AOJ Architecture & Interiors

"What's nice about concrete is that it looks unfinished." - Zaha Hadid

Excitement of pouring concrete.

The recent development on our current project in Glen Marais, Johannesburg.

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As we celebrate 15 years of AOJ Architecture and Interiors, we remember where we started, where we’ve been, and where we are now. In the next couple of weeks, we will be looking back and remembering one project from each year of our company’s existence.

After finishing Ascendus building the AOJ was commissioned to design the building’s interior in 2018.

“I don't think that architecture is only about shelter, is only about a very simple enclosure. It should be able to excite you, to calm you, to make you think.” Zaha Hadid

Plans being approved and the site cleared, the foundations are firstly being measured and established on site, and the lines are drawn for the digger. Once the trenches are dug, the reinforcements are placed and concrete poured. This is the most important part of the building as the foundation transfers load from structure to earth, providing structural stability and strength.

The recent development on our current project in Glen Erasmia, Johannesburg.

As we celebrate 15 years of AOJ Architecture and Interiors, we remember where we started, where we’ve been, and where we are now. In the next couple of weeks, we will be looking back and remembering one project from each year of our company’s existence.

The new office and warehouse for Cube Route Logistics, initiated in 2017 and completed in 2018 within Boundary Park Industrial Park, houses a pet food distribution company and logistics service provider operating across Southern Africa. Designed by the AOJ, the P-grade equivalent office block integrates warehousing and an e-Pet store facility. The architecture emphasizes a non-conventional façade along Malibongwe Drive, featuring exposed concrete elements and colorful wall infill panels juxtaposed with glass curtain walls. Key design elements include staggered, angled concrete columns that enhance visual interest without compromising structural integrity. The warehouse is strategically laid out to manage daily deliveries via a fleet of 30 trucks to 800 outlets nationwide, complemented by a pilot office offering extensive yard visibility. Sustainability features include LED lighting, energy-efficient HVAC systems, durable materials, and passive design strategies like double glazing for natural light control and thermal efficiency. The 12,000m² project includes basement parking, 1,100m² of office space, and a 9,600m² warehouse and e-Pet store. This distinctive, human-centric design underscores AOJ's departure from conventional head office aesthetics.

“We should attempt to bring nature, houses, and human beings together in a higher unity.” – Ludwig Mies van den Rohe

As we celebrate 15 years of AOJ Architecture and Interiors, we remember where we started, where we’ve been, and where we are now. In the next couple of weeks, we will be looking back and remembering one project from each year of our company’s existence.

The office and warehouse project, initiated in 2016 and completed in 2018 in Northriding, Johannesburg, serves as Ascendis Medical's consolidated facility, integrating office and warehouse spaces in a 50:50 ratio. Designed by AOJ, the 13,500 m² complex features P-Grade equivalent offices spread over three floors, emphasizing sustainability and user experience. The façades predominantly use facebrick for low maintenance and environmental considerations. Key design elements include a prominent glass corner entrance for passive solar control, and an irregular courtyard to enhance natural light. The facility includes a third-floor expansion for offices and a 100-seat auditorium, alongside a staff bar and terrace for socializing. The warehouse incorporates a pilot office for operational control and a linked staff block with amenities. Overall, AOJ has delivered a statement building that meets high standards and enhances visibility on Malibongwe Drive, reflecting a commitment to responsible, sustainable architecture.

“No house should ever be on a hil or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together each the happier for the other.” – Frank Lloyd Wright

“Every project has a purpose. Helping to realize it is ours.” – AOJ Architecture and Interiors

"The purpose of construction is TO MAKE THINGS HOLD TOGETHER; of architecture TO MOVE US.“ Le Corbusier

As we celebrate 15 years of AOJ Architecture and Interiors, we remember where we started, where we’ve been, and where we are now. In the next couple of weeks, we will be looking back and remembering one project from each year of our company’s existence.

Initiated in 2014 and finished in 2017, conceptually this luxury bush lodge takes an expressive and avant-garde approach to bush lodge architecture. Situated on the banks of the Crocodile River, the Mjejane Private Game Reserve is one of South Africa’s premier reserves, and the only luxury bush lodge development to have a private bridge over the river connecting it directly to the Kruger National Park.

The convention of using thatch, which results in routine and monolithic roof dominant architecture, with a singular space that gets divided up below it, was questioned from the beginning of the project. The AOJ team decided rather to use a modern steel construction method for the roof which would free up the way the various spaces in the house could be arranged and designed. Instead of having one large volume to work with they could generate more specific, client centred distributions and arrangements of the building programme within the lodge.

The roof is the leading feature of the design and is shaped in response to the site conditions. The 900m² roof covering has been strategically lifted in some areas to open views over the surrounding bush, tilted down in others to control the harsh African sun and extended outwards along all the eaves to offer additional shading from the sun and protection from severe rainfalls. This climatically responsive approach to architecture ensures that the 450m² of luxury bush lodge interior is comfortable, year round, and results in a smart, yet striking signature piece of architecture which redefines the paradigm of luxury bush lodge architecture.

The lodge is sustainably designed, making use of orientation and passive climatic controls to enhance the users’ comfort, as well as other green technologies, which include heat pumps, solar harvesting and rainwater collection from the large roof structure, which all further reduce the operational carbon footprint of the building.

The layout of the lodge maximises the endless bush views while still ensuring privacy from the neighbouring properties. The generous living and entertainment spaces, located at the bend of the J-shaped plan, are the heart of the lodge and project as one elevated open volume towards to Crocodile River on the northern side of the lodge. This open volume immerses the user into the bush experience, and is further extended outdoors, below a long sweeping roof cantilever, by a generous outdoor boma area. Between the internal living and entertainment spaces, and the boma area, large glass doors slide away to merge the interior and exterior of the lodge seamlessly.

Flanking the heart/centre of the lodge, are five en-suite bedrooms. These bedrooms are all screened off from one another ensuring the users inhabiting them complete privacy, but all the while still offering them uninterrupted views of the bushveld around the lodge. The passage, which connects the four bedrooms on the eastern side of the lodge, has been kept solid on the western side to contain the entrance to the lodge, that along with a 20m long gabeon stone wall, which screens the service areas, defines a direct line of movement from the driveway to the front door.

In addition to the climate and unspoilt views being the main generators of the design, of this luxury bush lodge, the reserve requires that certain indigenous vegetation needs to be preserved, which further determines the footprint of this luxury bush lodge. A number of plants were earmarked as important and immovable, by a landscaping specialist prior to the design beginning, and have been designed around to eventually be protected by the built form.

AWARDS:
• Commendation Award - Mpumalanga Institute of Architects 2017
PUBLICATIONS:
• Africanism online, A place of rest • Apsaidal, Private Lodge • Building and Décor, January 28, 2019 • SA Building Review, Volume 6, 2018 • Leading Architecture & Design, March 2018 • Concrete Trends, Volume 21 N. 01, February 2018 • AEC Café, January 14, 2018 • Huffpost, January 10, 2018 • Visi, December 14, 2017 • Design Ful, December 13, 2017 • Designboom, December 8, 2017 • A as Architecture, December 6, 2017 • Building Online, December 4, 2017

We had the pleasure of attending the RMB Latitudes Art fair 2 weeks ago. Held at Shepstone Gardens – a venue hewn from stone and set into the hillside of Orange Grove and an escape from the hustle of Joburg – the indoor outdoor art exhibition aimed to showcase some of the best artistic talent coming out of Africa. Here are a few pics of the venue and some of our favourite artworks including one from fellow Joburg architect Kate Otten. Apologies in advance for not taking down all the artists names. Please reach out to us if you would like us to add a credit to any of the artists.



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We were pleased to be a part of the Schulbasar 2024 as one of the event sponsors. Here is a picture taken at the event.



Schulbasar DSJ German School

As we celebrate 15 years of AOJ Architecture and Interiors, we remember where we started, where we’ve been, and where we are now. In the next couple of weeks, we will be looking back and remembering one project from each year of our company’s existence.

In 2013, following the successful completion of the first SEED library (constructed from two retired shipping containers) at the MC Weiler Primary School in the Alexandra Township of Johannesburg, AOJ were approached to design an alternative to another existing smaller model of prefabricated library.

Through a geometric investigation of different building footprints, it soon became apparent that an almost square plan would be more conducive to an efficient space, and ideal in creating a collective space where learners can also be taught effectively. This also proved to be more economical in terms of building cost per usable square meter.

Given this a decision was made to move away from the shipping container as a building material opting instead for a steel frame building with self supporting insulated EPS panels that would all be prefabricated, flat packed onto the back of a single truck, for delivery, and assembled almost anywhere, without any heavy machinery, on site within a week, thereby reducing the hassle of procurement processes, and making for a well suited temporary aid to the enormous lack of educational facilities in the South Africa.

The internal and external faces of the building are effectively a billboard, where graphics relevant to the users’ needs can be applied and re-applied creating the possibility for the structure to generate money through sponsorship and tasteful advertising.

The Micro SEED libraries are an exciting and stimulating prefabricated library alternative to the currently dull grey school libraries being made from single shipping containers and rolled out in many South African schools.



AWARDS:

• Bronze Loerie: Interior Design and Temporary Structures - Loerie Awards 2015 • Gold Loerie: Ubuntu Category - Loerie Awards 2014

PUBLICATIONS:

• African Design Magazine, Issue 1, October 2014

"It’s through mistakes that you actually can grow. You have to get bad in order to get good.“ Paula Scher

It always starts like that: a piece of land, dirt and soil. Then the idea, followed by the creative thoughts poured onto paper in the form of drawings. Ideas develop further and the drawings progress. Out of the land the building grows, sustainable, innovative, continually pragmatic and executable.

The recent development on our current project in Glen Erasmia, Johannesburg.

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As we celebrate 15 years of AOJ Architecture and Interiors, we remember where we started, where we’ve been, and where we are now. In the next couple of weeks, we will be looking back and remembering one project from each year of our company’s existence.

In 2012 we completed the alteration of a house, dating back to 1969 based in Parktown North. It was a challenging, yet fulfilling experience. The client’s brief was to renovate and modernise the home and maximise the views of Westcliff Hill as well as to bring natural light in. The garden and home interior were to be united symbiotic relationship. The lounge, dining, and kitchen were to share a healthy and practical flow, while the entrance to the house needed to be re-established and the street boundary secured and treated in an attractive and friendly manner.

All client’s requirements were fulfilled and the house became an oasis in the heart of busy Johannesburg.

"The goal of a designer is to listen, observe, understand, sympathize, empathize, synthesize, and glean insights that enable him or her to ‘make the invisible visible’. “ Hillman Curtis

# listen # empathize

The windows are tools for framing a view and a medium for letting the outside in. They close the building envelope and open the inside to the outside, letting natural light into the interior of the structure and moderating airflow through their opening sections.

The recent development on our current project in Boundary Park, Johannesburg.

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As we celebrate 15 years of AOJ Architecture and Interiors, we remember where we started, where we’ve been and where we are now. In next couple of weeks, we will be looking back and remembering one project from each year of our company’s existence.

Raceway Industrial Office and Warehouse was designed in 2011. The brief was loosely defined to include a warehouse, large enough to cater for various logistical operations, and ample office space, that would allow for re-organization of the administrative floor area by various tenants during the lifespan of the building.
The result is a 6500 m² warehouse and a 1000 m² office, linked by a two storey service block containing ablutions, kitchenettes and circulation, all built with currently conventional methods.

"There are three responses to a piece of design – yes, no, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for." Milton Glaser

When the concrete work is done, the brickwork starts. Brick adds to the building's warmth, texture, and character.
Bricks have many advantages – they are weather-, decay- and pest-proof as they do not contain any plant matter. Brick walls store heat and cool air, so they help obtain the right interior temperatures.

The recent development on our current project in Boundary Park, Johannesburg.

site

As we celebrate 15 years of AOJ Architecture and Interiors, we remember where we started, where we’ve been, and where we are now. In next couple of weeks, we will be looking back and remembering one project from each year of our company’s existence.

In 2010 we had an opportunity to express our creativity in the SEED library project. It was commissioned to us by the MAL foundation, South Africa’s first non-profit creative agency, to design a world class library for the MC Weiler Primary School in Alexandra, Johannesburg. Project achieved provincial, national and international awards and was even exhibited at the Venice Bienalle in 2014.

International Awards:
· Laureate - Young Architects In Africa Competition 2014 (SEED Library)
One of three winners/laureates chosen from 194 projects submitted by candidates from 26 African countries. Work exhibited at the CA’ASI at the Bienalle di Venezia, 14th
International Architecture Exhibition in Venice Italy. Exhibition formed part of 21 Collateral
Events, identified by the Biennalle curator, Rem Koolhaus, which ran alongside the main
Biennale exhibitions.

Local Awards:
· Small Project / Small Practice Award - GIFA Award for Architecture 2021 (Uberport)
Special Mention / Commendation Award - SAIA-KZN Award for Architecture 2021
(Thanda ECDC)
· Sustainable Design Award - Afrisam/SAIA Sustainable Design Award 2019 / 20 (Thanda
ECDC)
· Nomination: Architectural Concrete - Fulton Awards 2019 (Cube Route)
· Commendation Award – SAIA Mpumalanga Award for Architecture 2017 (Mjejane Bush
Lodge)
· Commendation Award – GIFA Award for Architecture 2017 (Caldas Engineering Offices)
· Silver Prize – SAIA/Total (SA) Architectural Competition 2016 (Total Energy Station)
· Bronze Loerie: Interior Design and Temporary Structures - Loerie Awards 2015 (Micro
SEED)
· Gold Loerie: Ubuntu Category - Loerie Awards 2014 (Micro SEED)
· Award of Merit - South African Institute of Architects 2014 (SEED Library)
· Commendation Award - Afrisam/SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture 2014 (SEED
Library)
· Nomination: Architectural Category - SAISC Steel Awards 2014 (SEED Library)
· Award for Architecture – GIFA Award for Architecture 2013 (SEED Library)
· Silver Loerie: Three Dimensional & Environmental Design - Loerie Awards 2013 (SEED Library)

Publications:
· SA Building Review, Volume 3, 2015
· Officina, N. 03, Dicembre 2014
· African Design Magazine, Issue 1, October 2014
· InHabitat, October 10, 2014
· The Times, July 10, 2014
· Ca’Asi, June 2014
· Visi, April 7, 2014
· House and Leisure, Brighter Future, May 2014
· Digest of South African Architecture, Volume 18, 2013
· Home Owner, June 6, 2013
· Ca’Asi, June 2014

"Architecture is not based on concrete and steel and the elements of the soil. It’s based on wonder." Daniel Libeskind

Our current project taking shape in Boundary Park, Johannesburg.

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As we celebrate 15 years of AOJ Architecture and Interiors, we remember where we started, where we’ve been, and where we are now. In next couple of weeks, we will be looking back and remembering one project from each year of our company’s existence.

In 2009 we worked on Gondola Café, which became a landmark for Afriski Mountain Resort, located in the unspoilt natural environment of the Lesotho Maluti mountain range. At an altitude of 3222m it is claimed to be the highest bar in Southern Africa, and as our clients tell all their friends “Don’t take my word for it rather come and experience it.”

Publications:
· Digest of South African Architecture, Volume 17, 2012

"Architecture is a visual art and the buildings speak for themselves" J. Morgan

Taking shuttering off set concrete reveals a work of art. Concrete’s colour and texture are unique, from coarse to smooth depending on the tool used to impart the pattern. Wood floats create coarser textures, whereas aluminum or steel shuttering gives medium or smooth finish. Watch this space for more updates from our building sites.

The recent development on our current project in Boundary Park, Johannesburg.

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“Our hallmark approach to architecture was moulded by doing anything and everything to increase our portfolio, our reach and our skills. We had to look for opportunities everywhere and often make seemingly impossible projects into brilliant realities. This is what has made our approach to architecture unique, inextricably binding the utilitarian and the user to create better buildings.” – Mike