TEACHING

Abre joined the Department of Architecture at the University of Pretoria in January 2017, after participating as a part-time studio lecturer for KON 320 in the tumultous last half of 2016.

He has been a regular external examiner for the postgraduate and MTech degrees at UP and TUT since 2004.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Abre has been a member of the professional organisations for architects since 1982 and is a past chairman of the SAIA Internet Committee. He acted as a panellist for the Pretoria Institute for Architecture Awards in 2014.

He was one of the core members of the project team that implemented the poverty-relief projects for SANParks between 2002 and 2006. These projects were funded by the then Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism via the Special Public Projects fund that fosters rural social empowerment and advancement. The projects allowed Crafford & Crafford to incorporate their previous research on designing for National Parks in leading-edge designs for ecotourism. Designs were geared towards enriching the direct and authentic experience of nature and culture through innovative materials and climatic responses. Several of the camps were designed around traditional social structures found around the park, thus enabling social interaction between staff and different tour groups.

• Registered Architect with the SA Council for the Building Professions (SACAP), registration # 3234 – 1982
• Corporate Member of the South African Institute of Architects (SAIA)
• Registered member of the SA Institute of Architects (SAIA), registration # 4338 – 1982
• Pretoria Institute for Architecture (PIA), registration # CR0031 – 1995
• Member of the SA Green Building Council
• Chairman of the SAIA Internet Committee 1996-1999
• Member of the Built Environment Professions Export Council (BEPEC)
• Member of the Sabi Sand Wildtuin Executive Committee 2000-2007

Non-refereed publications or popular articles about works by the architect

Lectures, conferences and exhibition openings

Participation in Expert Workshops and Seminars

Project Awards

Artistic Outputs as part of Crafford & Crafford Architects

1. EICKER, K. 2017. House on a Hill. Earthworks Magazine, 36, 41-48.
2. LOUW, M. 2014. Materiality in four climatic zones. Architecture South Africa, 68, 36-41.
3. Mountain Retreat Lodge, Golden Gate National Park. 2007. http://www.greenbuilding.co.za/
4. VAN HEERDEN, N. 2007. Rugged but soon very popular. Caravan and Outdoor Life,

October, 68-69.

5. LIPMAN, A. 2005. Rustic homes that say, “Come in, we belong here too.” Sunday Independent, 11 September.
6. LAMBRECHT, B. 2004. Eko Huise Styl. De Kat, 04(Lente), 66-68.
7. EICKER, K. 2006. Above mountains and grass plains. ARCHI-Technology, September, 4-13.
8. Bush architecture. 2003. ARCHI-Technology, March, 8-11.
9. Leading Architecture, Getaway Magazine, Wegbreek, Wegsleep, Pretoria News, Digest of SA Architecture, etc.

• Contributor: Green Building Conference at the CSIR – Sustainable Tourism Workshop, 2013.
• Keynote Speaker: D-Connect Conference at the Institute of Indian Interior Designers, Baroda Chapter, Gujerat, India, October 2011.
• Co-presenter: Green Building Conference, Port Louis, Mauritius, 2009.
• SAIA representative: Marmomacc International Exhibition of Stone, Design and Technology, Verona, Italy, September 2010.
• Presenter: Architecture Studio 401/501: "Mapungubwe: interpreting landscape, (re)constructing national identity”, Cornell University College of Architecture, Art and Planning. Presented as context-related research to the Architecture Honours students, September 2005.

2015: South African Institute of Architects – National Award of Merit for the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) New Architecture Faculty.

2014: Pretoria Institute for Architecture – Regional Award of Merit for the Tshwane University of Technology New Architecture Faculty.

2008: South African Institute of Architects – President’s Award for Blouberg Cultural Village, Limpopo Province.

2006: South African Institute of Architects – National Award of Merit for Mapungubwe National Park, Poverty Relief Project, New Tourism Infrastructure.

2005: Limpopo Institute for Architecture – Regional Award of Commendation for Mapungubwe National Park, Poverty Relief Project, New Tourism Infrastructure.

2003: Pretoria Institute for Architecture – Award of Commendation for Bitterpan Wilderness Camp, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Northern Cape Province.

1979: University of Pretoria – the Fulton Concrete Award: Best Student in the Innovative Use of Concrete.

Masterplan / Tourism Study – Songimvelo Game Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa

As part of the Footsteps team, C&C developed a complete Commercial Development Plan for the reserve that included an analysis of the reserve’s natural and heritage potential to attract international visitors to this often ignored part of South Africa.

Masterplan – Building forms for a Cultural Village, Shangana Cultural Village, Hoedspruit, South Africa

This cultural/ethnic village was developed for tourism purposes in the Lowveld, near Hazyview, with the particular requirement to provide an authentic and socially empowering experience for both the tourist and the tribe that owns and operates from the land.

Masterplan / Tourism Study – Kerala Province, India

A study done in conjunction with the University of Pretoria Wild Life Unit (Prof. Wouter van Hoven) to provide Kerala Provincial Authority with a long-term planning model to implement supporting nature-based tourism.

Masterplan / Tourism Study – Satara Camp, Kruger National Park, South Africa

A study was done on how to rationalize this hugely popular rest camp in the Kruger National Park before commencing planning of further facilities, which have since been constructed. The upgrading of the circular rondavels into more tourism-friendly units, as well as new day visitors’ facilities and upgrading of and additions to the caravan park, are important new features to enhance the viability of the camp.

Masterplan / Tourism Study – Sir Bani Yas National Park & Marine Reserve, Abu Dhabi, UAE

The project was undertaken in conjunction with a team led by International Conservation Services (ICS).

The Masterplan Study indicated that the island presents a very unique opportunity to develop a new ecotourism facility in the Arabian sea, that can become a strong destination on an island that is accessible from the Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports. The masterplan proposal was based on the concept of opening up and allowing the animals to roam “free” as far as possible, thus providing a “safari park” character. Architecturally a strong “Arabian” architectural language was proposed to tie the various developments into a recognisable marketing brand for the island.

Masterplan / Tourism Study – Abu Dhabi Forestry, Renewal and Ecotourism Proposals, UAE

The project entailed a Regional Masterplan Proposal for the adaptation of the Abu Dhabi plantations for sustainable rural development and the promotion of ecotourism facilities. The brief required the team to prepare a tourism masterplan for all of the Eastern Forests of Abu Dhabi. We also produced detailed conceptual tourism and destination planning for 3 different anchor products, namely a resort, a luxury tented camp and a hunting lodge.

All the sites were fully developed to a scaled model. Concept drawings and branding presentations for use by Barari were included to market the concepts to investment agencies.

Crafford was acting as sub-consultant for Contour Project Managers on behalf of Bahari Forest Management.

Quarantine Facility Sir Bani Yas Desert Islands, Abu Dhabi

The project entailed the research and concept formation for an adaptive quarantine center. It was required to deal with the large quantity of both incoming and exiting animals.

The solution was an unique arrangement of pens and buildings arranged to ensure security of the process and was illustrated in final concept form with an accompanying report.

Private Family Adventure EcoPark – Nad Al Sheba, Dubai

The project entailed a masterplan for a private Zoo and Children’s Educational Park on existing private land close to the centre of Dubai. The brief required research to support security, privacy and stimulating interaction for children in a safe environment with animals and nature in general, thus providing a better link to conservation for Dubai’s future leaders.

(Contracted by ICS – Arabia on behalf of the client, in conjunction with V&L Landscape Architects).

MCA-N Etosha National Park – Infrastructure

The project was part of the Millennium Corporation’s Compact for Namibia and comprised the technical reports for best practice sustainable design of the facilities required, the design and implementation of two new villages for the permanent staff currently living in the Park, and a new entrance gate and tourism facility at Galton Gate in the West and a new camping and picnic site.

Concept for the undeveloped wilderness areas of the western Etosha Park

Two villages comprising a total of 90 new houses for the staff of Etosha National Park were provided, with all spaces naturally ventilated and designed to low energy standards as well as for water harvesting. The villages were planned in a circular format to enable safe areas for play, with pedestrians separated from vehicles and concepts for social spaces and village communal facilities included.

(Sub-consultants for PDNA International; client: MCA-Namibia; completed in September 2015.)