Innovative architecture students shine in SA
Students from Nust have won a prestigious design competition
Out of 16 entries from high-ranking Architectural Schools in southern Africa, Namibia University of Science and Technology’s (NUST) Ndeshipanda Iita and Elao Martin came out on top. This is despite it being the first time NUST participated in the prestigious Murray and Roberts Des Baker Architecture Students Design Competition held in South Africa earlier this month.
In a true spirit of innovation, a value NUST emphasises in all its disciplines, Ndeshi and Elao, through their project chose to propose a solution to the water crisis in Windhoek.
The project titled: Architecture of Crisis proposes creating communal water infrastructures which would serve the double function of interactive community spaces.
This is not the first competition either one of them has participated in. Elao took part in a 24-hour International Architecture Competition in Lunda, Angola last year. As part of the Department of Architecture and Spatial Planning, his team’s housing intervention project received an honourable mention.
As for Ndeshi, she participated in a “Dare to Design” competition hosted by local architecture firm Jack Mutua Architects for which she won first place. The competition also took place last year.
The pair express a passion for solving problems through creativity: “I have always been artistic,” says Ndeshi, “and the field [of Architecture] provided me with an opportunity to apply my problem solving skills artistically.” “It is a field where practicality and creativity meet to provide one of our most basic needs: shelter,” says Elao.
Where to next?
“Hopefully even bigger things!” they say in unison. A Master’s degree is on the horizon and both would like to explore their different interests in the field. They certainly hope to scoop a few more design awards on their way to becoming registered architects.
NUST currently provides the only architecture school in the country and students require a minimum of 35 points in 5 subjects of which 14 should be in English and Mathematics.
In a true spirit of innovation, a value NUST emphasises in all its disciplines, Ndeshi and Elao, through their project chose to propose a solution to the water crisis in Windhoek.
The project titled: Architecture of Crisis proposes creating communal water infrastructures which would serve the double function of interactive community spaces.
This is not the first competition either one of them has participated in. Elao took part in a 24-hour International Architecture Competition in Lunda, Angola last year. As part of the Department of Architecture and Spatial Planning, his team’s housing intervention project received an honourable mention.
As for Ndeshi, she participated in a “Dare to Design” competition hosted by local architecture firm Jack Mutua Architects for which she won first place. The competition also took place last year.
The pair express a passion for solving problems through creativity: “I have always been artistic,” says Ndeshi, “and the field [of Architecture] provided me with an opportunity to apply my problem solving skills artistically.” “It is a field where practicality and creativity meet to provide one of our most basic needs: shelter,” says Elao.
Where to next?
“Hopefully even bigger things!” they say in unison. A Master’s degree is on the horizon and both would like to explore their different interests in the field. They certainly hope to scoop a few more design awards on their way to becoming registered architects.
NUST currently provides the only architecture school in the country and students require a minimum of 35 points in 5 subjects of which 14 should be in English and Mathematics.
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