ARCHITECTURE
driving through the forest reveals only the road and the canopy high above. The lack of perspective relative to the sky creates a distinct spatial sensation due to the scale. This principle applies to the design of largescale structures.
The proportion of the relationship between earth, building and sky is crucial for comprehending the building’ s mass and the large envelope it requires to shelter and fulfil its function. Achieving this becomes challenging in confined urban environments, where stepping back and establishing a connection between these physical and visual elements is rare. Architects have employed the principle of the relationship between the earth and man-made structures, known as opera de mano( man-made) and opera de natura( nature), to create this spatial connection in buildings and urban spaces.
By placing a man-made structure on a textured or natural plinth, the human mind draws a connection to our historical ancestry, which we can relate to. Applying this principle to large-scale buildings involves considering an unplastered masonry wall around the perimeter. This serves as both a scale reference and a practical maintenance consideration. Rainwater often drips and splashes against exposed building surfaces, necessitating regular cleaning or painting.
As industrial building typologies have evolved, architects have become increasingly aware of the spatial challenges and scales that humans encounter, sharing our ergonomics with those of trucks, forklifts, pallets, and racks. This has led to increasingly sensitive yet bold buildings that have moved beyond the“ simple warehouse” structures of the past.
The plinth mediates between ground and structure, grounding the building in a human-scaled experience.
About the writer
John Carter, Company Director of Bespoke Architects( www. bespokearchitects. co. za), has more than 18 years’ experience in the built environment as an architect, as well as work in design, construction, and business.
His academic roots lie in the University of the Free State, where he graduated with a Magister degree in Architecture. Since then, he has established himself in Mbombela in Mpumalanga, and recently opened a second office in Stellenbosch to better serve the agri-processing sector there.
The company has experience in many building typologies, ranging from residential and hospitality to commercial and retail. In recent years, the practice has entrenched itself in agriculture with the development of packhouses, food processing facilities, cold storage, and logistics centres.
Email john @ bespokearchitects. co. za or connect with him on LinkedIn at www. linkedin. com / in / john-carter-b1a97655 /
32 winter 2026 | www. tobuild. co. za