CS Studio Architects first projects were initiated in Lingelihle, Cradock Eastern Cape, South Africa in 1982 when Carin Smuts was still an architectural student at the University Of Cape Town School Of Architecture. During this time they started working on community projects after hours. This work was in Cradock, Namaquland and Mitchels Plein. In 1989 they decided to formally start CS Studio Architects. The practice has a reputation locally and internationally to produce innovative cost effective design solutions. Focusing on using local human and material resources. Recycling of found components is also characteristic of their work. The design and building process focuses on engagement of local stakeholders where possible. Carin Smuts collaborates with many international tertiary institutions. One current example is the building of a children’s theatre as part of the Langa Guga Sthebe Cultural Village. The first phase was done in 1999 by CS Studio Architects with AIT magazine’s Kristina Bach funds were raised over a 10 year period to build the second phase, a children’s theatre. The main collaborators are AIT Architectures alon Hamburg, RWTH Aachen University, Peter Behres School of Architecture, Georgia Institute of Technology, Imagine structure and CS Studio Architects. Carin Smuts runs workshops with numerous institutions and the main focus is on challenging conventional architectural teaching and exploring alternative models. She works with different topics, but with a focus on Global Issues, natural and man-made disasters, migration, recycling, passive design, etc. The challenges facing practicing architects are seldom related to the conventional teaching in Schools of Architecture worldwide.
