Abre Crafford

Biography

Abre joined the Department of Architecture at the University of Pretoria in January 2017, after participating as a part-time studio lecturer for KON 320 in the tumultous last half of 2016. He has been a regular external examiner for the postgraduate and MTech degrees at UP and TUT since 2004. Abre has been a member of the professional organisations for architects since 1982 and is a past chairman of the SAIA Internet Committee. He acted as a panellist for the Pretoria Institute for Architecture Awards in 2014. He was one of the core members of the project team that implemented the poverty-relief projects for SANParks between 2002 and 2006. These projects were funded by the then Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism via the Special Public Projects fund that fosters rural social empowerment and advancement. The projects allowed Crafford & Crafford to incorporate their previous research on designing for National Parks in leading-edge designs for ecotourism. Designs were geared towards enriching the direct and authentic experience of nature and culture through innovative materials and climatic responses. Several of the camps were designed around traditional social structures found around the park, thus enabling social interaction between staff and different tour groups.

Research Interest

History of Art, Architectural Engineering, Industrial Design