About Alistair Drummond Architects
Alistair Drummond Architects is a small practice based in Cape Town since 1999.
After returning from Singapore where I worked for a well-known Australian international architectural firm, Kerry Hill Architects, I consulted to various architectural practices in Cape Town before forming Alistair Drummond Architects.
Being a small architectural firm, my work is mostly residential but has included schools and commercial work. On bigger projects, I work in collaboration with other Architectural practices. My work includes new buildings, and remodeling of existing structures within a given budget.
I am personally involved in all aspects of the projects, overseeing all design & detailing. I am passionate about being part of the building process & take great pleasure in seeing projects evolve. I have always enjoyed designing & making things, from a very young age, and this passion is reflected in what I do today. I have a love for architecture & the detailing that is involved in each project. A good building must be well detailed, functional & comfortable, and improve our everyday lives.
My work is diverse, my design embracing a range of architectural styles. I believe that buildings should be timeless & enhance the environment we live in.
Although I am very passionate about contemporary architecture, I have always enjoyed the combination of the historic/vernacular with a modern influence. I like to maintain the street scape as per the Heritage of Municipal guidelines. A fair amount of my work has been in Heritage areas, resulting in the design often being a compromise between modern and heritage/historical, to meet the requirements of conservation bodies.
Materials: The use of natural materials is an important aspect of my design, but applied in a minimalist way. The choice of materials needs to be carefully thought through, particularly under the harsh conditions of the South African climate. Using the right materials cleverly, in an environmentally friendly way, & applying green principles, can help to make a building function efficiently.
I like to work closely with my clients, ensuring that the architect-client-builder relationship leads to the optimum design and build.