Timber iQ August - September 2020 // Issue: 50 August - September 2020 | Page 31

Everyone needs to
By Benjamin Brits
PERSONALITY PROFILE
experience a wooden home
With a passion for the experience that timber offers, architectural technologist
and timber-product designer, Jacques Cronje, began his career in Knysna –
where most of the pioneers in South Africa’s timber industry started.
Cronje kicked off his career by qualifying with a BSc in
building management. Although from an early age he
had keen interest in timber, this was frowned upon at
the time in the construction world (being the late 80s). He
recalls even wanting to do his final year thesis on timber
construction but was recommended not to do so by his
thesis supervisor.
HOW THINGS STARTED OUT
After obtaining his degree, Cronje opted to head off to the United
Kingdom, and gain some work experience. On his return to South
Africa, it was purely by chance that a friend was building a timber
house for a client, and he was invited to help out.
Taking up that opportunity, Cronje started with the surveying and
setting out , but soon realised he wanted to stay on. He took up the
initiative and bought some tools and continued with the carpentry
work and saw through to the completion of the house. It was at this
point that he realised that this was where he was meant to be, what
he wanted to do with his life.
“At that time there were very few companies specialising in timber
buildings, and most were based in Knysna, so I went to see two
companies there and was fortunately offered a position, and so I
relocated,” says Cronje.
From then on, Cronje held various positions at different companies,
from drawing and designs to construction management and
consulting in timber construction. He was involved in a number of
highly successful builds locally and internationally. Through his
various roles he obtained certification as a senior architectural
technologist which lead to the cross-over into the architectural world
in his career, and this also opened up a niche opportunity as not many
architects had been designing with wood back then.
JACQUES CRONJE
Jacques Cronje has been working in the timber industry since the late 80s.
www.timberiq.co.za // AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2020 29