Aevitas was founded in 2013. We are a commercial architecture practice with extensive experience in office, retail, residential, leisure and mixed-use developments of all scales. We are passionate about what we do and have developed a unique set of skills in balancing the commercial, design and technical aspects of a project. We focus on solutions and are driven by a purpose to create buildings that improve people’s lives.
ABOUT US
Our Four Guiding Principles
We Are Commercial
We love numbers as much as we love design. Because of this, we have developed an in-depth understanding of what makes a scheme feasible. We approach each project by understanding the Client’s expectations. We look at the sector and region in which we are operating and start to form an idea of how to balance financial returns, long-term value and overall impact of the project.
We then draw on our spatial awareness and problem-solving abilities to understand the site and how to get the most out of it. Regardless of the project budget, we have a passion for efficiency and we hate waste. This is the foundation that we lay on every project and experience has shown us that once we get this right, we have the freedom to be more creative.
We Are Innovative
We have a passion for form and space. We love to explore different aesthetics and whether we are designing progressive or traditional forms, our buildings are all rooted in user-centric spaces. We love to create buildings that are integrated into their context and often find that the magic happens not in the building itself but in the spaces it creates – on both an urban and interior scale.
But our innovation extends beyond form and space. Whether we are designing to live, work or play, we like to explore the principles of how people behave and how behaviour is changing. We believe that the buildings we create should have the ability not only to adapt to changing behaviour but to inform it for the better.
We Are Courageous
When we are commissioned to take part in a project, we approach it with a courageous, adventurous and entrepreneurial spirit. Whether we are designing for innovation or refining a tried and tested formulae, we see courage as core to creating buildings of real value.
We combine this with a rigorous and continuous focus on one question: “What is in the best interests of the project?” This is shown clearly in our conduct where we invest enormous amounts of energy to ensure the optimal outcome for the project with equal emphasis on design, quality, cost and programme.
We Are Responsible
We are aware that the work we do has significant financial, environmental and social implications. As architects, we are the custodians – not only of the building process but of the end product which will stand for decades and have a material impact on the built environment. We take this responsibility seriously.
The word “Aevitas” is of Latin origin and means both “of an era” as well as “unending” or “timeless”. We chose this name for our company because we recognised our responsibility to both the people of our time as well as our responsibility to the generations to come.
International Project Experience
We have worked on projects in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe. We understand what it means to collaborate across borders and we are respectful of the unique nuances of each jurisdiction in which we are invited to work. We love the growth that comes from unique perspectives and we use these perspectives to inform the built product.
Where We Have Worked
South Africa, Mozambique, Mauritius, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, UAE, Netherlands, Serbia, Georgia, Cyprus, India
Leadership
Luke Chandler is the founder and owner of Aevitas.
He graduated from the Wits School of Architecture with distinction in 2004 and also attended Wits Business School. After living and working as an architect for a brief period in London he returned to South Africa.
In 2006 he joined one of the largest and oldest commercial architecture practices in Africa where he worked as Lead Designer on large scale projects of varying types. In 2008 he was promoted to Director and served on the Board for 5 years until he left to start his own practice.
Aevitas was founded in 2013.
Luke is passionate about both business and design in the building industry. He loves solving problems in unique and creative ways and believes that the best solutions are born out of a holistic understanding and integration of client, contextual and end-user interests.