Crowded SA cities driving a surge in demand for this profession

Africa’s growing population within the next years could lead to the increase in more people moving to urban areas.

The continent’s population is expected to be at 2.5 billion by 2050, according to a study by the African Development Bank.

Devi Paulsen-Abbott at Energy Capital & Power says the increase in population will lead to the need of architects.

The profession has already been placed under the critical skills list in South Africa. 

The need of architects in SA

“The massive rise of urbanisation in Africa is resulting in sprawling cities and the emergence of megacities such as Kinshasa, Lagos, and Cairo,” said Paulsen-Abbott. However, the trend is also seen in SA, as cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg are projected to earn the megacity status too.

According to Global Traffic Scorecard, Cape Town is the ninth worst traffic congestion in the world, with people spending 83 hours in traffic jams in 2023.

She said due to how increasingly complex the world is getting, the role of the architects is becoming imperative than before. There is a need for innovative, sustainable, and functional design in the country as there is a demand in urbanisation. 

“SA government has prioritised infrastructure development and urban planning due to the potential for economic growth.” She also believes the government’s prioritisation puts emphasis on the importance of the architectural profession.

She adds that there are only 1 453 architects practising in the country and 8 859 registered professionals with the SA Council for the Architectural Profession. This shortage is what led the profession to be included on the critical skills list.

ALSO READ: Cape Town, OR Tambo ranked in top 10 best airports in the world

Shaping Africa’s megacities

A spotlight is being put on the Productive Synthesis, which is explained to be an approach to Designing Contemporary African Architecture.

Olayinka Dosekun-Adjei and Jeffrey Adjei from Studio Contra say the purpose of Productive Synthesis is about adding the architectural past, present, and future to create a unique and vibrant contemporary African architecture.

“By bridging these elements in both practice and academia, and fostering cross-border collaboration, we can redefine and elevate the architectural landscape across Africa.”

Another key to the profession is the Future of Architecture in an Age of Doubt.

“By exploring AI beyond mere visualisation and developing new theories for a post-AI world, we can redefine architectural practice and envision a future where technology and design seamlessly co-exist,” says Dr Sechaba Maape from the University of the Witwatersrand.

ALSO READ: South Africa’s population surpasses 63 million, females live longer than males

Population growth in the Country

There are over 2 million households on the National Housing Register for those who need housing. This is explained as a huge backlog that might get worse as population grow.

Statistics SA (StatsSA) announced that the country’s population has surpassed 63 million, with population growing by about 835 513 individuals between July 2023 to July 2024.