For more than two decades, Construction World magazine’s Best Projects Awards has been a proud champion of excellence, craftsmanship and innovation in the built environment. Since its inception in 2002, these annual awards have recognised the very best in South Africa’s construction, civil engineering, and design industries. Now in its 24th consecutive year, the 2025 edition once again showcased the sector’s remarkable resilience, technical brilliance, and commitment to sustainable progress.
This year’s competition drew 65 entries across six categories: Civil Engineering Contractors, Building Contractors, Specialist Contractors, Specialist Suppliers, Consulting Engineers and Architects. In addition, the prestigious AfriSam Innovation Award for Sustainable Construction - one of the first awards of its kind in South Africa - honoured projects that successfully balanced people, planet and performance.
Despite ongoing economic pressures and a decade of industry challenges, the 2025 judges noted a strong sense of optimism running through the entries. “The industry is very much alive and bubbling under,” the judging panel concluded, commending the smaller yet highly sophisticated projects that demonstrate world-class innovation and resilience.
The judging panel comprised a team of seasoned professionals: Uwe Putlitz, retired professional architect and project manager; Hanlie Turner, retired business development manager in the cement and concrete sector; Musa Shangase, Immediate Past President of Master Builders South Africa; and Petra Devereux, Executive Director of Master Builders Western Cape and a national board member. Together, they evaluated entries not only for their technical and aesthetic merit but also for their creativity, sustainability, and problem-solving ingenuity.
Engineering excellence and civil innovation
The Civil Engineering Contractors category reflected the diversity and technical depth of South Africa’s infrastructure sector. The judges applauded the winning Kariba Dam Pool Rehabilitation Project, entered by Chryso South Africa, as an extraordinary example of engineering ingenuity. The project demonstrated how cutting-edge materials and construction expertise can extend the lifespan of major hydroelectric infrastructure - a model for sustainable civil works in the region.
Two projects received Special Mentions: Continuous Concrete Pour on Market Road Bridge in Pietermaritzburg (a collaboration between AfriSam and Teichmann Structures) and the Malmesbury Bypass in the Western Cape (with AfriSam and H&I Construction). Both were celebrated for their technical execution and logistical precision. A Highly Commended award went to Rumdel for Emergency slope repairs on the N2 and R61 routes.
Building excellence and architectural vision
In the Building Contractors category, the coveted top honour went to GVK-Siya Zama Building Contractors for the Transnet SOC Head Office, a project that set new standards for corporate design and project delivery in the public sector. Judges highlighted the project’s sophisticated coordination, high-quality finishes, and seamless integration of modern design principles.
The Four Seasons Hotel Johannesburg – Westcliff Phase 2, entered by Tri-Star Construction, received a Special Mention. Concor was Highly Commended for the Oxford Parks Block 2A Phase 1 - part of Johannesburg’s emerging green precinct - and Concor’s PIC Compensation Fund House earned recognition for its technical excellence and bold urban presence.
The Consulting Engineers category celebrated projects that combine design elegance with technical rigour. Naidu Consulting won for its Canelands Pipe and Pedestrian Bridge, praised for marrying community accessibility with structural finesse. The City of Cape Town and PRDW Coastal Engineering received a Special Mention for the Small Bay Seawall Upgrade, while AECOM SA was Highly Commended for its improvements to the N2 Beacon Way Intersection - a project that successfully eased congestion and improved safety.
Architectural innovation was also in the spotlight. The City of Cape Town’s New Educational Dome and Experimental Garden at Greenpoint Park emerged as the Architectural Category Winner, symbolising how design can inspire education, environmental awareness, and urban rejuvenation. dhk Architects were given a Special Mention for the Longkloof Precinct, while GASS Architecture Studio and Boogertman + Partners received Highly Commended awards for the Barlow Park Lifestyle Centre and The One – Stellenbosch respectively - both demonstrating the power of architecture to transform city spaces into sustainable, people-centred environments.
Specialist excellence: precision, safety and material innovation
The Specialist Contractors and Suppliers category was one of the most hotly contested this year, with entries demonstrating innovation across engineering, blasting, and materials technology. In the Specialist Contractors division, Draco Group took top honours for its Controlled Blasting and Toppling of a Compromised Converter Stack, a technically complex and high-risk operation that exemplified precision engineering and safety excellence. GEOCIV Group was Highly Commended for its work at Devonbosch Block B, and Geoquest earned similar recognition for its Reinforced Earth® TerraTrel® Retaining Walls on emergency slope repairs.
The Specialist Supplier awards were dominated by Chryso Southern Africa, whose innovative admixtures and sustainable concrete technologies continue to shape the industry. Its projects - including Blundell Road Bridge (Winner), Impofu Wind Farm, and Redstone CSP Tower - were recognised for showcasing material science at its best, balancing durability with sustainability.
Sustainability at the core
The AfriSam Innovation Award for Sustainable Construction, a flagship honour within the competition, once again underscored the growing importance of responsible building. Chryso South Africa’s Kariba Dam Pool Rehabilitation Project claimed top honours here as well, setting a benchmark for sustainable infrastructure renewal. Gap Infrastructure Corporation (GIC) was Highly Commended for the New Mapulaneng Regional Hospital, while Chryso Southern Africa’s Redstone CSP Tower also earned a Highly Commended nod for its renewable energy contribution. Special Mentions went to Blundell Road Bridge and Oxford Parks Block 2A Phase 1, both celebrated for integrating environmental performance into functional design.
Industry support and collaboration
None of this would be possible without the continued partnership of leading industry sponsors. AfriSam once again took the role of Main Sponsor, with ISUZU Motors South Africa joining as Platinum Sponsor, Chryso Southern Africa as Gold Sponsor, and both Sika and a.b.e.® Saint-Gobain as Silver Sponsors. The South African Council for Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP) supported the awards as Associate Sponsor, while GEOCIV Group hosted the welcoming drinks.
Through these partnerships and the collective passion of the industry, the Best Projects Awards 2025 reaffirmed that South Africa’s construction sector remains not only resilient but forward-looking - driven by innovation, sustainability, and the shared pursuit of building a better, stronger future.
