Design:
Our design philosophy is based on realistic, achievable and budget-conscious proposals, delivered with flair and efficiency. This approach is applied at every stage and level, whether it’s a concept sketch or an on-site final detail.
Greg cut his teeth as the principal designer for Grinaker Projects, Gail Hodgson Architects, Shepherd and Shepherd, Netcare/Clinic Holdings, Sandra Weder Design, Bor Properties and several more, as well as leading architecture project teams on major projects for Irvine Smith, Murray and Roberts and Meyer Pienaar, before establishing his own practice in 1995.
The initial focus was on up-market residential, with over 40 houses in Dainfern, 25 in Hurlingham Manor and Lyme Park, 15 in Benmore Gardens and dozens more across Gauteng, including estates, low-cost and high-density projects. Together with long-time associate and partner Peter Hesselberg, they formed the two-man project team for Stassmed (later Netcare) and designed, documented and oversaw the construction of 4 new hospitals and major extensions to 12 more.
Since 1999, Greg has lived and practiced in the Western Cape, with the emphasis now on the wine industry. He has designed and built 3 new wineries and consulted at various levels for many more. He completed his Cape Wine Master diploma in 2000, with the thesis topic “Winery Design Principles in the Cape Wine Industry”.
Consulting to the Wine Industry:
This practice recognises the unique role of a winery. It is both a production facility and a corporate statement with a powerful public image. In the wine industry, more than anywhere else, we celebrate and emphasise the synergy between these basic industrial processes and the desirable places they inhabit. Good winery design strives for the right balance between the two.
Effective design of a wine-making facility requires intimate knowledge of the whole industry, from farming the vines and making the wine to building a viable business model, branding and marketing the finished product. These complex and diverse options are constantly changing and today’s trend can easily be tomorrow’s industry joke.
Greg de Bruyn has the unique dual qualification of Architect and Cape Wine Master, with extensive experience in designing, establishing and managing wine estates, giving him a well-informed perspective of the challenges that face a client entering this field.
Construction management
On small to medium-sized projects, we offer a turn-key design-and-build service from inception to final hand-over, turning any client into a successful owner-builder. This money-saving option by-passes the conventional process of tendering and contracting. It has multiple benefits, with the original designer in daily supervision of both the works and the budget. It offers contractual security, precise financial management and flexiblitiy throughout the project. This service is only available in the Helderberg and Stellenbosch area.