Cohen and Garson Architects

Fiona Garson’s greatest strength lies in her exceptional design abilities. She brings sensitivity and respect for context to all that she does. She is also an excellent collaborator, has good people skills and is therefore very effective in her relationships with staff and clients. She is a strong communicator across the different construction sectors. She is a community minded person and is always keen to consult with all project stakeholders.

 

CV

Fiona Garson was born in Johannesburg on the 31st of January 1964. Her parents were both academics working at The University of the Witwatersrand. After achieving a first class Matric at Parktown Girls High, she studied architecture at the University of The Witwatersrand from 1982 to 1987, graduating with a professional degree in Architecture, BArch (wits). As a student she was a member of SAVS, a voluntary organisation that assisted disadvantaged rural communities build schools and clinics.

 

Qualifications                                                                                       

Fiona Garson has an MArch degree from the University of The Witwatersrand. She is a member of the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP) as well as a member of the Gauteng Institute for Architecture (GIFA).

 

Post Graduate Experience

2002 - 2017                                                                                                      

 

Employer - Cohen and Garson Architects.                                               Position - Director and shareholder    

Responsibilities                                                                                     

• Client Liaison

• Architectural design from sketch design, detail design, working drawings, council drawings, detailing, on site design decisions.

• Drawing of sketch designs

• Supervision of architectural technologist

• Checking all drawings which leave the office

• Construction Supervision

• Staff management

• Accounts and invoicing

• Preparation of tenders and competitions

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1993 - 2002                                                                                                       Employer - Fiona Garson Architects.  

Position - Director and owner                                                             

Responsibilities                                                                                           

• As above

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1991 - 1992                                                                                            Employer - Denzel Hirsch Architects                                                  

Position - Architect                                                                 

Responsibilities     

• Architectural design from sketch design, detail design, working drawings, council drawings, detailing, on site design decisions.

• Drawing of all of the above

• Submitting drawings to Council

• Supervision of architectural technologist

• Checking all drawings which leave the office

• Construction Supervision

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1988 - 1990                                                                                                       Employer - Brits and Scholes Architects                                                 Position - Architect                                                                 

Responsibilities     

• As Above

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1985                                                                                                      Employer - Llewleyn Davies Weeks, London

Position  - Architectural Intern                                                            

Responsibilities     

• As Above

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Architectural Educator

1994-2002                                                                                                       Employer - University of the Witwatersrand                                             Position - Head of Foundation Program and Lecturer    

Responsibilities

• Developing Course aimed to Curricula to bridge the gap of First year architectural students from previously disadvantage communities

• Lecturing

• Running Design studios

• Coordinating examinations

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Intermittent

Employer - Various architectural schools around the country

Position - External examiner

Responsibilities

• Read and asses masters student theses

• Attend oral Examinations and assess student work.

• Attend Design studio’s and crit student work

• Write reports on Masters student and examination process.

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2017 and 2012

Employer - SACAP

Position - Professional Architect involved in accreditation panel for            University of Bloemfontein (2017), University of Cape Town (2012)

Responsibilities

• Assess particular courses related to Architectural Design

• Write Report concerning above.

 

Recent Work

Ever since the winning of a competition and subsequent building of the Wits Art Museum 2010 (fig1), Cohen and Garson have designed and built numerous Educational Buildings. These include the following (listed below in order from most recent)

• Two adjacent new Office Blocks - University of Mpumalanga completion date 02/2018 (fig 6).

• The Library - University of Mpumalanga 2016-2017

• The Executive Office Building - University of Mpumalanga 2016

• Student Residence 250 students University of Mpumalanga 2014-2015

• Lisof School of Fashion- Pretoria Campus 2015

• Wits Offices, University Corner - Renovation 2014

• New Performance Venue for Wits Music School – 2014-2017

• Wits School of Arts, conceptual design and planning - 2013 – ongoing

• Wits University Press offices, Lawsons Building – Renovation – 2013

• Lisof School of Fashion - Johannesburg Campus 2013

• Wits School of Journalism – Lawsons Building - Renovation – 2012

• Voice of Wits-Lawsons Building – Renovation – 2012

• Wits Art Museum 2010

 

Fiona Garson worked with her partner Nina Cohen as the lead architect on all the above projects. They were assisted by architectural technicians as well as site architects.

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Awards

Many of the buildings Cohen and Garson have designed are ground breaking. They have been published in prestigious magazines such as Domus (Italian), Detail (German), Architecture Digest (South African) amongst others. She and her partner Nina Cohen received the Visi Designer of the year award in 2012 for the the Wits Art museum. They also received a award of excellence from Gifa and a National Award of Merit from SAIA for WAM.

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