The Cape Winelands Airport announced on Friday (27 March) that Boogertman + Partners had been appointed as lead architects overseeing the architectural vision and design integration of the airport development.
One of Africa’s largest architectural practices, it will collaborate with amd.sigma, a strategic airport-development company based in Berlin. “Together, they combine international expertise with deep local knowledge, insight and proven capability,” said Deidre Davids, spokesperson for the Cape Winelands Airport. “The Cape Winelands Airport development will establish an airport city precinct designed to support economic growth, attract new investment and enhance regional connectivity, bringing aviation, commerce and community together.”
Long-term plans for the airport include the construction of a new boutique terminal, runway infrastructure, upgraded airside systems, enhanced cargo and logistics operations as well as a modernised general aviation precinct.
Track record of award-winning architecture
The development represents an expected initial investment of approximately R8bn to R10bn in Cape Town, which will deliver the terminal buildings, runway and a 450-ha developable estate. The airport is expected to sustain approximately 35 000 direct and indirect jobs and could sustain just over 100 000 direct and indirect jobs during its initial 20 years of operation, Davids said.
According to Nicholas Ferguson, managing director of RSA Aero, owner and operator of the Cape Winelands Airport, Boogertman + Partners’ track record of award-winning, contextually-responsive architecture and its ability to connect infrastructure with human experience makes it the ideal partner in a landmark project of the scale of the Cape Winelands Airport.
André Wright, director of Boogertman + Partners, said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to design Cape Winelands Airport, which will establish a new gateway to the Cape Winelands region, adding a vital world-class facility that will set new standards for design innovation in the country and on the continent. Our mission, as always, is to deliver world-class, human-centred design solutions that are contextually grounded, socially impactful and environmentally responsible.”
Powerful visual identity
Wessel van Dyk, director at Boogertman + Partners in Stellenbosch and Cape Winelands Airport creative lead, said: “The Cape Winelands Airport will impart a powerful visual identity profoundly rooted in its place. Our vision for the new airport will offer its users an experience unlike any other. We also plan to target the highest environmental standards and ratings.”
Adam Symalla, managing director of amd.sigma, added: “We are proud to contribute our extensive expertise in airport and terminal planning and development to the Cape Winelands Airport project.
Cape Winelands Airport represents a truly unique opportunity, a next-generation regional gateway that combines world-class infrastructure with the distinct identity and landscape of the Western Cape. By blending state-of-the-art passenger processes, intuitive terminal design as well as a carefully-curated commercial offering, the project sets a new benchmark for regional airports where efficiency meets sense of place, and functionality enhances the overall journey.”
The architectural vision for the airport complex blends harmoniously with the natural topography and agricultural tapestry of the Winelands and Swartland region. The airport terminal is envisioned as a striking, undulating, sculptural glass and steel form that appears to rise organically from the ground, an abstracted interpretation of the terrain that blurs the boundary between landscape and built structure. The design of Cape Winelands Airport is guided by an ethos of environmental stewardship, aiming to be one of the greenest airports in the world, Symalla says.
Designed to support phased expansion
“It will target leading environmental ratings and certifications,” he said. “The layout of the development is designed to support phased expansion. Its urban design constitutes a flexible framework that can evolve with local conditions, stakeholder input and future mobility trends.”
The appointment of Boogertman + Partners marks another milestone for Cape Winelands Airport following the announcements of key strategic partnerships with Growthpoint Properties and WBHO Construction at the end of 2025, Ferguson said.
“Our vision is for Cape Winelands Airport to be a destination in its own right; a gateway that reflects the character, beauty and heritage of the region. Capturing that strong sense of place is central to how the airport’s design will be approached.”
Cape Winelands Airport added to Boogertman + Partners’ growing portfolio of aviation infrastructure projects, which includes the design the Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport in Gqeberha. Past projects in the field include expansions to the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
