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AWARD-WINNING ARCHITECT AND DESIGNER, RICHARD STRETTON INSPIRES THE DUT COMMUNITY

AWARD-WINNING ARCHITECT AND DESIGNER, RICHARD STRETTON INSPIRES THE DUT COMMUNITY

Award-winning Architect and Designer, Richard Stretton recently shared with the Durban University of Technology (DUT) community, his practice Koop and his design process from the first briefing to the final completion. He conducted a thought-provoking presentation during the Major Integrated Project (MIP) Guest Lecture hosted by the Department of Architecture under the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment.

His practice specialises in furniture, interiors, installations and architecture. The talk was facilitated by DUT Architecture lecturer, Ms Lindsay Bush and the Head of the Architecture Department, Mr Louis Du Plessis, delivered the welcome and opening remarks.

“Richard is not only a very talented designer but is also well-versed in software applications used in the industry, and it’s delightful to see how these can be utilised to such great benefit and to produce such good work. It encourages students to see that you need to be in control of a design process, and not let the process – whether by hand or computer – control you,” said Du Plessis.

Introducing himself, Stretton said: “As a designer, I am often drawn to ask the question, ‘What were they thinking?’ when I experience a design of any kind. I am fascinated with how other people design, how I design. Do I have a method, an ideology, a style? How do I order the tsunami of thoughts that follow the initial introduction to a project? Trying to guess how others think is fun, but is pure fantasy. I studied tertiary education because I had the privileged choice of a university education or national service. Defending the apartheid state was not an option. I chose architecture because I enjoyed art and science, but it took me at least three years to start understanding what architecture was, and another 20 years to start feeling like I had an instinct for it.”

Speaking about his work, Stretton said the act of architecture is a service. He emphasised that it is not about what he wants or how he wishes to express himself, but rather about the needs of the client and the building’s users. Stretton said that architecture needs to respond to the site, and we must also consider whether a building gives back to its surroundings and protects the future of the planet. He also mentioned that the people who visit, work in, and maintain a building are important as it needs to make their daily experience better.

Some of his amazing work includes the Marine SLC on Addington Beach, Dukkah Restaurant and Bar on Durban’s Florida Road, Moyo Restaurant at Ushaka Marine World and the Dalton Guest Residence. He unpacked the thoughts and meanings behind some of his incredible work.

Advising the students, Stretton said: “We must, in as few gestures as possible, as simply as we can, through research and investigation, tie all that we understand about the real needs of client, context, function and user together. This device is called a concept. Your personal expression is this concept, and it cannot dilute any of the needs.”

Students got a chance to engage in a robust discussion with Stretton, asking questions and seeking his advice on how to better themselves as aspiring architects.

In closing, Ms Bush expressed her gratitude to Stretton for taking time out to share his wisdom with the DUT community and thanked the students for their attendance and enthusiasm

Pictured: Dukkah Restaurant and Bar (image: Koop) and Award-winning Architect and Designer, Richard Stretton (image: HWZ International)

Simangele Zuma

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