

In today’s world of expecting instant gratification with quick fixes and easy pinterest type imagery, are we finding future solutions to our present challenges which embody “the whole spirit of architecture”? Ask yourself which image has influenced your architecture and have you effectively treasured this as a guideline in your work.

The simple re-occurrence of spring with the warmth on our skin, sunlight on our faces, Botticelli’s image of rebirth and the visionary House Stahl and Congresso Nacional in Bracilia should inspire us once again to perform great works of architecture.

Primavera, Botticelli, c.1480
(Flora third from right)

House Stahl, Pierre Koenig, c.1960
Photograph by Julius Shulman

Concept Sketches, Brasilia, Oscar Niemeyer c.1958

Congresso Nacional, Brasilia, Oscar Niemeyer c.1958
Photograph by Andrew Prokos

Best Regards,
Jeremie Malan
PIA President

SHARE THIS POST
// RELATED CONTENT

news

PIA Radio Talk Series with Pretoria FM

news

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW WHEN SPECIFYING THATCH?

news

Is AI going to steal our jobs?

news

PIA Radio Talk Series with Pretoria FM

news

PIA Radio Talk Series with Pretoria FM

news

PIA Radio Talk Series with Pretoria FM

news

PIA Radio Talk Series with Pretoria FM

news

Industry News

news

Office News

news

PIA Radio Talk Series with Pretoria FM

news

HOW TO ACCESS PRIVISEAL ON THE  SACAP CPD PORTAL

news

PIA Regional Awards 2023

Featured, news

ADJUDICATORS FOR PIA AWARDS FOR ARCHITECTURE 2023

Uncategorized, Featured, news

PIA AWARDS 2023

Featured, news

PIA ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT 2022

news

REGENERATIVE CAPITAL! Exhibition

news

ARCHITECTS AS ARTISTS EXHIBITION 2022

news

WOMEN IN ARCHITECTURE 2022

news

PIA 2021/2022 Survey

news

TENDER MORATORIUM

news

City of Tshwane Council Service Review Survey (Plan Submissions and Building Control)

news

City of Tshwane - Region 3

news

TUT MArch Exhibition and 2021 Corobrik Student of the Year Award

news

Construction sector itching to team up with government to build SA

news

Who qualifies as a Black person under the BEE Act?

news

Zutari debates the challenges of sustainable development

news

SACAP - Mentorship Challenges in the Profession

news

PIA OFFICE NEWS

news

Architectural Salary Survey 2021 - 2022 

news

Architectural Salary Survey 2021 - 2022

news

President's Award 2021

news

Presidents Address, PIA Financial and Annual Report

news

PIA Awards 2021

news

PIA OFFICE NEWS:

news

PIA CPD Assist

news

South African building industry in line for more State support

news

What’s Behind Architecture’s Hidden Humor

news

Mixed-use developments an alternative to disintegrated, mono-functional cities

news

Women in construction urged to take advantage of Contractors' Framework

news

Working from Home Is it Legal?

news

PIA Awards for Architecture - Date of Awards Function to change

news, Uncategorized

Finance Matters:

news, Uncategorized

PIA OFFICE NEWS : From the President's Pen

news

DPWI Vacancies

news

A Tribute to Harry Johnson

news

Documentation required for the PIA Awards for Architecture 2021 Submissions

news

Tribute to Peter Anthony Kuhn

news

Contact Details of the 9 Building Control Offices in Tshwane

news

Tshwane: CoT electronic submission for Land Use applications - Guidelines

news

New Regulation on Energy Usage to be Displayed

news

NDPWI TENDERS: GENERAL DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

news

Presidents Pen - February 2021

news

First ever compendium of indigenous technologies provides a powerful toolkit for climate-resilient design

news

CITY OF TSHWANE - NEWS in RECORD: "Metro goes online with city planning application process"

news

JBCC PUBLICATION: JBCC 2020 AND ALL THAT - A practical interpretation by Prof MJ Maritz

news

URGENTLY NEEDED: Members to serve on the following PIA Sub-committees as co-opted members

news

Interviews with Architects on VIA (Channel 147)

news

PIA OFFICE NEWS

news

Professionals willing to assist with backlog at Dept of Public Works & Infra-structure or looking for part-time employment

news

Government's infrastructure plan lacks detail on funding, anti-corruption efforts - MPs

news

PIA OFFICE NEWS

news

PIA Committee

news

PIA Annual Financials Report 2019-2020 & Proposed Budget 2020-2021

news

PIA Annual Report 2019 - 2020

news

CITY OF TSHWANE - HEALTH FEE IMPLEMENTED:

news

Jeremie Malan –PIA New President – Inauguration Speech

news

SACAP publishes the Guideline and Framework for Professional Fees

news

GABRIEL THERON (GAWIE) FAGAN 15.11.1925 - 13.09.2020

news

Office News September 2020

news

SAIA CEO APPOINTED - MR MTHEMBENI MKHIZE

news

City of Tshwane Emergency Management Services respond to structural collapse at mall

news

WOMEN IN ARCHITECTURE

news

LATEST PIA OFFICE NEWS

news

20% off Membership fees for Recruiting

news

Membership Fees

news

SAD News ... Passing of Henk Bakker

news

PIA Office News 06 July 2020

news

Poll: PIA Member cards

news

PIA Office Operational

news

From the pen of the PIA President

news

City of Tshwane Council Closure News

news

City of Tswhane Notice

news

From the pen of the PIA President 29 May 2020

news

City of Tshwane Information

news

Afrisam Construction Webinar

news

From the pen of the PIA President 14 May 2020

news

PIA | Coffee with my Mentor

news

PIA Office News

news

Letter from the PIA President

news

City of Tshwane Building Control: Notice to architects and public with regards closure

news

ERROL - TRIBUTE AND CELEBRATION

news

CONSTRUCTION COVID-19 RAPID RESPONSE TASK TEAM PRESENTATION

news

Latest Release of Funding for South African SMEs

news

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE LOCKDOWN MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO PERFORM IN TERMS OF YOUR JBCC CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT?

news

Important and interesting links for the profession

news

PIA Office News

news

Obituary of our member and past president Ronald Remmers

news

Effect of the lockdown and working from home on the architectural profession.

news

Covid-19 Crisis funding support for South African businesses

news

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL WORKING ON-LINE

news

NCS New Online Short Course

news

Online CPD - Working from Home for Architects

news

UIF RELIEF FUND

news

Extended Deadline: AfriSam SAIA Sustainable Design Awards.

news

JBCC ADVISORY NOTE: EDITION 6.2

news

Important information to note

news

Financial hardship and the Architectural Profession

news

NEWSFLASH

news

Document Sales

news

NOTICE from the PIA President

news

OFFICE NEWS DECEMBER 2019

news

SACAP News

news

Dennis Sharp CICA Awards for Architectural Criticism 2020

news

Office News November 2019

news

PRACTICE THAT MATTERS - PIA PRACTICE COMMITTEE

news

COPYRIGHT ACT 98 OF 1978

news

DPW REIMBURSEMENT RATES

news

City of Tshwane: Fees, Charges, and Tariffs - July 2019 to June 2020

news

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA • UNDERGRADAUTE BROCHURE FOR 2020

news

Publications: Pros & Cons in the Thatching Industry and A Guide to Thatch Construction 2019

news

SACAP Newsletter for December 2018

news

PIA Office News - December 2018

news

CITY OF TSHWANE SURVEY - Please participate

news

MArch(Prof) Exams at UP Department of Architecture

news

R104m debt halts building at 37 Eastern Cape schools

news

AGM Report 2018

news

TUT Student Awards 2017 - Year 6: Antonio Diz Garrido

news

TUT Student Awards 2017 - Year 5: Reghardt Bruwer

news

TUT Student Awards 2017 - Year 4: Aldon Plaatjie - Best Design Student

news

TUT Student Awards 2017 - Year 3: Gericke Nel - Best Design Student

news

TUT Student Awards 2017 - Year 2: Dean Smuts - Best Design Student

news

City of Tshwane Municipal Submission survey

news

The state of the civil construction industry

news

TUT Student Awards 2017 - Year 0: Luan le Grange - Best Design Student

news

Site Development Plan Application - 2018 Revision

news

President's Note to members - SAIA benchmark and Fee Survey

news

4 must-knows about using BIM

news

Central Square at Menlyn Maine

news

PIA STUDENT BURSARY RECIPIENTS

news

Advantage Of Urban Design

news

PIA Architects Receive Highest Honours

news

The capital city is on fire!

news

Our Creative Capital

// GET NEW POSTS VIA EMAIL
// ALL NEWS
// FEATURED NEWS
// FOLLOW

// GET IN TOUCH

// RENT OUR BOARDROOM

// VISIT OUR ONLINE STORE

// LOCATION

273 Tram street, 
Nieuw Muckleneuk,
Pta

// CONTACTS

// FOLLOW

Become a member

Membership is open to all registered professional architectural practitioners or those who are eligible for registration with the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP).

The benefits of membership are vast and valuable!

Have any questions?
// SEARCH

Search our Website

Array ( ) BREAK Array ( )
// SEARCH
Select the Specialities you wish to search