Marilize Snyman-Harvey

Marilize studied Architecture in Bloemfontein at the University of the Orange Free State in South Africa, finishing her degree in 1996. While studying, she worked for a private practice in Bloemfontein.

Upon finishing her studies, she moved to Cape Town for a brief period, working for Jan Corewijn Architects, based in Houtbaai, Cape Town, South Africa. Under the very talented and watchful eye of Jan Corewijn, she worked alongside a team of 5 artists on a full-scale conversion, both interior and exterior, of an 1850’s National Monument registered residential dwelling, in accordance with the conservation laws of the National Monument Council of South Africa. She also worked as part of a Special Effects Team under the architect, on the building and preparation of small sets for television commercials on location. This included the construction to specification of various props and resin models. The team also worked on location as part of the production special effects team, making advertisements for the European market, during the South African summer months.

She immigrated to the UK in the spring of 1997, working and traveling in Scotland for a year and traveling through Europe for three months, before settling in Cambridge at the end of 1998.

Here she first worked for a Landscape Gardener and then a small builder, doing a vast variety of hands on working experience in traditional English building methods and materials. The workload varied from the Renovation of a 5 storey 1830’s London townhouse in Camden Town to the designing, constructing and completion of a large, intricate patio Mosaic using the Opus Vermiculates method.

Marilize formed 5th Generation Architecture in 2007 after working for three award winning Architecture firms in Cambridge, the longest being a superbly interesting 5 year period under Tristan Rees Roberts from Freeland Rees Roberts Architects. She also worked for Lyster, Grillet & Harding Architects plus Haysom Ward and Miller Architects.

Why

Marilize is interested in producing buildings appropriate for the local context, using traditional materials and modern techniques in a contemporary way to produce one off design solutions and buildings that complements our natural and built environment and their location. She believes that buildings does not have to match those adjacent to it to fit in the surroundings, but uses the context to find the clues to inform the new designs. The local history, streetscape, aspect, scale, materials and client briefing and needs are all things to consider during the design process.