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11 April 2025 | Story Martinette Brits | Photo Supplied
Italian Design Day Competition Winners
National student competition winners, UFS's Gustav Pretorius and Jeanré Erasmus, pictured with Matteo Cibic and Michele Gialdroni, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute.

Two talented Architecture students from the University of the Free State (UFS), Jeanré Erasmus and Gustav Pretorius, have achieved national acclaim by winning the prestigious Italian Design Day 2025 Competition held in Pretoria. Their innovative exhibition space, inspired by The Dancer -  a dynamic ceramic sculpture by renowned South African artist Andile Dyalvane – captivated the judging panel and emerged victorious from among 45 entries submitted by 140 students from across South Africa.

 

Passion meets purpose 

For Erasmus, now in his third year of Architecture and working part-time at Soleil Architects, the path to this milestone began at an early age. “Ever since I was little, I’ve been obsessed with building things,” he recalls. His fascination with design and problem-solving naturally evolved into a passion for architecture, and he credits the UFS for providing a nurturing environment where both his technical skills and creative thinking could flourish. 

He credits his lecturers and peers for constantly challenging his ideas and pushing him towards excellence. He highlights the impact of former lecturer Martie Bitzer in shaping his journey. “We have an amazing, talented, and kind lecturer in Martie Bitzer, who has a big heart for architecture and her students,” he says. 

Pretorius, a fourth-year student, shares a similar drive. His design philosophy is deeply rooted in human experience and storytelling – an approach that played a key role in their winning design. “For me, architecture is not only about the physical form –  it is about how people interact with and move through space,” he explains. He believes their studies at UFS prepared them well to take on real-world challenges, equipping them with both conceptual depth and technical precision. 

 

Designing the story 

The Italian Design Day 2025 Competition, held on 24 February 2025 in Pretoria, tasked students with designing an exhibition space that captured the whimsical and narrative-rich aesthetic of renowned Italian designer Matteo Cibic. Instead of simply showcasing objects, the brief called for storytelling through design. 

Erasmus and Pretorius rose to the challenge by creating a space that echoed the movement and transformation embodied in Dyalvane’s The Dancer. “We didn’t want to use the static display cases,” explained Erasmus. “We designed the space that guided visitors through an interactive journey, rooted in the idea of shaping and refining - mirroring the movement and storytelling embedded in Dyalvane’s clay sculpture.”

Their concept impressed a panel of esteemed judges that included architects, Fanele Zondi and Braam de Villiers, and Stefania Iuliano, Commercial Attaché at the Italian Embassy in Pretoria. The panel’s combined expertise ensured a thorough evaluation of creativity, innovation, and spatial storytelling.

 

Overcoming creative challenges 

Developing a design that balanced imaginative expression with practical execution was no easy task.  “Picture two architecture students staring at a blank page late at night, questioning their life choices,” Erasmus jokes. One of the greatest challenges was translating a deeply emotional concept into a physical space - but through teamwork and continuous refinement, they achieved a balance between form and function.

“Like any great duo – Batman and Robin, peanut butter and jelly, architecture and last-minute deadlines – we balanced each other out,” Erasmus adds. Pretorius agrees, noting that their shared technical mindset kept the design process grounded in feasibility while still allowing room for creativity. Their ability to combine conceptual innovation with structural logic ultimately set their entry apart.

 

A milestone moment

When Erasmus received the call announcing their win, the moment was surreal. “It was a mix of shock and excitement, with a little bit of ‘Wait, is this a prank?’” he says. Although initially sworn to secrecy, the pair struggled to contain their excitement. “We didn’t exactly stick to that rule,” Erasmus admits with a laugh. 

Beyond the accolade, this experience has been transformative. “This experience has been like a masterclass in storytelling through space,” says Pretorius. “It reminded us that architecture is not just about buildings – it is about making people feel something.”

Looking ahead, both students are eager to continue exploring the narrative potential of architecture. Erasmus is particularly interested in how design intersects with various forms of artistic expression, while Pretorius plans to focus on sustainable and experiential design. They agree that the competition has reinforced their belief in architecture as a powerful tool for storytelling and human connection.

 

The winning exhibition space:

News Archive

UFS lecturer overcomes barriers to become world-class researcher
2016-09-05

Description: Dr Magteld Smith researcher and deaf awareness activist Tags: Dr Magteld Smith researcher and deaf awareness activist

Dr Magteld Smith researcher and deaf awareness
activist, from the Department of Otorhinolaryngology
at the UFS.
Photo: Nonsindiso Qwabe

Renowned author and disability activist Helen Keller once said the problems that come with being deaf are deeper and more far-reaching than any other physical disability, as it means the loss of the human body’s most vital organ, sound.

Dr Magteld Smith, researcher at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology (Ear, Nose and Throat) at the University of the Free State, said hearing loss of any degree can have psychological and sociological implications which may impair the day-to-day functioning of an individual, as well as preventing the person from reaching full potential. That is why Smith is making it her mission to bring about change in the stigmatisation surrounding deafness.

Beating the odds
Smith was born with bilateral (both ears) severe hearing loss, which escalated to profound deafness. But she has never allowed it to hinder her quality of life. She matriculated from a school for the deaf in 1985. In 2008 she received a cochlear implant   a device that replaces the functioning of the damaged inner ear by providing a sense of sound to the deaf person   which she believes transformed her life. Today, she is the first deaf South African to possess two masters degrees and a PhD.

She is able to communicate using spoken language in combination with her cochlear implant, lip-reading and facial expressions. She is also the first and only deaf person in the world to have beaten the odds to become an expert researcher in various fields of deafness and hearing loss, working in an Otorhinolaryngology department.

Advocating for a greater quality of life
An advocate for persons with deafness, Smith conducted research together with other experts around the world which illustrated that cochlear implantation and deaf education were cost-effective in Sub-Saharan Africa. The cost-effectiveness of paediatric cochlear implantation has been well-established in developed countries; but is unknown in low resource settings.

However, with severe-to-profound hearing loss five times higher in low and middle-income countries, the research emphasises the need for the development of cost-effective management strategies in these settings.

This research is one of a kind in that it states the quality of life and academic achievements people born with deafness have when they use spoken language and sign language as a mode of communication is far greater than those who only use sign language without any lip-reading.

Deafness is not the end

What drives Smith is the knowledge that deaf culture is broad and wide. People with disabilities have their own talents and skills. All they need is the support to steer them in the right direction. She believes that with the technological advancements that have been made in the world, deaf people also have what it takes to be self-sufficient world-changers and make a lasting contribution to humanity.

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