ABOUT US
Established in 1987, MLB Architects has garnered a distinguished reputation over its 38-year history for cultivating a well-resourced and adept professional team, characterised by a diverse range of experience and skills. This strategic approach underscores our unwavering commitment to service efficiency, excellence, collaboration, and timely project delivery.
Our steadfast dedication lies in making a meaningful and lasting contribution to both the built environment and society at large. We firmly believe that achieving exemplary and aesthetically pleasing architecture necessitates the integration of economic, rational, and principled design elements.
Embarking on a new phase, MLB acknowledges the retirement of its inaugural generation of founding members from active architectural practice. This transition, however, is marked by the deliberate transfer of invaluable knowledge and principles acquired over decades of experience. Our expanding footprint, including the recent establishment in Johannesburg, solidifies our commitment to an ever-growing portfolio of projects across South Africa.

Directors: Herman Joubert, Izak Burger, Shaun Heeger, Leonard Arendze

RESOURCES
MLB’s core team of 30, led by four directors and two associates, has the resources, systems, and experience to handle multiple major projects at once, with a commitment to diversity and excellence.
Our collaborative approach helps clients define project briefs and assess financial viability, leveraging our market insight and property development expertise.
SKILLS
Our portfolio spans large-scale projects, including office and mixed-use complexes, shopping malls, public buildings, universities, hotels, airports, luxury residential and retirement villages, and industrial facilities.
We’ve also developed expertise in specialised building types, such as cold stores, paper mills, food processing facilities, cash centers, prisons, community centers, museums, and conservation projects. MLB’s track record demonstrates our capacity to handle multiple large, complex projects at once, backed by extensive resources and experience.


TRAINING
Mentorship, education, and in-house training are core to MLB’s mission to address South Africa’s skills shortages, particularly in architecture and engineering.
We offer ‘work shadow’ opportunities for high school students exploring architecture, many of whom later join the profession and return to MLB for work experience. Each year, we also host architecture students from universities nationwide, building strong ties with these institutions, which often commend us on the growth of their graduates in our studio.
SYSTEMS
MLB prioritises processes, systems, and documentation to enhance efficiency and manage risks, with senior staff continually refining and training in these areas.
Effective time management is critical in South Africa’s high-interest economic environment. MLB strives to improve professional skills, productivity, and creativity, delivering high standards focused on client needs like functionality, budget, and experience. Passion drives our commitment to excellence in every project.
Our diverse client base includes individuals, community organisations, private developers, listed property firms, and public sector departments. Client satisfaction remains central to our success, with strong return business and referrals ensuring resilience despite economic challenges.

IT & REVIT
MLB Architects operates a fully networked IT infrastructure with file/mail servers, wireless connectivity, high-speed internet, and triple-redundancy backup (on-site, off-site, and cloud). CAD and BIM workstations, including a specialised 3D rendering station, run the latest Autodesk Revit, AutoCAD, SketchUp, and other design software. This setup supports seamless project documentation from concept to construction. Our Johannesburg branch connects via VPN for file transfer and daily backups. A trusted local IT provider manages our system under a long-standing service contract.


