A building in Sandton, Johannesburg’s financial center, will become the tallest in Africa when it opens later this year.
The team of architects that managed the construction was female-led, with nine of the 11 positions performed by women. This unusual fact — the South African Institute of Architects in the Eastern Cape estimates that only 21% of the country’s registered architects are women — went unnoticed until a photo was taken late in the project.
“I think there’s this preconception of females not being able to be in that sort of environment.”
Over the course of the project, she came into contact with roughly 2,000 workers, the great majority of whom were men. She says she faced sexism, but believes she helped to overturn people’s prejudice.
She added, “I really had to work hard to prove myself. It takes some personality. I really had to step up and speak out — make sure that I was being heard by the men.”
Referring to the Pinnacle in Nairobi, Kenya, and the Mohammed VI Tower near Rabat, Morocco, he said, “Being the tallest [building] in Africa at this time is quite interesting, because we know of several other buildings that are being built that far exceed the one that we’ve just completed.”
He added, “I think that to a certain extent we’re hoping the success of the development itself will demonstrate that it’s possible to reach for the stars and achieve them.”