Timber iQ February - March 2020 // Issue: 48 | Page 48

PERSONALITY PROFILE
Not only was the competition a career highlight, but it was
also a fantastic learning experience for Jooste. She walked
away with a lot of knowledge about timber construction
which she could apply in her career. “It has enabled me to
achieve a broader perspective of timber, to experience it for
myself first-hand and to be inspired on how successful it is
to design with timber.” Timber’s natural habitat, production,
manufacturing and designing with timber are among the
many details she learnt about timber construction in the
Czech Republic. “A timber house is not just another house;
it has the ability to create an atmosphere that is far greater
than one’s imagination. I now understand why Pavel Horák
fell in love with timber and the inspiration to design with this
beautiful material,” she adds.
TIMBER ARCHITECTURE AND THE
ENVIRONMENT
According to Jooste, the most common misconceptions
about timber are that it rots, sound acoustics are low, and it
has a low fire resistance. “After being able to see
successfully completed projects in the Czech Republic, it
was interesting to see how the architects design in such a
way as to provide solutions to these misconceptions just
like we do in South Africa,” she explains.
Despite these and other misconceptions such as durability
and deforestation, Jooste believes that timber has the
possibility to bring something fresh, authentic and beautiful
to the building industry. “Not only does timber have a
number of sustainable characteristics, but it holds so much
more. It provides beautiful aesthetic qualities, creates an
emotional connection by feeling grounded, natural and part
of nature, it provides good quality environmental qualities
and it creates a mentally and physically healthy
environment.”
Although there is a lot of potential for beautiful designs
through timber construction, Jooste feels it is important that
careful consideration is given to the environment. “Although
many architects have started to change the way they design
to create a smaller carbon footprint value, I still believe more
changes need to be made.” She explains that using a
natural material such as wood is ideal for creating a more
sustainable environment. “Every project is unique and we as
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designers need to be sensible on how we approach a
project. I believe starting to consider designing more with
timber is a good way to create a better living environment
which also contributes to the environment.”
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?
As a young South African architect, Jooste has become
passionate about challenging the normal way of thinking. “I
believe as an architect you have to challenge yourself to
think differently and be open to alternative building materials
and the way one designs a home,” she says. In addition,
she emphasises her love for timber construction because of
its unique characteristics.
One of her future aspirations is to set up her own practice
specialising in timber construction. She has even thought of
creating a concept house whereby potential clients can get
first-hand experience of a timber building. “In the near future
I would love to consider timber in low-cost housing and how
to improve the quality of lives for communities who do not
have the ability or means to afford a home for themselves,”
she adds.
“Be original, go back to basics and be yourself.” That’s the
advice Jooste has for anyone considering a career as an
architect. In her view, everyone in the architecture industry
has something unique to bring to timber construction. She
believes South Africa requires different innovative thinkers
to bring different perspectives, ideas and challenges
together to create a better solution for timber construction
in South Africa.
She believes that building designers have a responsibility to
make a home sustainable and adding positivity to the
environment – which is possible through CLT construction.
Quoting the words of Chinese writer and philosopher
Lao-tze, ‘Clay makes the pot, but the essence of the pot is
the space within; walls make the house, but the essence of
the house are the spaces within,’ – Jooste believes that the
quote emanates with the essence of CLT construction. “Not
only does CLT construction provide a beautiful shell of the
building, but it also celebrates the spaces within and
radiates the true quality of timber and the many advantages
of it,” Jooste concludes.
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