For over a decade, Guangzhou Design Week has never ceased its dialogue and exchange between Chinese design and world-leading design philosophies. The International Design Dialogue (IDD) has established an annual operational framework centered around four core content pillars—Dialoguing with Masters, Discovering New Voices, Selecting Masterpieces, and Leading Strategy/Origin—supported by four major activity systems: Leading Release, Leading Think Feast, Leading Ceremony, and Leading Magic Camp, alongside a annual Host City program. This comprehensive system is dedicated to fostering dialogue, exchange, and development between world-leading design and Chinese design.
Dialoguing With Masters To Follow The Leading
IDD will identify and honor "IDD Design Masters of the Year" by nominating leading figures or institutions from around the world who have made significant achievements, practices, and contemplations in the field of design. This process involves collaboration with leading Chinese and international design institutions, organizations, and media. Throughout the year, IDD engages these Masters through interviews, speech forums, and other formats to delve into their thoughts. These interactions are curated into specialized interview features and other content, which are subsequently disseminated and showcased through leading communication platforms and channels both in China and abroad. The ultimate goal is to gather and share leading global design philosophies, hoping to inspire the renewal and development of the design industry in China and beyond.
In this issue, we step into SAOTA, one of South Africa's most acclaimed architectural firms, for a dialogue with Stefan Antoni, Philip Olmesdahl, and Greg Truen, exploring the forward-thinking mindset behind this internationally renowned architectural practice.
Stefan Antoni & Philip Olmesdahl & Greg Truen, SAOTA Founder
Q&A SAOTA
Q1: SAOTA is widely recognized as a benchmark for design leadership within the industry. In the context of your over three decades of practice, what does true "leadership" signify? Is it the pioneering of new technologies, the introduction of subversive concepts, or the influence that paves new pathways for the industry? For designers aspiring to transition from a local to an international stage, what do you consider to be the most critical step?
A1:
SAOTA: At SAOTA, we view leadership as an ongoing responsibility to question, evolve, and influence. Over nearly four decades, this has meant being responsive to change while helping to shape it. Leadership isn’t just about technology or radical ideas; it’s about raising the standard for what architecture can achieve spatially, culturally, and experientially.
We’ve remained deeply rooted in our South African context while developing a design language with global relevance. Authentic leadership is not about spectacle but clarity of vision, purpose, and execution. Architecture should expand how we live. At its best, it makes life better. For us, the most critical step toward international success was developing a design voice that retained its specificity. Global relevance doesn’t mean diluting your work, but from amplifying its uniqueness. Our South African perspective became our bridge to the world.
Equally important is operational readiness. Working across time zones and cultures demands strong systems from project delivery to communication. Our early investment in cloud platforms and processes helped us grow internationally long before remote work became the norm. Lastly, we’ve built lasting relationships across cultures and disciplines. These collaborations have brought new depth and meaning to our work in varied contexts. The shift from local to global is not just geographic, it’s a shift in mindset, capability, and intent.
Q2: We are continually struck by the impact of the Kloof Road House in Cape Town. At a time when constructing a residence on a steep slope was deemed highly challenging, how did you transform this perceived disadvantage into an asset? Which previously held assumptions did this project challenge, and what innovative directions has it set for global mountain architecture?
A2:
SAOTA: Kloof House transformed a steep and seemingly difficult site into a powerful design opportunity. Rather than seeing the slope as a constraint, we used it to shape a spatial journey through the building that mirrors a path through time. The experience unfolds vertically, creating a sequence of terraces, voids, and framed views that intensify the connection between the inhabitant and the landscape. By drawing the planted landscape back over the structure, we created a green roofscape that allows the house to disappear into the mountainside. This move offered privacy and immersion, shielding the house from the city below while opening it to the sky and horizon. In doing so, we created a sanctuary, a place of retreat that is both part of the landscape and elevated above it.
Kloof House challenged the assumption that multilevel houses on steep sites inevitably feel disconnected from their surroundings. Here, architecture and landscape are fully intertwined; garden spaces are embedded within the structure, and circulation becomes an emotional, spatial narrative. The project also introduced a deliberate relationship to the sky using roof forms and clerestory glazing to frame celestial movement, harness natural light, and draw the atmosphere deep into the home. Kloof House has become a reference for a new kind of mountain architecture, one in which topography guides experience, landscape becomes structure, and sky is treated as architectural space.
Q3: SAOTA's global works are always amazing. We are particularly curious about the key factors SAOTA will consider when selecting cooperation projects in the Chinese market. We wonder if there are any completed or ongoing projects in China at present. If it is convenient to share, how does SAOTA consider the charging standards for Chinese projects? We would be happy to connect you with partners who meet these visions.
A3:
SAOTA: We approach every project, whether in China or elsewhere, with the same guiding principle: to create architecture that responds to its environment and enriches the lives of its inhabitants. We look for opportunities with a shared commitment to design quality, contextual sensitivity, and long-term value creation. We are currently engaged in several projects in China. While we cannot share specific details now, we are excited by the potential for thoughtful, collaborative regional partnerships.
Our fee structures are tailored to the scale and complexity of each commission. Rather than applying a fixed formula, we consider the project brief, scope of involvement, technical requirements, and programmatic demands to ensure a fair and transparent basis for collaboration. Our fee structures are tailored to the scale and complexity of each commission. Rather than applying a fixed formula, we consider the project brief, scope of involvement, technical requirements, and programmatic demands to ensure a fair and transparent basis for collaboration.
About SAOTA
While the global design community remains dominated by traditional centrism, the South African architectural firm SAOTA (Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects) is establishing itself as a global benchmark for luxury residential and commercial space design through its landmark projects across the world.
Founded in 1986, SAOTA has elevated African design philosophy to the global value high ground through its pioneering exploration of the essence of nature, light, and space. With its continuous leadership in design and market value creation, it has established itself as a benchmark for international top-tier luxury residences and commercial spaces. Today, SAOTA's pioneering design vision is reaching China, a land of vibrant potential, infusing the local design ecosystem with new momentum that blends international standards with regional vitality.
From the Periphery to the Core: Elevating African Design to Global Value High Ground
In the context of the long-standing dominance of European and American design discourse, SAOTA's rise represents a declaration of "leadership." When the three founders—Stefan Antoni, Philip Olmesdahl, and Greg Truen—established the firm in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1986, they could scarcely have imagined that their studio would emerge as a paradigm for "African design conquering the world." Over more than three decades, SAOTA's dynamic growth has led to the completion of hundreds of landmark projects across over 100 countries in six continents. These projects have consistently reshaped perceptions and elevated African design to the forefront of global commercial real estate.
The luxury magazine Robb Report has ranked SAOTA's projects among the most expensive properties in Arizona. The global architecture platform Architizer has recognized SAOTA as the number one South African architectural firm. Furthermore, the prestigious awards from the World Architecture Festival (WAF) underscore its forward-looking approach. These accolades are not mere coincidences but rather the inevitable outcomes of SAOTA's design philosophy of coexistence with nature. This philosophy has etched an indelible "African Leading Mark" in the global high-end architectural domain, signifying the true emergence of a diversified global design landscape.
Design Core: A Revolutionary Exploration of the Essence of Nature, Light, and Space
SAOTA's global influence and leading position are rooted in its pioneering exploration and essential reshaping of the relationship between the core design elements of "nature," "light," and "space." Their design projects consistently focus on the interplay between indoor and outdoor landscapes, the unique textures of raw materials, and the way light imbues space with life. Capturing and manipulating light to make spaces "shine" is a core skill of SAOTA. They excel at using light to shape spatial emotions, guide the line of sight, and create dramatic effects. Founder Stefan Antoni emphasized, "Our designs are confident, strong, yet intimate. They seamlessly connect indoor and outdoor spaces and capture light in ways that make indoor spaces shine." This approach allows their works to transcend mere geometric forms, endowing them with a unique vitality and a sense of magic.
As a pioneer in spatial experience, SAOTA's design transcends mere formal aesthetics to focus on the essence of user experience. Through ingenious spatial arrangements, strategic sightline guidance, tactile materiality, and climate-responsive strategies, they craft immersive environments that are simultaneously grand and intimate, open and sheltered, modern and imbued with primal power. While others are still contemplating the potential for landscape integration, SAOTA has already established a new paradigm where the environment is central to spatial design.
Value Creation: A Leading Example of Design Driven commercial Success
SAOTA's "leadership" is not only evident in its breakthroughs in aesthetics and philosophy but is also substantiated by its formidable capacity for creating commercial value. As a benchmark in the luxury residential market, SAOTA's private home projects have consistently set new records for local real estate transaction prices. These projects are not merely dwellings but are also recognized as top-tier assets with scarcity and significant investment value. This underscores the strong alignment between SAOTA's design philosophy and the high-end market's demands, as well as its exceptional ability to translate artistic value into commercial success.
Moreover, SAOTA has not confined itself to the realm of luxury residences. Instead, it has successfully expanded its core philosophy of "coexistence of nature and architecture" to encompass a diverse range of commercial spaces, including hotels, resorts, and yacht clubs, as well as social projects such as schools and public buildings. SAOTA recognizes that spaces require not only aesthetic appeal but also a unique experiential quality and enhanced brand value.
Their designs are not merely a superficial application of symbols or a rote replication of styles. Instead, they delve deeply into the cultural essence and natural context of each project site, employing contemporary design language to achieve creative transformation. For instance, the Dubai Six Senses Resort features an innovative design that pays homage to the climate of the Arabian Peninsula and the morphology of coral reefs, earning it the prestigious GBE Forum Gold Award. Similarly, in Shenzhen Langqi Yacht Club, SAOTA skillfully reinterpreted the traditional Chinese lantern motif, resulting in a highly recognizable wave-like night scene facade.
By integrating with its sister brand ARRCC's interior design in depth, SAOTA has achieved integrated architectural and interior design, maximizing the experiential value and brand premium of commercial projects. This ability to organically combine regional aesthetics, natural concepts, modern functions, and commercial demands makes it a trusted strategic partner for global top hotel brands. It's worth mentioning that ARRCC Interior Design has been selected for the Andrew Martin International Interior Design Award eleven times.
Knocking on the East: 'The Future Resonance of Leading Wisdom with the Chinese Market
In its global projects, SAOTA consistently adheres to a unique narrative logic of "growing from the land." It is neither a blind follower of modernism nor a mere reproduction of regional symbols. Instead, SAOTA elevates the survival wisdom and aesthetic consciousness of the African continent into a contemporary architectural language that transcends cultural boundaries. Their practice underscores an enduring truth: true continuous leadership stems from a profound understanding of the essence of space, relentless pursuit of technological innovation, and precise alignment with market value.
SAOTA's story is one of transcending regional boundaries, reshaping industry norms, and propelling value through the power of design. As a pioneer in redefining the global design power structure, SAOTA's philosophy and practice of "leadership" have not only established its esteemed position as an international top-tier firm but also introduced unprecedented integration and opportunities to the Chinese design ecosystem as it enters the Chinese market. As the force of nature meets Eastern wisdom, a pioneering dialogue on the future of design is beginning to unfold.
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