In February 2020, many of our clients, consultants, collaborators and friends came together to celebrate 25 years of Walters & Cohen Architects.
At the party, everyone happily squeezed around the screen (no one would have guessed social distancing would soon be upon us) to watch a short film made by Dennis Gilbert. In the weeks leading up to the party, Dennis and his partner Susan had travelled around the country to film our buildings and interview clients. Dennis had photographed nearly all of the buildings before, and was moved that some of the pupils at Lairdsland Primary School remembered him from four years ago!
It was a slightly nerve-wracking experience for us: usually, buildings are snapped on completion, pristine, with not a hair out of place, so to return years later is rather brave. It was wonderful to see them well used and well loved.
Thank you to Dennis and Susan for your time, energy and talent, and thank you to our clients for opening your doors to us once more.
Notes:
The film features interviews with Mark Bailey (high master of St Paul’s School); Mark Taylor (bursar, we have worked with him at Bedales and at the King’s School, Canterbury) and Robert Cleary (headteacher at Sandringham Primary School).
Footage of the KZNSA Gallery in Durban is by Josh Reid.
