Biography
Wolff Architects
Founded by directors Heinrich Wolff and Ilze Wolff, Wolff Architects is an architecture practice driven by a philosophical concern with consequence – one that extends beyond the design of buildings to include research, filmmaking, creative publication and public interventions. These expanded forms of practice allow Wolff to explore architecture not only as a physical construct, but also as a social, historical, and imaginative process. This concern is embedded across the practice’s varied outputs, including architectural and urban design, advocacy for spatial justice, heritage consultancy, research, curatorial work, and experimental forms of representation and engagement. The practice currently consists of 10 individuals who contribute diverse skills and experience to Wolff’s collective production.
Wolff is committed to fostering an intellectually rigorous and educational working environment, supported by architects, a film editor and creative producer, interns, and support staff. Both directors have taught widely at institutions including the University of Cape Town, IUA Venice, ETH Zurich, the University of Goa, and the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
Wolff’s work ranges from large-scale urban design and consultancy for cities such as Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, and Pretoria, to schools and public buildings in areas historically marginalised by apartheid planning, as well as critically acclaimed private projects. Grounded in Cape Town as a site of knowledge and contestation, the practice consistently advocates for a more connected, inclusive, and socially responsive public realm.