Strandfontein’s Beacon of Hope Wins International Architecture Award

Photo Credit: SAOTA

A new Learning Centre for the 9Miles Project by SAOTA has just won an architectural award and is set to give the young people of Strandfontein a safe space to learn, grow, create and dream beyond their circumstances.

Strandfontein, South Africa (07 August 2026) – In Strandfontein, a marginalised coastal settlement on Cape Town’s Cape Flats, one organisation is working to change the narrative for children and at-risk youth who have long had limited access to safe, uplifting spaces for learning, support, and connection.

The 9Miles Project recognises that young people need safe environments, mentorship, structured after-school programmes and holistic support to help them beat the odds stacked against them.

By using surfing as a gateway to engagement and empowerment, alongside a range of development programmes, 9Miles provides exactly that.

At the heart of this work is the 9Miles Learning Centre by SAOTA, a new space that will soon be built as a permanent piece of community infrastructure.

Building Hope for Strandfontein’s Youth

Designed to bring together learning spaces, mentorship programmes, digital education and community activities, the centre will offer a safe, resilient environment for vulnerable young people and the wider community.

In recognition of this powerful social vision and community development focus, the Learning Centre recently received the 2026 WAFX Award in the Power & Justice category.

The award follows the project’s recent shortlisting for the World Architecture Festival (WAF) 2026, where it was named a finalist in the Future Projects – Education category.

The WAFX Award is a discretionary recognition that celebrates the world’s most forward-looking architectural concepts. It honours future projects that respond to key challenges architects will need to address in the years ahead, with judges recognising work that tackles significant issues facing architecture, society and the planet.

Beyond its award recognition, the centre is designed as an adaptable learning environment that extends well beyond the classroom. It will include educational rooms, quiet study areas, digital access, conference rooms and recreational spaces, as well as a kitchen for practical skills development.

A café will operate as an informal co-working space, enabling broader community use, while a rooftop vegetable garden will support hands-on learning in gardening and sustainability. These elements have been deliberately integrated to encourage interaction among the youth, recognising that mentorship and social exchange are as important as formal instruction.

Creativity is also built into the centre’s design. Its sports court will feature integrated artwork by renowned South African artist and designer Yay Abe, reinforcing the space as a place of expression, collaboration and shared identity.

Created with input from local youth, the artwork will also serve as a reminder of what can be achieved through creativity and purpose. 9Miles Founder Nigel Savel says having Yay Abe join the project “shows our youth that when you do what you love and were born to do, you’re not limited by circumstances.”

More than a place for learning, the project embodies 9Miles Project’s motto: Going the Distance. The building represents the organisation’s journey, its longstanding relationship with SAOTA, and its commitment to creating a lasting legacy for future generations.

Designed to support children and young adults beyond education alone, the centre seeks to empower them economically, emotionally and psychologically. It aims to help future generations become active citizens and agents of change within Strandfontein and beyond.

“We want to build up people with legacies that last forever. SAOTA has understood our vision of what we’re trying to achieve in the community and has walked alongside us every step of the way for many years now,” shares Sher’Neil Savel, 9Miles Project’s Co-Founder and Head of Sustainability.

For the Strandfontein community, the facility will demonstrate what is possible in a place where a building of this kind does not yet exist. In Sher’Neil’s words, the project is a testament that:

“It doesn’t matter where you come from; it matters that you have a vision and a dream, and that you’re going to pursue it and never give up.”

Ultimately, the project shows how architecture can support long-term social impact by creating places that foster education, opportunity and community resilience. As 9Miles Project prepares to begin construction on the Learning Centre, the organisation is actively pursuing funding and sponsorships to bring the project to life and enable lasting change.