Hactor Kabo Malete

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Hactor Kabo Malete ("HKM") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

HKM : I completed Masters in Architecture (M.Arch Prof) in South Africa at Nelson Mandela University, in city called Gqeberha (Formerly known as Port Elizabeth). My M.Arch design thesis received 3rd place Regional Student of the year award. As a student, I also won a commendation prize (runner-up) at the Gyproc Enervation National Design challenge in South Africa. Since graduation, I have accumulated just over twelve years of work experience to date. He is currently based in East London, South Africa where I have been running my own Architecture firm for just over a year to date. My firm is involved in projects around Africa, mainly in South Africa and Botswana. I am Professional Architect registered with the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP) and Architects Registration Council in Botswana (ARC). To me, Architecture is not only a profession, but a calling to a greater purpose in life.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

HKM : Since high school, I have always wanted to pursue a career which involves a combination of Art and Science. Architecture was my best-suited choice. I hence, have always known from high school that Architecture is the career I would like to pursue. Spaces, beautiful buildings, large buildings, high rise buildings have always fascinated me as a teenager. My love for beautiful building structures grew to the extent I imagined myself as a creator of these structures at some point in life. To me, these were not only buildings, but works of Art. My interest in joining the profession was with the aim of further pushing the envelope in the design of spaces and buildings.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

HKM : I chose to become a designer

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

HKM : I design buildings and spaces. I design buildings of all types and scales. There is no restriction in terms of the size and type of building. As an Architect or designer based in Africa, my wish is to design landmark buildings, large scale buildings both in Africa and other continents overseas. One day I would really like to further be given a chance to design projects overseas (Europe, Asia, Australia, America etc.)

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

HKM : When they start in the industry, they should be willing to prioritize experience over money until they get the necessary experience. They must also be willing to work under a mentor and be willing to learn, put more effort and time at the beginning of their career and then enjoy the results later. They should be involved in design competitions as much as possible even though they might not win, but they should keep trying because in the process they learn. Also learning from past awards winning projects is of paramount importance in how one develops.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

HKM : A good designer is content with a satisfactory design that meets all the requirements and functions well. A great designer is always looking for ways to challenge the status quo, think out of the box and come up with ground-breaking design concepts.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

HKM : A good design ensures that it serves the intended purpose, it’s humane, sustainable and furthermore aesthetically pleasing. Architectural work is also a work of Art, it should be wowing to look at.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

HKM : A good design tremendously boosts the value of the property, attracts the public, and attracts clients. It boosts business.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

HKM : I would like to design one of the largest international airports. This is because it’s a place which most people from many countries in the world pass through. It’s an opportunity to exhibit my Architectural work to such a large audience. Alternatively, I would like to design any large building that would give me freedom of expression without having to worry about the budget for construction. I would like to design these buildings for both private clients or any government anywhere in the world

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

HKM : To design and implement mega sized projects like airports, skyscrapers etc. I await an opportunity from potential clients so that I can showcase my design skills.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

HKM : I always do research, read, learn from other award-winning Architects’ work, and enter more competitions to sharpen my skills. I also put more time into design, I do not rush it.

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

HKM : The Architect Francis Kere, Zaha Hadid, Norman Foster. I also get inspired by award winning architects from design competition platforms

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

HKM : Serpentine Pavilion in Kensington Gardens (London) by Francis Kere, Beijing Daxing International Airport (China) by Zaha Hadid, Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi (UAE) by Norman Foster

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

HKM : My greatest design is the Agritourism development that I designed in Botswana (in a small town called Letlhakane) for a private client. The building comprises of; the entertainment center, hotel, conference center and farming activities. The buildings are designed in a way that it resonates with local culture and makes use of local traditional indigenous Architecture in a more modern way.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

HKM : Read more, learn from other designers and award-winning projects and participate in design competition

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

HKM : I would have become a fine artist

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

HKM : The conventional understanding of design is interrogating the problem, addressing it to achieve a particular intended purpose. For me however, it goes beyond that, I would define design as the art of creatively and poetically addressing issues while ensuring that the intended purpose for which the design is done is achieved. As a Design Architect, it is critical for one to define their design philosophy which becomes their drive in their professional career. It helps one as a Designer to focus on a specific area or 'style of design' to ensure a well-crafted design. Architecture must not be understood merely as a process of designing buildings and defining spaces. The term 'building' should be divorced from the process of Architecture (and understanding spatial quality, syntax etc.), It should rather be looked at as a moment in space that results from an interplay of various factors. This then becomes a provocation of a series of ongoing events in time. Therefore, in light of this, Architecture becomes a moment in space that 'sparks' a series of events in a continuous progression of time. It is an inescapable fact that the term 'building' limits one's thinking and results in the designing of 'conventional' & inhumane 'buildings' that also lose relevance with time. A well-crafted Architectural design is one of mankind's perfect tool to challenge the rule of time. As an Architect, I endeavor to create 'Architectures' that are timeless, humane, and sustainable and evoke a true sense of 'dwelling'. This is a paradigm I believe should be harnessed further in the 'sphere' of Architecture. Once this is the case, we are confident that our places of dwelling, neighborhoods, towns, urban spaces and edges, villages etc. will be delightful places to inhabit.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

HKM : I must give credit to my former employer who gave me the platform to express myself in terms of design, he trusted me with his projects and clients

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

HKM : My former lecturer (Andrew Palframan) from the Nelson Mandela University School of Architecture. He taught me design in my final year of my undergraduate studies as well as my final year of my postgraduate studies. His approach to teaching design made it easy for me to understand design and made design interesting. Ever since my graduation I never looked back, I enjoy design and Architecture is my career and my hobby at the same time. I will always be grateful for the role he played in my career.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

HKM : Having to spend sleepless nights trying to put more effort into designs that end up being rejected by clients, my former employees and also losing design competitions. I would temporarily give up and keep trying again. It was not an easy road

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

HKM : Through digital presentation platforms. Technological advancement has created more opportunities for designers to take advantage of.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

HKM : My next project which I’m currently working on is another Agritourism development project also in Botswana. I hope to enter this project for a competition as well once completed. In future, you should expect much bigger projects for mainly private clients and hopefully the government as well. The aim is to enter more than one project for A design competition in future.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

HKM : I would like to grow my Architecture firm into a big establishment that does big projects all over the world. I would like to have my footprint in most of the continents. My goal is to win more design awards and ultimately win the Architecture Pritzker Award with time.

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

HKM : They expect flawless designs and high level of professional integrity

DL: How does design help create a better society?

HKM : Great designs, especially in Architecture, combat a lot of social ills like crime, and create a healing atmosphere both physically and psychologically. Great Architectural designs are more than just housing activities.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

HKM : I am currently working on another Agritourism project in Botswana

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

HKM : The Agritourism development in Letlhakane, Botswana. It gives me the most satisfaction because it’s a project that resonates with the culture of the area and once completed, it will be one of the tourist destinations in Botswana since it offers traits that not many buildings of the same type offer. It goes beyond a conventional building. It’s an artwork that, once completed, will be exhibited to the local and international market.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

HKM : To have more people get involved in design competitions of this nature to maintain high standards of design

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

HKM : It’s headed towards the direction of infusing more technology in design but still maintaining a large extent of human intelligence. I personally believe that, there’s no alternative to human intelligence in terms of designing

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

HKM : It depends on the size and the complexity of the project. However, I usually give my designs enough time. I prefer to take longer to design than produce a quick design that’s not effective and fulfilling. One of the secrets of great designs is quality time.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

HKM : I start with understanding client’s requirements and brief, understanding his/her background/profile, analyze the site on which he/she would like me to design and then do research before I start producing hand ketches. These hand sketches capture the concept that I will present to the client before I further develop the design.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

HKM : A good designer should aim beyond trends, and produce designs that are timeless

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

HKM : A good design sets trends, designers are trend setters.

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

HKM : Technology helps me convey my mind as a designer

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

HKM : I use Autodesk Revit for modelling and Twinmotion for producing rendered 3D views

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

HKM : When texture is used with a particular color, it could stimulate a certain feel/mood/reaction. In Architecture, both texture and color could be further used to define spaces.

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

HKM : I would like to them to ask what inspired the design and what sets it apart from other buildings of the same type

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

HKM : What’s the concept behind the design and how long did it take to design?

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

HKM : Yes, I believe in co-design, and my ideal design partner would be my former design lecturer at university (Andrew Palframan) and also some of the well-established award-winning Architects. I also particularly wish to partner with the Architect Francis Kere at some point in life for one of the projects

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

HKM : My client had the most influence on my design. He gave me requirements which I interpreted into the design product.

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

HKM : Architecture magazines that cover renowned works of Architecture, philosophy of Architecture books and articles

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

HKM : I constantly subject my work to critique by other Architects, read articles on Architectural design, learn from award winning projects, attend Architecture webinars and seminars, watch educative YouTube videos

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

HKM : Francis Kere (Architect)

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

HKM : It is definitely not easy to be famous, but once you work hard and finally get recognized for your outstanding work, getting famous is inevitable

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

HKM : Favorite color: Blue Favorite place: Cape Town (South Africa) Favorite meal: Pap with beef stew and spinach Favorite season: Summer Favorite thing: Going to church Favorite brand: Mercedes Benz

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

HKM : I had a dream while I was sleeping. In that dream, I missed my deadline for submissions of my designs. I was so relieved and happy when I woke up and found out it was only a dream.

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

HKM : What makes my day is when my design takes shape and the reaction I get from my client when they are happy with the design.

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

HKM : Yes, it was obvious because I have always been a child who liked Art and I was involved in Art competitions from primary school. I also used to design and build model cars made of wires. The fulfilment I got when I saw the final completed model made me realize that I’m destined for a career that has to do with design and creativity when I grow up. By the time I completed high school, it was already clear that I would like to become an Architect. I never struggled or got confused trying to choose a career path.

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

HKM : The only thing I think about the future relating to design is technology. The future of technology in design cannot be ignored. It will form a much bigger part of the design process. We can already see it make strides.

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

HKM : I am a Botswana Born Architect but work and reside in South Africa where I am a permanent resident. This design I did has been nicknamed ‘The Worm’. This is because, it was inspired by one of Botswana’s local delicacies – Mophane worm. Of pivotal importance is the relationship between Mophane worm and Mophane tree in particular. This relationship was translated into how the building commands a harmonious dialogue between itself and the natural vegetation surrounding it. This dialogue is established through the use of scale, material as well as physical and visual interaction/connection between interior of the building and outdoor natural landscape. Creating a building that resonates with this worm further gives the building a sense of cultural significance. The two distinct features (thatched roof and the circular form) evoke traditional Tswana Architecture. The formal expression of the building is derived from the physique/body shape and posture of mophane worm. The main body of the worm was translated into the floating and overarching roof that covers all indoor spaces below it. The moving multiple legs of the worm are the flexible and openable see-through walls that open to the courtyard as well as the outside natural environment. This type of Architecture is termed ‘Biomimetic Architecture’. It draws inspiration from nature and natural forms to address spatial issues and human interaction with spaces and the built environment. It is sustainability in a more profound sense.