Architects & Interior Designers
Designing for life
Meet the architects who put people rst and design homes with meaning
Francois Marais, Francois Marais Architects.
Antoinette Horngren, JK Design Architects.
Malcolm Fourie and Suzette Hammer, SBE Africa Architects.
Francois Marais Architects
JK Design Architects
SBE Africa Architects
Chris Sparks, Chris Sparks Architecture.
Adrian Maserow, AMA Architects.
Kevin Coetzee (left) and Ruan Marsh, Monograph Architects & Interiors.
Duif Joubert, SG Studio.
Chris Sparks Architecture
SG Studio
AMA Architects
Monograph Architects & Interiors
Francois Marais Architects
Creating signature architecture – homes and spaces that are not only functional, but iconic – a true reflection of your vision, lifestyle and success
FRANCOIS MARAIS DIRECTOR AND HEAD ARCHITECT
Established in 1996, Francois Marais Architects is a leading South African architectural practice based in Sandton, Johannesburg, specialising in bespoke luxury residential and commercial design. The practice is renowned for creating bold, signature spaces that are both environmentally responsive and timeless. Offering a fully integrated service – from architecture and interior design to turnkey project delivery – what sets the practice apart is its immersive design approach, using advanced 3D visualisation and virtual reality to allow clients to experience and refine their projects before construction begins.
What made you choose a career path in architecture? From a young age, I was drawn to how spaces influence the way people live and feel. Architecture offered the perfect balance between creativity and problem-solving – designing something beautiful, but also functional and deeply personal. It became less of a choice and more of a natural calling.
What is the main challenge of your job? Balancing client expectations, budget constraints and design integrity, I would say. Every project has competing priorities, and the real challenge is aligning them without compromising the essence of the design.
What do you love most about being an architect? The ability to turn an idea into a tangible space that becomes part of someone’s daily life. Seeing a project move from concept to reality, and knowing it will shape how people live, interact and feel, is incredibly rewarding for me.
What influences your design approach? Context is everything –site, environment and the client’s lifestyle. I also draw inspiration
from clean, timeless design principles, natural materials and how light interacts with space.
What is the best piece of architecture that you will always love? I’ve always appreciated architecture that is honest and timeless rather than trends driven – spaces that age well and feel as relevant years later as they did on day one.
What is the best project that you have worked on, and why?
Choosing a single “best” project is difficult, as each brings unique challenges and opportunities to push the boundaries of design. A standout project is the multi-award-winning five-star Jamala Madikwe Game Lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve – a complex hospitality development requiring a balance between luxury, environmental sensitivity, and an immersive guest experience.
How do you design spaces that impact how people feel? It starts with understanding how the space will be lived in. Proportion, natural light, flow and material selection all play a role. Good design isn’t just visual; it’s experiential.
What are you looking forward to in terms of the future of architecture? While the rapid shift towards technology-centred and AI-driven architecture is undeniably exciting, I believe the future will also see a strong return to authenticity, craftsmanship and human-centric design. As innovation accelerates, the true value of architecture will lie in creating spaces that are emotionally resonant and deeply connected to the people who inhabit them.
What is your favourite space in your home and why? The living area because it brings everyone together. It’s where functionality meets comfort, and where the architecture truly supports daily life and family connection.
CONTACT:
+27 83 226 7577
info@fmarchitects.co.za www.fmarchitects.co.za
Scan to discuss your vision with our team.
Monograph Architects & Interiors
International award-winning architecture and interior design studio located in Johannesburg
WKEVIN COETZEE AND RUAN MARSH PRINCIPAL ARCHITECTS, OWNERS
Monograph Architects & Interiors is an award-winning architecture and interior design studio based in Johannesburg. The firm provides full design and management services, delivering fully integrated projects. From conceptual design to construction management, interior design and furniture procurement, Monograph ensures design continuity, integrity and quality throughout every project.
*Answers by Ruan Marsh (right in image above)
hat made you choose a career path in architecture? I have always had a fascination with buildings and how they shape us. As a young kid, my brother and I would always play on the construction sites, as the houses on our street were built one by one, imagining which spaces were which. We were the second house to be built in the street, so it felt like we were always surrounded by construction.
What do you love most about being an architect? We both love problem-solving and dreaming with our clients! When you see how much enjoyment your clients get from their new homes and how the space positively affects their lives, we consider ourselves very lucky to be part of the process.
What influences your design approach? The site, climate and the immediate context play a vital role in how we design our buildings. Kevin and I both grew up inland. Then we moved to the coast to complete a master’s in architecture at the Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth. Our thorough understanding of both coastal and inland lifestyles, climates and building typologies greatly influences how we approach each design. Importantly, we believe that truly understanding our clients’ individual needs ultimately makes every project unique.
What is the best piece of architecture that you will always love? I have a very soft spot for Norman Eaton’s Nedbank building in the Durban CBD. His innovative use of a suspended ceramic screen to control the elements is genius. And, he masterfully created an oasis-like public space in front of the building out of carved marble, with palm trees softening the building’s edge and creating refuge for the public.
What is the best project that you have worked on, and why? It would have to be a property in Parkhurst, Johannesburg. That project is a great representation of our design philosophy, attention to detail and response to the brief, climate and context. We have also won the most awards for that project.
How do you design spaces that impact how people feel? By truly understanding how people use space and how the use of light, materiality and scale deepen the experience of that space. Kevin and I believe our everyday spaces shape the way we think, feel and ultimately view the world. Designers have a big responsibility and great opportunity to improve people’s lives through thoughtful and considered design.
What are you looking forward to in terms of the future of architecture? There seems to be a greater public awareness and appreciation of good design, which is very positive. The rapid evolution of construction technology, specifically in the fields of timber and robotics makes for a very exciting future. Q
CONTACT: 074 564 4988
072 597 7113
info@monograph-architects.com
SBE Africa Architects
SUZETTE HAMMER CEO, CO-FOUNDER
MALCOLM FOURIE MANAGING DIRECTOR
SBE Africa Architects, co-founded by Suzette Hammer, designs exclusive, modern, luxury, statement homes, townhouses and commercial spaces across Africa and internationally. With over 40 years of experience, SBE delivers bespoke architecture and interiors from concept to completion, blending bold aesthetics with hotel-like living for A-list clientele.
WExclusive architectural South African firm creating groundbreaking, modern luxury homes and commercial spaces
hat made you choose a career path in architecture? I grew up with humble beginnings in a mining town. To study, I travelled by train, often late at night, balancing textbooks with real hardship. I worked for three different companies during my studies just to fund my qualification. That grit led me to a part-time role as a junior architectural candidate at the Carlton Centre. In that moment – surrounded by scale, structure and possibility – I knew architecture wasn’t just buildings. It was the power to transform lives and landscapes. I chose it because it demanded both art and endurance, and I had both to give.
What do you love most about being an architect? Being able to work side by side with my son Malcolm and brother Johan. For us, it is: “The beginning and design process, when a client walks into their virtual reality space by watching our external and internal videos for the first time and their body language changes. Shoulders drop and eyes lift accompanied by slow breaths,” as Malcolm explains, and I have to agree. That moment when concrete and glass become sanctuary. As a woman in this industry, I love that I bring a different lens: my son, co-designers and I design how a family lives. I understand the flow from kitchen to poolside, the dressing room that rivals a boutique, the
mancave that feels like a private club. I don’t just design facades; I design how people feel at 7am and at midnight.
What influences your design approach? Three things: context, client and timelessness. First, the site – the sun, wind and views dictate form before pen hits paper. Second, the client’s DNA – we sketch in real time, often live during online meetings with clients in the USA or Africa, so their personality becomes structure. Third, longevity. Trends date. “Synergy, Boldness, Excellence” – our SBE mantra – underscores everything we do, ensuring designs that remain timeless. I’m also influenced by South African light, by brutalist honesty of material, and by hospitality design. A home should welcome like a hotel and perform like a machine.
What is the best piece of architecture that you will always love? Locally, this has to be inside and outside The Carlton Centre. It’s where I started as a junior candidate, taking trains from a mining town into Johannesburg’s concrete heart. To a young girl with calloused hands and big dreams, it represented possibility made vertical. It taught me that architecture can anchor a city’s identity. I still love it, not for its style, but for what it symbolised: that I belonged in this world.
How do you design spaces that impact how people feel? We design in sequence, not in rooms. Arrival is theatre: the portecochere frames you, columns set rhythm, water calms you before you reach the door. We use materiality to regulate emotion – cool stone underfoot to ground, warm timber overhead to comfort, glass to expand. Sweeping staircases aren’t just circulation; they’re a sculpture that draws you up into light. We choreograph privacy gradients – public, social, intimate – so the home can host 100 or cradle two. If it doesn’t change your breathing, we’ve missed the brief. Q
CONTACT: 076 309 2626
visionintoreality@sbearchitects.co.za www.sbearchitects.co.za
ADRIAN MASEROW MANAGING DIRECTOR
AMA Architects, an awardwinning architectural firm, creates innovative, sustainable and human-centred contemporary architecture. As a residential and mixed-use design catalyst, the firm specialises in holistically integrated architecture and interior design, delivering site-specific, environmentally conscious solutions, while utilising top construction technologies to achieve profound placemaking and design excellence.
WAMA Architects
Innovative, sustainable, contemporary and emotive architecture
hat made you choose a career path in architecture? My fascination with placemaking, the magic of impacting the future of advancing designed environments and the grounding of working with the process of construction, while having a deep respect for the Earth.
What do you love most about being an architect? Being involved with diverse people and interests, all coming together during the process – from sketching through to modelling, and then the construction and realisation of these infinitely varied requirements and wishes. It makes each day an exciting, unique and rewarding one!
What influences your design approach? Seeking a spatial intelligence that then develops a soul through materiality and multiple aspects of scale, visual intent, refinement of detail and, of course, working with the latest technologies available.
What is the best piece of architecture that you will always love? The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, in Cape Town, is one of the most profoundly poetic buildings I have visited.
What is the best project that you have worked on, and why? Our multiple award-winning head office building for a prominent company in Centurion. It was an incredible feat of artistry and technological mastery.
How do you design spaces that impact how people feel? For me, this comes from deep insight into the connection between our naked attachment to the physical world and our metaphysical yearning for places to be imagined.
What are you looking forward to in terms of the future of architecture? Finding the excellence that is embodied in truth and the wonder of life through introspection and connectedness to our people and our place in the world.
What is your favourite space in your home and why? Sitting in our intimate lounge, which fully opens onto the most remarkable garden surrounded by enormous trees and expansively opened up on two sides with no walls – this is bliss. Q
CONTACT: 011 807 7505
adrian@amagroup.co.za
www.amagroup.co.za
Chris Sparks Architecture
Young, dynamic architectural practice with fresh and innovative ideas
WCHRIS SPARKS PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT
Chris Sparks Architecture specialises in bespoke residential architecture, upmarket cluster developments and luxury bush lodges. Making a name for itself in the industry, the firm brings fresh, innovative concepts that spark the imagination with forwardthinking designs rooted in time-honoured principles.
hat do you love most about being an architect? I love the entire creative process. I love nothing more than sitting quietly and coming up with a concept for a new and exciting project and turning that concept into reality. I also love the relationships we build with our clients. Designing someone’s home is a deeply personal experience, bringing their dreams to reality and intuitively interpreting their needs and aspirations.
What influences your design approach? As a practice, we try not to specialise in one particular style. We pride ourselves on designing and successfully delivering projects in various styles and with a multitude of influences. Our design process always starts with our clients. We try to understand their lifestyles, aspirations and vision first. Once we understand these factors, as well as the site and its constraints, we begin the design process.
How do you design spaces that impact how people feel? I believe all spaces need to be designed to evoke feelings of relaxation and luxury. I believe a home is a sanctuary, and all spaces, however grand or small, need to bring a feeling of comfort, joy and relaxation to its occupants.
What are you looking forward to in terms of the future of architecture? I am looking forward to the integration of new technologies, such as AI, to help simplify the residents’ lives and improve their quality of living.
What is your favourite space in your home and why? My favourite space is always the patio and entertainment area – it’s where my family and I naturally gravitate to every day. I believe the patio is the true essence of what signifies the quintessential South African living space. It’s a place of relaxation. A place where one feels the connection between the indoors and outdoors! Q
CONTACT: 083 798 6312
admin@chrissparksarchitecture.co.za
IG: @chris.sparks.architecture
JK Design Architects
Experienced architectural firm offering comprehensive expertise ranging from sustainable residential homes to large commercial developments
What made you choose a career path in architecture? I was drawn to architecture because it sits at the intersection of people, place and purpose. From an early stage, I was fascinated by how spaces influence behaviour and emotion. How a room can calm you, energise you or bring people together. Choosing architecture was ultimately about choosing to shape environments where life unfolds. It felt like a meaningful way to contribute to how people experience belonging in the world.
What do you love most about being an architect? What I love most is the human connection. Architecture is deeply personal – every project is a collaboration, a story and a reflection of the people who will inhabit the space. Being trusted to shape someone’s home or environment is incredibly rewarding. I also love that architecture becomes a silent witness to life’s moments, whether celebrations or quiet routines, and everything in between.
What is the best piece of architecture that you will always love?
Rather than a single iconic building, I’m continually inspired by spaces that feel honest and deeply human, places where design serves life effortlessly. Whether it’s a well-considered home, a quiet courtyard or a space that frames light beautifully, what resonates most is architecture that prioritises experience over spectacle.
ANTOINETTE HORNGREN JUNIOR PARTNER
JK Design Architects prioritises client satisfaction above all else, ensuring each client’s unique criteria results in design excellence by harmoniously integrating quality, innovation, ecology, functionality and elegance. The firm also offers additional services such as project management, structural engineering, sustainability, interior design, construction, shopfitting, construction supplies, development and investment opportunities.
How do you design spaces that impact how people feel? Designing for emotion starts with listening. Understanding how a client wants to feel in a space, whether it’s calm, inspired, connected or grounded, guides every decision. From there, I use light, proportion, texture and spatial flow to shape that experience. Architecture holds power: together with light, air and sound quality, it influences mood in subtle but profound ways. The goal is to create spaces that feel intuitive, comfortable and deeply aligned with how they will be used.
What are you looking forward to in terms of the future of architecture? I’m excited about a future where architecture becomes more inclusive, responsive and sustainable. There is a growing awareness that design must serve not just aesthetics, but also wellbeing, community and environmental responsibility. I look forward to seeing more spaces that prioritise quality of life, where homes are not just visually appealing, but healthier, more adaptable and more connected to their surroundings. Q
CONTACT: 012 809 1517
info@jkdesigns.co.za www.jkdesigns.co.za
SG Studio
High-end residential studio specialising in upmarket luxury living
What made you choose a career path in architecture? I have always been drawn to the idea of creating something that truly lasts, something that stands the test of time and leaves a mark on the world. Architecture gave me the rare opportunity to be on the good side of change; to take someone’s dream, bring it to life, and genuinely transform the way they live. There is nothing quite like the feeling of handing someone the keys to a home that was once just a vision in their mind.
What is the best project you have worked on, and why? A home we designed in Thabazimbi holds a very special place for us – it was even featured in this very magazine recently. The location was extraordinary and enabled us to incorporate sustainable materials sourced directly from the surrounding landscape, while framing the sweeping views of the property in a way that feels effortless. The project had its challenges, as most great ones do, but working alongside a team that could execute the vision with such precision and care made the entire journey incredibly rewarding.
How do you design spaces that impact how people feel? We design with intention. Our goal is for every space to feel calm, personal and deeply liveable – a place where you genuinely want to spend your time. We often describe it as a resort-style
DUIF JOUBERT FOUNDER, DIRECTOR
SG Studio offers a full turnkey service from architecture to key handover, encompassing architectural design, interior design, construction management, project management, procurement, shopfitting and construction. SG Studio’s in-house specialists lead every phase of the project, ensuring a seamless and exceptional experience from the beginning of the project until completion.
approach, creating an environment so beautiful and restorative that our clients never feel the need to escape on holiday. When someone tells us they feel completely at home and at peace in a space we designed, we know we’ve done our job well.
What are you looking forward to in terms of the future of architecture? We are living in an exciting time for our industry. The ability to source exceptional materials and products from across the globe is opening up a world of creative possibilities we simply didn’t have before. I’m also deeply interested in how artificial intelligence will shape the way we design, not to replace creativity, but to enhance it and help us push boundaries further. With the remarkable innovation happening in materials and rapidly evolving technology, the results are going to be extraordinary. Q
CONTACT: 065 508 5005
hello@sgstudio.co.za
IG: @sgstudio.sa
