GEORGE NEWS - Two Nelson Mandela University (NMU) honours architecture students have brought international acclaim to South Africa by winning the first prize at the prestigious Saint-Gobain Architecture Student Contest in Belgrade, Serbia.
Rudi Scholtz and Ruan Smith emerged as the global champions in what is regarded as the world's largest architecture student competition. This year's contest attracted 1 445 participants from 239 universities across 34 countries.
The victory marks a significant achievement not only for the students, but also for their home communities in George, Cape Town and Gqeberha.
Their journey to the international stage was not without challenges, however. Travel and visa delays threatened their participation, but support from Saint-Gobain Africa ensured they reached Belgrade in time to compete. The pair credited the company's team, particularly Samukelisiwe Mkize, for going above and beyond to assist with the travel logistics. Despite the delays, the students arrived in Belgrade late on Monday 22 June and presented their project to the international jury the following morning.
Rudi Scholtz addresses the international audience, alongside teammate Ruan Smith. Photo: Sam Pinto
"We were absolutely astounded by the quality and innovation of the international teams' work," Scholtz said. "Seeing the calibre of the designs, we knew it would be incredibly difficult to come out on top."
Despite the stiff competition, the South African team was announced as the overall winner at the awards ceremony and gala dinner. Portugal placed second and France third.
As part of their prize, the South African pair have also been invited to France to present their winning project.
Their design, Ceding the Sava, was created in response to a brief requiring the transformation of an old cement factory in Belgrade into accommodation for elite athletes, while also renovating a nearby yacht club.
The international winners of the 2026 Saint-Gobain Architecture Student Contest celebrate their victories at the Gala Dinner in Belgrade, Serbia. Here are the awarded delegations from China (student prize), South Africa (first prize), Morocco (teacher prize), Portugal (second prize) and France (third Prize). Photo: Sam Pinto
Sustainability formed the cornerstone of the team's project. They retained the factory's existing concrete structure to reduce its carbon footprint and incorporated reclaimed steel with reversible bolted connections, allowing the building to be fully disassembled in future. The design also accommodates 100-year flood events through wetlands and bioswales that manage water run-off, while proposing the collection of plastic pollution from the Sava River for use in architectural materials.
The students credited their success to months of dedication and support from NMU lecturer John Andrews, who guided them throughout the process and accompanied them to Serbia. They also thanked their parents, Regardt and Daniella Scholtz, and Albert and Vicky Smith, as well as family and friends across South Africa, for believing in them.
- Compiled by Marguerite van Ginkel
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
