As the first Black female president of the Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe, Irene Masiyanise reflects on her tenure, the evolution of sustainable practices, and the future of African architecture.

Q: You mentioned that becoming an architect was a “happy accident.” Can you recount the moment you realised that architecture was the perfect fit for you, not geology?

A: Yes, coming into architecture was a happy “accident” for me because it wasn’t a field that I was aware of at all when I was at school. I was very fortunate that in my family, I had uncles who were professional Geologists and Land surveyors. In school, I excelled at Geography, which drove my passion to think that Geology was the profession that I would pursue.

When I discussed it with my mom and told her that I was going to pursue a career in mining as a geologist, she raised concerns as we didn’t have enough information on the health and safety of mines. I started looking at it (geology) differently and considered land surveying. I then made an inquiry from the Surveyor General at the time, and when I went to see him, he advised me that land surveying might not be the best field for a young woman. He mentioned other related career paths like engineering, architecture, and town planning.

In my further inquiry into those disciplines, I came across a cousin who is an architect. My parents pointed me to him, and after making inquiries, I found that architecture was more interesting. It offered a variety of work environments—being on-site, working in the office, having outdoor time and indoor time. I liked the transition of creating something from nothing to something and seeing things come together. That’s how my journey in architecture started.

Q: How would you describe your design philosophy generally? What core principles guide your architectural work?
A: I’d say the core principles that guide my designs are circulation, which entails movement and interaction of spaces, whilst incor-porating sustainable design theories and philosophies of natural lighting and ventilation.

Q: Who in the world of architecture has inspired you the most, and how has their work influenced your own?
A: My architectural inspiration was more from Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who used a lot of the principle of “less is more”, and Le Corbusier who liked to express the elements of the buildings, especially columns and long windows and geometric forms that were very clear and clean. Those two modernist architects inspired me a lot, and also Team Zoo, who were the architects that I worked for in Japan.

Q: Having worked in the UK, Japan, Taiwan, and the US, how did these diverse cultural environments influence your architectural style and philosophy?

A: The architects at Team Zoo create designs that seem sculptural. Their architectural style of façade treatment and choices of material almost result in buildings that are speaking to the landscape. Then, with Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, the former influences the way I curate my layouts, and my circulation spaces, and Le Corbusier influences the way I treat my facades, the elements that I use, and how I express those elements. An amalgamation of their architectural style and philosophy is evident in the influences of my design work. I have integrated their forms and their design principles in my work to come up with my style.

Q: You were the first Black female president of the Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe. How would you describe your tenure?
A: The dates of my presidency were Vice President from 2008 to 2011 and President of the Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe from 2012 to 2014. After a short break from the board, I returned and was appointed the Chairperson of the Architects Council of Zimbabwe.

My tenure was very interesting. When I was voted president, I wasn’t thinking about my gender or my colour. Prior to that, I had served on the board for a substantial number of years, which gave me a good grounding and background in the Institute and at work. I had served under some excellent leaders like Mandishona (RIP) and Jim McCormish, both of whom were presidents before me, and I was on the board serving with them. They ran IAZ during a difficult time, but their commitment to serving the Institute and their dedication inspired me. I picked up a lot from them and the ideas we shared on the board.

When I took up office, I found that some of the ideas we had discussed and that I had thought were not possible to implement due to the economic environment they served under, I was able to implement. I came in in 2012 when things were a bit more stable, and I thought it was time to bring some life into the institute. We had not had architectural conferences for years, so with the help of my team— excellent board members—we revived the architectural conferences. I’m glad to say that from the time I reintroduced them, we had successful conferences, and they continue to be successful to this day.

My tenure was very insightful and involved. There is a lot of commitment required when you’re president, and it can be quite demanding, but I enjoyed it. It gave me opportunities to interact with nearly all the architects, colleagues in the industry, engineering and construction contractors, and a few corporates. It was challenging at times but always interesting.

I was also the first female chairperson of the board since it was enacted in 1975, so it was a huge responsibility. The position came with significant responsibility, which I enjoyed, and I learned a lot. It helped me serve my council and having had that position always lurks at the back of my mind. I’m almost a de facto chairperson in the way I do things, though I make it a point not to overstep boundaries.

Q: Sustainability has become a crucial aspect of modern architecture. How do you incorporate sustainable practices into your projects, particularly in the context of Zimbabwe and Africa?

A: Sustainability is a very topical issue now and for the future. In our practice, we make an effort to maximise the use of local materials and ensure contractors source them locally. We focus on using these materials as much as possible and design building forms to optimise natural ventilation and lighting. This approach reduces fossil fuel use and minimises mechanical ventilation, leveraging Zimbabwe’s favourable climatic conditions. We also pay special attention to recycling and waste management, incorporating greywater systems and water harvesting where feasible.

Solar energy is another key component of our strategy. Depending on the project’s size and scope, we aim to introduce solar farms with the potential to feed into the national grid eventually.

Additionally, we emphasize on vegetation and microclimatic controls, utilizing water features and greening the environment as much as possible to enhance the landscape.

Q: How have advancements in technology, such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) and 3D printing, influenced your architectural practice? How do you feel about these new tools in general?

A: BIM technology has a positive contribution to the architectural practice in terms of project performance, accuracy, and reduced errors where there’s repetition. It streamlines the design to the construction planning process and project management, improving collaboration and communication with different stakeholders such as Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, and Contractors.

It’s a very positive attribute to the digital transformation of the construction industry which we have adopted in our day-to-day architectural practice. However, due to the project program time-line management, has lessened the architects’ artistic approach of free-hand sketching.

One comes up with an idea, draws a couple of sketches quickly, and straight onto the computer. So instead of pushing through with the free hand ideas and seeing the options that you have by free hand, one quickly migrates to the computer. That’s reducing the free-flowing freehand artistic approach. I would say that’s the downside of it.

However, in my architectural office, we have incorporated the use of iPads and tablets, which has allowed the design team to enhance their artistic approach of freehand sketching on a digital scale.

Q: You have received numerous awards throughout your career. Which recognition has meant the most to you and why?

A: The awards I received were lovely and unexpected surprises. The first one was the ZNCC Women in Enterprise award. When they asked for my CV, I sent it without thinking much about it, and then I went to the event and found that I was nominated for first runner-up. In the following year, they asked me again, and I won in the construction category, which was great. In my view, there were some notable brands I recognized and had seen out there that could have qualified to receive the award.

So, it was gratifying to be chosen for these awards. Then the Institute of Architects Award, recognized my tenure as president. Being recognized by fellow architects for what I contributed to the office of the president was extremely gratifying as well because I was representing some really intelligent, smart, and creative professionals, and they recognized my contribution to the fraternity as having some significant impact. That was pleasing, hence I’m very grateful.

Q: Congratulations on being on African Columns’ Top 50 Architects list. How do you feel about that one?

A: I received an email from Tom Ravenscourt, who introduced himself as a co-author of an R.I.B.A. book that they wanted to publish on global women architects. At the time of introducing himself, he was confirming if the building he saw in the Institute of Architects Yearbook was ours, to which I confirmed.
He said he found the building interesting and wanted to interview me about my architectural inspiration. That’s how that selection came about.
The feeling of being recognized as a woman architect who was making some impact on the architectural landscape was phenomenal. It really was a lovely and wonderful surprise.

Q: Are there any upcoming projects or initiatives that you are particularly excited about and can share with us?
A: I am always excited about new work, regardless of the scale. However, due to client confidentiality, I can’t share specifics until projects are completed and clients are comfortable with publicity. What I can tell you is, we treat every project, big or small, with the same level of attention and detail.

Q: What emerging trends in architecture do you foresee having a significant impact on the African architectural landscape in the next decade?
A: Just like everything else, architecture hasn’t been spared from AI. The world is now a global village. Design trends from the Western world, Eastern world, and beyond are creeping into our African context. However, I still believe that the African landscape has much to offer from its own basics of understanding architecture.

In urban areas, there seems to be a proliferation of architectural work, but on a larger scale, it’s still a far cry from what it could be. Architectural opportunities in Zimbabwe, let alone Africa are so many as we have not even scratched the surface. We are still on the margins of showcasing our impressions of vertical developments and their necessity on the African landscape. There are a lot of opportunities to develop solutions for our landscape that integrate both the growing communities and uphold the beautiful environment.

Technological advancements are coming to schools of architecture, where students are quickly moving from learning design principles to dealing with smart buildings and advanced technology. Yet, the economic environment presents challenges. Developers might be able to afford these new technologies, but the market they serve often cannot.

We’re stuck between meeting new architectural trends and smart technologies while still catering to basic needs. The world doesn’t stop while we wait to address these basics. So, there’s a fine balance to be struck between adopting trends and providing architectural solutions that respond to the population’s needs.

We’re in a very interesting phase of transition in the next decade. It will be cutthroat, requiring designers to consider the environment, the market, and technological advancements. Balancing all these factors is crucial.

Q: Reflecting on your career, what key pieces of advice would you give to young, aspiring architects entering this profession?

A: Looking at my career journey, I would say that what’s of critical importance is maintaining professionalism, knowing your product, and knowing when to take the time to think about what you’re proposing, especially when you’re on-site and brainstorming ideas. It’s essential to understand how to create something that can be constructed.

The canvas is vast. Don’t be afraid to push the boundaries in terms of design, but ensure that what you’re putting on paper can be translated into a structure that will stand the test of time. Safety is paramount, as are aesthetics and buildability. I encourage young architects, especially those who come through my office, to explore as much as possible when they’re just starting out. Travel, and see different architectural styles and environments, because every environment influences your architectural vocabulary.

Understand your environment, go out, explore, and have fun in the process, but always maintain your professional integrity. In this new era of sustainable designs, study what works, learn from precedents, and think about how you can improve on them. There’s a lot more for youngsters, especially with this technology that’s now readily available to them. Literally, the world is their oyster.

Text: Farai Chaka

From: S&D ISSUE 68