Page 19 - Landscape-Issue159

PERSONALITY PROFILE

MENNO KLAPWIJK

Landscape architect Menno Klapwijk grew up on a farm in the mountains
surrounding Tzaneen, in the Lowveld. As a young boy he wanted to be a game
ranger and later, a geologist. After matriculating he joined Goldfields Mining as an
underground surveyor but after several close accidents, he decided that mining life

was not for him.

e then spent a year doing national
service, but was still undecided
Habout a career. He happened to read
an article about a landscape architectural
degree course being offered at the University
of Pretoria and arranged an interview with
Willem van Riet, one of the lecturers. He had
no idea what landscape architecture was all
about but by the end of the interview he was
“won over, and the rest is history!”

Please give details on your studies
I started my studies at Tuks in 1978. In those
days it was a four-year degree with great
emphasis on environmental related studies
and design. Willem van Riet, who had
studied under Ian McHarg, together with
Ken Tinley, taught us landscape analysis and
this has been my point of departure for all
my projects.
I spent most holidays working as a student
for various practitioners such as Sutton,
Dayson & De Villiers, Farrel & Van Riet,
and the Transvaal Department of Nature
Conservation under Henry Lith. Sani Pass Bridge 1 after construction and rehabilitation
In 1980, Dr Chris Mulder returned from the
USA after completing his studies. I jumped at environmental projects and I concentrated
the chance to work for him at CMAI and was on the design projects.
soon exposed to some amazing projects. In 2000 we formed a separate company
He took a chance with me and offered me a called Bapela Cave Klapwijk. I had been
bursary to complete my studies at the A&M working with Clive Bapela for several years
University in Texas, USA. This experience lit a and we thought it a good idea to join
fire under me as I was exposed to many of forces. Clive focussed mainly on community
the great landscape architects in America consultation. We continued with both
such as Ian McHarg, Bill Swain, Grant Jones, companies as many of our projects were
Lane Marshall and many others. I ended up still under the CKA label.
with a five year degree which gave me the In 2011 Alan moved to Wilderness from
best of both worlds – the environmental side where he ran the CKA office and I managed
from Tuks and the practical design side from the BCK office. Clive and I went our separate
A&M. ways in 2017 as he was also employed by
During this time, I worked for Don Austin the state, which prohibited us from doing
of EDAW fame at Austin and Landfair. After any government work.
graduating, I returned to South Africa and
continued working at CMAI until 1988. Landscape architect Menno Klapwijk Which projects stand out in your
In 1986 I completed a diploma in mind, and what made them
environmental assessment techniques at special for you?
the UCT Graduate School of Business. Bernie both been on the Board of Control for The first project that made an impression
Oberholzer was one of my lecturers who Landscape Architects and worked well on me was a small courtyard Johan de
further impressed on me the need to be able together. For several years we worked Villiers made me design for the Badplaas
to ‘read the landscape’. out of Alan’s house until we could afford resort while I was still a first year student. He
to buy a separate house in Hatfield, had it constructed exactly as I designed it,
Please give a brief history of Pretoria. The company grew rapidly and and this gave me huge satisfaction - seeing
your company, when it started, soon we had a staff complement of seven something that I had mentally conceived
developments and changes over landscape architects. A lot of our work being turned into reality. That feeling of
the years. was for the Department of Water Affairs satisfaction still happens to me today!
I joined up with Alan Cave in 1989 to form as environmental planners on dams and While working at CMAI, I was the project
Cave Klapwijk and Associates. We had pipelines. Alan focussed more on the leader for the planning of the Songimvelo

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