Transforming Stellenbosch University's Social Sciences Landmark

Stellenbosch University has invited Salt Architects to participate in a competition to redesign its renowned Arts and Social Sciences Building, incorporating a more gentle façade, enhanced circulation, and sustainable features.

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Stellenbosch University invited Salt Architects to take part in an exclusive competition to redesign the Arts and Social Sciences Building, one of its most notable campus landmarks.

The first phase of the brief called for a new facade design; the second phase challenged the proposal of a broader architectural transformation of the building's internal workings.

The response aims to soften the structure's outdated and imposing character, aligning it with its cultural context and the university's sustainability goals.

The proposed facade has been reshaped to project a forward-looking identity, while external spaces have been redesigned to encourage student interaction and community. Internally, a new central circulation strategy enables natural light to reach the building's core without disrupting its functional operations.

Together, these interventions honour the building's legacy while unlocking its potential as a more open, social, and environmentally responsible academic landmark.

The existing building, a product of late modernist architecture, occupies a prominent position on the Stellenbosch University campus. Conceived in the late 1970s as an ambitious expression of the university's progressive mission, its monumental forms, repetitive design, and stark materials have made it both admired and criticised.