News from NIA | Summer School 2020-21 Sustainability Masterclass by Peter Rich from 18th to 24th August 2021

Peter Rich is the principal architect of Peter Rich Architects situated in Johannesburg, South Africa. His prolific architectural career is defined by his commitment to producing work that is rooted in culture and community. His architecture is deeply influenced by his spatial studies among the indigenous communities during the apartheid era combined with his understanding of the African vernacular architecture, modernist background, and the socio-economic context of the African continent.

In one of the projects conducted in the Masterclass, the students designed a new house as an extension to the house they had documented and studied earlier. This project focused on designing a built environment with an understanding of life in a home where landscape and cultural practices become an integral part. Another project by the students sensitively intervened in Sujirkar's tile factory with the individual proposals. Students incorporated their understanding of local youth culture and public space. They also tried to connect it to communities across the river and connect the city to the river.