Young Architects company profile, structure and facilities


The practice opened on 1st July, 1984, in Gaborone, named David Young, Architect. The sole partner and architect was David Young. In 1985 we entered into an association agreement with Kevin Macgarry, Architect, and in 1988 into an additional association with Vito Coppola, Architect, both of Durban, South Africa. In 2001, the Vito Coppola, Architect association ended on Vito Coppola's departure for UK. In 2004, the practice changed its style to Young Architects (Pty) Ltd with Edward Mazhani and David Young as directors and architect principals. Edward has since moved on to work at UB school of architecture and his own practice. We have one clerical staff member at present, Ms C Nyepetsi and a temporary drafting assistant Abang Thibelang. The office reserves one workstation for Architecture/draughtsman students on industrial placements. In the past two years we have had the following students seconded to/on internships in our office: Kudzai Kafesu, Abelang Molelekwa, Tumelo Sefako, Fikile Raselebogo, Daphney Bantirile, Clifford Seletlo, Emmanuel Modongo, Leruo Lantern and Abang Thibelang.


The Directors of the firm have been involved in technical training courses. Mr Young was Chairman of the Examination for National Certificate in Architectural Draughting boards for ten years until 2006, and has been involved in examination assessments on the course 1982-2007.


The office is on plot 915 adjacent the African mall. It features ten networked computer systems (of which six are drafting-oriented) with two A3 colour scanners and an A1 digitiser. We also have four black and white A4 printers. Apart from drawings, large size sign layouts and vector/raster file conversion and editing can be done using our equipment. We have four administrative computers on the network. We carry out backups of data to minimise the risk of data loss. Software is Cadam/Helix/Blender for drawing and modelling, and LibreOffice/OpenOffice.org, Gimp for general office use. We are using Helix to generate 3D models readable by free and open source programmes like Blender, as well as using Helix/Cadam to work with our cad drawings back to 1989. We also use no-cost Open Design Alliance converter/viewer products to increase interaction with our clients and fellow consultants.


We have a Nikon total station and accessories as well as a dumpy level, for non-cadastral survey work, and have also used air photography to speed up updates of school site plans. We have carried out site and air surveys at ~160 sites in Botswana.







ya-practice short description updated 28my23