Why Barcelona-PROFESSIONAL Architect: MY Journey of Learning

There are moments in every profession that remind you exactly why you chose it in the first place.

For me, Barcelona became one of those moments.

Ever since architecture first captured my imagination, Barcelona has been at the top of my architectural travel list. For many architects, a Barcelona architecture tour is more than sightseeing; it's an opportunity to learn from some of the world's most influential buildings. It sits alongside a handful of places that every architect hopes to experience at least once. Not because photographs aren't enough, but because great architecture simply cannot be understood through a screen. It has to be walked, experienced, questioned and felt.

This year, that dream finally became reality.

The timing could not have been more meaningful.

As my tenure as President of the Pretoria Institute for Architecture (PIA) draws to a close, I found myself reflecting on what an incredible privilege it has been to serve the profession that has shaped so much of my life. Looking back, I realise that the role was never really about meetings, committees or representing architects. It was about creating opportunities for architects to learn from one another, to collaborate, and to continue growing together.

Architecture is one of those professions where you never truly finish learning.

Building regulations evolve. Technology advances. Construction methods improve. Cities change. Most importantly, the way people live changes, and good architecture must continue responding to those changes.

That is why architects travel.

Not simply to admire famous buildings, but to understand different cultures, different ways of solving problems and different ways of thinking about the spaces where people live, work and connect.

Barcelona offered all of that.

This trip also marked the beginning of another exciting chapter in my professional journey. Earlier this year, I had the honour of being elected Vice President of the South African Institute of Architects (SAIA), a path that will eventually lead to serving as President of our national institute.

To close one chapter while stepping into another by visiting one of the world's great architectural cities felt wonderfully fitting.

One of the highlights of our journey was attending the UIA World Congress of Architects, hosted in Barcelona during the centenary year of Antoni Gaudí's death. The International Union of Architects (UIA) brings together architects from across the globe, each arriving with different climates, cultures and challenges, yet all united by the same belief: that thoughtful architecture has the power to improve people's lives.

Listening to architects from around the world was both inspiring and reassuring.

Whether an architect is designing affordable housing in Africa, restoring historic buildings in Europe or planning resilient cities in Asia, the questions remain remarkably similar.

How do we build better?

How do we build more sustainably?

How do we create places where people genuinely flourish?

Those conversations reminded me that architecture is a global profession, but its impact is always deeply personal.

Perhaps the greatest gift of the trip, however, was the people who shared it.

Our tour included fellow architects who each brought their own perspective and passion for design. We were joined by the Executive Officer of the Pretoria Institute for Architecture, supportive spouses who embraced every architectural conversation and kilometre we walked, and one particularly special story of two sisters who were reunited through this shared adventure and a mutual love for architecture.

There was plenty of discussion about Gaudí, Mies van der Rohe and contemporary design, but there was also laughter over meals, conversations that continued long after the conference sessions had ended, and friendships strengthened through a shared curiosity about the built environment.

Architecture has always been about people.

Buildings simply give those relationships a place to unfold.

That truth is something I carry into my work every day at We Do House Plans.

People often assume our work begins with drawings.

In reality, it begins with listening.

Behind every set of house plans is a family planning for the future. Behind every plan formalisation project is someone wanting peace of mind before selling a home. Behind every council submission is a homeowner trying to navigate a process that can feel overwhelming without the right guidance.

Our role as architects extends far beyond producing technical drawings. We help people turn ideas into homes, solve problems that have often existed for years, and guide them through the regulations and approvals that make building possible.

Travelling reminds me that every project, whether it is a world-famous basilica or a family home in Pretoria, starts with exactly the same question:

How can this place improve someone's life?

Over the coming weeks, I'd love to take you with me through Barcelona.

We'll visit Gaudí's Sagrada Família, Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Pavilion and many of the places that challenged, inspired and even surprised me.

These won't be travel guides.

They'll be reflections on architecture, design and the lessons that continue to shape the way I think about homes, people and the privilege of being an architect.

Because the best architects never stop learning.

And ultimately, it's our clients who benefit most from that lifelong pursuit.