Daniel Maggs Architects is an architecture practice based in Cape Town, South Africa.
The practice opened in 1998, and our work includes a range of different typologies . The core being Residential, we have also worked on Offices, Industrial, Cultural, Commercial and Institutional Projects.
We design new buildings, remodel existing structures and do master plans, working within a wide spectrum of budgets.
Architecture that is both contemporary and refers to historical precedent.
We have a love for Architecture and the uncovering of latent potential in each individual site, its ongoing development and refinement through the application of architectural languages.
Buildings that are both functional and poetic, with rich and engaging spaces.
Our focus is on making architecture with attention to the timeless, solid underlying principals that make good buildings. We take a holistic approach, involving a comprehensive assessment of context, environment, space, light, materials and form.
We design well-crafted and carefully detailed buildings which are practical and robust, require less maintenance and therefore age gracefully.
We pay attention to the climatic responses so that buildings require less energy, are naturally comfortable and use green principals and technology in a sensible way.
Buildings should function efficiently, happily and substantially improve and enhance the quality of the inhabitants daily lives.
Our approach is dedicated to the Client, we are accessible and collaborative.
Careful analysis of the client’s needs and the specific building program are made at the start of each project. Decisions are made through consultation and consensus with our clients, building contractors, other professionals and specialists.
These relationships often last years, even decades, as projects are built in phases, according to budget or developmental programs.
Therefore our focus is on long term relationships, and we have a successful record of client-architect relationships.
We also work on a collaborative basis with other Architectural practices and Building Industry Professionals to accommodate larger scale projects.
This has the advantage to the client of having experienced professionals seeing the project through from start to finish with more immediate and focused attention, avoiding the inefficiencies of bigger practices.
To sum up, follows a list of some of our primary concerns when making and designing buildings:
Dedicated, accessible professional service
Collaborative approach
Analysis of client’s needs
Careful and thorough site analysis
Spatially driven design
Ease of use & functionality
Efficient planning and structural design
Careful detailing for robust construction
Technical soundness
Budgetary constraint
Spatial landscape
Sensitivity to site and place
Expressive use of materials & light
Considered climatic response
Sustainability and sensible use of Green systems and technology
Sensitivity to future maintenance
Use of established and new technologies
Innovation
Pleasure and ease of use
Delight, poetics
Analysis of historical precedent
Analysis of past, present and future – lessons
Development of a rich and enabling architectural language
Ongoing learning and refinement of approach
People
DMA would like to acknowledge and thank all the wonderful people we have had the good fortune to interact with over the years, learn from and establish working relationships with, from Clients to Contractors and Building Industry Specialists to Staff.
Staff current and past – DMA is fortunate to have, and had excellent people working in the office displaying talent, skill, dedication and integrity.
Carlyle Henry
Nicole Hammerschmidt
Natalie Gaertner
Astrid von Brucken
Rory Allen
Daniel Maggs, principal architect.
