The One, Stellenbosch – a transformative luxury student residential development – was awarded top honours at the African Property Awards, presented by the International Property Awards, held in London on Thursday 23 October 2025. The prestigious International Property Awards recognise the highest levels of achievement across the property and real estate sector, including architecture and design.
The One received the five-star award for Best Architecture Multiple Residence South Africa and was also selected as Regional Nominee for Best Architecture Multiple Residence Africa. The regional awards are scheduled for early 2026.
Boogertman + Partners director André Wright attended the London ceremony at the Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, to receive the award. He received the regional nomination at the gala dinner that evening.
André congratulated the architecture and design team for their remarkable achievement – including Trishal Ramjee, Marius Badenhorst, Alex Evdemon, Hein Schönborn and Brinley Pritchard – and extended special thanks to the clients, the developers of The One, Stellenbosch, who had the vision to create a development that reimagines student accommodation as both an architectural statement and an urban intervention.
He also congratulated Stephen Brookes, CEO of Balwin Properties, who received a number of awards, including recognition for Thaba Eco-Village in the Apartment/Condominium Development South Africa category. Boogertman + Partners is proud to be the architect of Thaba Eco-Village, which earlier this year also won the Environmental Excellence Award at the Big 5 South Africa Impact Awards.
The One’s success at the African Property Awards follows its 2025 SAPOA Property Award for Innovative Excellence – Residential Developments, as well as its Residential Project of the Year award at the Big 5 South Africa Impact Awards.
Occupying the majority of a city block, The One, Stellenbosch forms a perimeter enclosing two large landscaped courtyards. While unapologetically modern, its design responds sensitively to Stellenbosch’s historical fabric and broader vernacular heritage, using a range of design strategies to break down the long elevations, creating rhythm and variation along the street edge, and ensuring integration with the urban context.
Parking is discreetly located to preserve an active, walkable street frontage, which is supported by retail and café offerings at ground level, encouraging pedestrian activity and enhancing the vibrancy of the area.
Rather than simply providing accommodation, The One, Stellenbosch introduces a connected, mixed-use development that unites architecture, placemaking and catalytic infrastructure investment to uplift the surrounding precinct.
