Architect and Builder June/July 2019 | Page 51

Architects in Association (AiA) has developed a new concept of professional practice. It is one where architects form a fluid association on a project to project basis, thus cutting overheads of conventional offices by working from small spaces and often from their homes. They collaborate in the Cloud and via an engaging 3-dimensional experience they can ‘conspire’ with their clients to develop virtual concepts into lived experiences. “From the Cloud to the Ground” is AiA’s motto. This was the founding principle in the translation Lion's Pride of interactive design ideas into the actual striking new building for UDEC & Neurospine in Paarl. The Building In Context (The Ground): The site’s fixes and constraints include a narrow panhandle access route from the East, a stream/ wetland along the Northern and North-western boundary, a 15m setback along this interface and a 1:50 year flood line. These factors resulted in a low coverage of 810m 2 on the 4,020m 2 site (20%). The site was prepared by Lema Civils. 51