Two delegates from Arup recently participated in the Property Development Programme, a two-week intensive course run by the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business in association with the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA).
Matthew Lilley, senior structural engineer and Katrine Lategan, project creation both from Arup Buildings, believe that the PDP, which is recognised as the premier post-graduate property development course, has enhanced their knowledge of the financial and feasibility process side to property development.
“I gained a significant amount of insight into detailed financial feasibility analysis as well as macro and micro economic drivers of property development across several countries.
Looking at the various funding mechanisms - including risk analysis, it has given me a greater appreciation of the complexity of project development. I am now better placed to understand our clients’ and developers’ needs, particularly in today’s tough economic landscape, both global and local,” said Lilley.
Lilley added: “Arup has always been committed to giving add-on value to their clients and I can now offer more holistic solutions as well as guide developers towards more recent drivers and changes in the development market place. The PDP has significantly enhanced my structural and civil engineering expertise”.
Lategan said: “I believe this highly recommended programme has broadened my knowledge of the crucial elements required in property development. It was important to look at factors that different players, such as developers and financiers, consider critical to their activities.
I am eager to use what I have learnt to best collaborate with clients, architects and other key players to create good and interesting projects for Arup. My passion has always been to improve our built environment and surrounds and how things are done. I now have the knowledge to not only make a project feasible, but to make a project great.
“It was inspiring to be among my peers and find them equally enthusiastic about improving processes and systems. The opportunity to expand my professional network during the two weeks was invaluable”.
As part of the programme, the delegates were split into groups and tasked with presenting a full property development proposal, which included design, financial feasibility and legal structure, to respected industry experts.
The brief focused on integrating affordable housing and transit-orientated development principles for a highly desirable site situated in the Cape Town CBD.
Arup shone at the gala dinner award ceremony as Lategan’s group took first prize, with judges complimenting the group on the slickness of their complete package, while Lilley’s claimed second, overcoming the disadvantage of having no architect on their team.
As a global firm of designers, planners, engineers and technical specialists, Arup is committed to the continuous professional development of its team members.
Photo: from left to right: Matthew Lilley, Arup, Katrine Lategan, Arup, Justine Saloman, TUHF and John Holley, Flanagan & Gerard