Build@ KINGWOOD

New construction era with ease of compliance and broad future vision

Being a native of Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha) is not the only thing Kingswood’s new Building and Architectural Compliance Manager Andries Wolmarans has in common with precursor Dan de Wet. When taking over the reins on 19 January, Dan clinched his decades-long service at Kingswood by ensuring that Andries knows the ropes.

This settling-in period was helpful in the KGE context, but Andries came armed with an arsenal of experience to prepare him for the task at hand. After matriculating at Andrew Rabie High, he gained diplomas in IT programming and mechanical draughting, among others.

Andries attained his B-Tech in Architectural Technology at NMU in the years to follow. He then established himself as business owner leading architectural teams, overseeing technical documentation, and fostering strong working relationships with engineers, contractors, and municipal authorities.

Lured to the Route

Andries and his young family relocated to the Garden Route two and a half years ago. Having established his business AWDesigns Pty Ltd in April 2020, Andries got word of an opportunity in George some four years later. ‘A friend in the area had given my name to a local recruitment company.

Soon after, I was contacted by the firm responsible for projects such as Le Grand Estate on the outskirts of George. ‘When they got in touch to check if I would be available to work for them, it didn’t take long to decide. We negotiated our terms and, when learning what was on offer, it made perfect sense to swap the Eastern for the Southern Cape.

Two years later, opportunity knocked, and now I am part of the Kingswood family.’ Andries has been intricately involved with HOAs of estates where he worked as architectural technician, such as Crossways in PE and Hartland in Mossel Bay. So there’s no dearth of experience here.

At KGE, he serves less in an architectural capacity but works closely with members of the estate’s design review committee. Another change is that Andries’s predecessor, Dan, during his memorable career at Kingswood, handled security and maintenance while also overseeing the estate’s natural resources, including the famous springbok herd.

‘My focus is primarily on architectural guidelines, building compliance, and new submissions. In fact, when starting with Dan overseeing my first weeks in the saddle, I suffered a mini-identity crisis: after doing something for 15 to 20 years, you face a completely new work dynamic.

Suddenly I wasn’t sitting designing buildings anymore! ‘In architecture, nothing happens overnight – typically, a project would stretch over eight months minimum. In my current position, there are more tasks but shorter timeframes. Issues get resolved much faster, so it’s just a case of getting into the habit. Fortunately, I’m supported by a very efficient team.’

Guidance a joint effort

Every second week, there’s a gathering of the estate’s Design Review Committee when Andries is joined by fellow members CEO Willem Jacobs, trustee Fielies Nieuwoudt, and architects Virgil Townsend and Lindy Bekker to thrash out issues at hand.

‘What we discuss depends on each individual case, and feedback is provided by the committee before we revert to the owner or contractor. When dealing with new submissions, we must check whether approval has been granted before sitting down with the architect or homeowner.

It’s a question of “this is the plan, is it possible?” ‘The estate’s architectural guidelines have evolved from the old Cape Vernacular style, which has now been given a modern twist. These guidelines have also expanded in terms of regulations pertaining to wind turbines and artificial lawns, for instance.’

Andries says they look at the whole package. Percentages of hard and soft landscaping must be checked before a house-completion certificate can be issued. ‘Most people want to adjust the rules a bit, but many forget that the development of the estate is subject to an Environmental and Landscaping Management Plan approved by the relevant local authority.

Plant species must be chosen according to stringent environmental guidelines, and certain areas may not be disturbed at all. ‘If we’re not strict in this regard, it has a negative impact in the long run. We can’t flex the rules around hard and soft landscaping when keeping the big picture in mind. It’s hard to say no, but better than agreeing to something that you’d later need to retract.’

Don’t take it personally

Grey areas abound in many of these cases, which is why discussion is essential. ‘It could be very subjective if not discussed with all parties involved. We are trying to avoid owners getting confused when receiving different opinions.

Our design guidelines don’t only impact the people around your property, but the entire estate. ‘Our aim is to be fair, seeing each case in its own context and then comparing individual circumstances. There’s also a positive spin: first meetings often involve complaints, but when the same owners return to discuss additions or alterations, they know that we’ll do our best to help them.

‘Please don’t take it personally – we must stick to these rules for the benefit of everyone on the estate. Saying no is not a fun part of the job, but we motivate these decisions when addressing the many homeowners and builders we deal with daily.’

Some accidents have positive outcomes

Shifting the focus from hard labour to the homefront, Andries says they are happily ensconced in their Fraaiuitsig abode. Wife Melanie works in building insurance, and their kids aged four and six attend Hartenbos Primary School.

When asked about the couple’s shared history, he chuckles about the coincidence that brought them together: ‘I first met Melanie in a sports bar in PE, then never laid eyes on her for a year. When a mutual friend was involved in an accident, I saw her again at the hospital.’ The rest, as they say, is history. ‘We try spending as much time as possible with the kids, going to the beach and visiting local markets.’

But there’s no rest for the wicked, so Andries often finds himself having to wrap up architectural projects he’d championed before taking up the Kingswood job. ‘Sometimes on a Sunday after church, I’ll have to attend a meeting where, as main designer, the sketch phase of a house has to be discussed with a client. I would like to get to a point where I can just switch off on weekends, but I’m forever trying to figure out what the future of architecture holds.’

Five-year future vision

When asked about plans in the pipeline for the KGE Building and Compliance department, Andries says he’s aiming to put new systems in place, with admin classification a priority. But upgrading to a fully electronic system will take time and manpower. ‘Building plans in our archives are mostly in hardcopy format.

The first part of the process will involve scanning these documents to digitalise that vast library of information so that it’s electronically accessible. In five years’ time it should be attained. Finally, our goal is to integrate an app where owners can access everything from an erf’s history to size and other specs, with all documentation available online.

This is a long-term dream that I hope to see realised.’ Andries can be reached during office hours on 0861 72 71 70.