South African Institute Of Architect Eastern Cape (SAIA EC)Â In Association With Wild Banana Design Presents
DESIGNING WITH NATURE
Beyond buildings: Regenerative planning for resilient living
CLICK HERE TO REGISTERWednesday 8th October
1 CPD Point, Category 1
 Online Course
08:45-16:15
R1,800 Non Members | R1,500 SAIA Member
In this one-day CPD Event, you’ll discover:
Why designing with nature is central to the future of architecture...
…because resilience, health, and climate stability depend on seeing beyond the building.
How to treat nature as essential infrastructure...
…whether you’re shaping a single home, a rural estate, or a large urban development.
How to truly partner with nature...
...Design systems that support soil, water, and biodiversity to withstand extreme conditions and 10x the land's potential.
What it takes to build a fully integrated “building ecosystem”...
…nature’s proven strategies that outlast every design trend.
You’ll walk away feeling clear, focused, and inspired…
...to rethink what architecture can (and should) be in a changing world.
This isn’t a background CPD you put on while answering emails.
It’s an immersive, thought-shifting day that will leave you inspired, equipped, and ready to design architecture that truly supports resilient living.
Meet Shaan & GonzaloÂ
Wild Banana Design
From architecture to land regeneration, Shaan and Gonzalo have built their careers on one skill architects can’t ignore: strategic planning. Today, they are consultants, planners, citizen scientists, and educators on a mission to reconnect people with nature.
Through Wild Banana Design, they help clients transform properties into thriving, self-sustaining ecosystems that produce food, restore biodiversity, and build resilience.
With expertise in strategic planning, they navigate the complexities of water retention, soil building, biodiversity, and sustainable management to create environments that are both practical and enduring. Their approach is rooted in proven strategies that deliver long-term impact.
Shaan holds a Master’s degree in Architecture and a Permaculture Design Course (PDC) certification with Geoff Lawton.
Gonzalo, also a Master’s graduate in Architecture, is a certified PDC practitioner, a Professional Water Cycle Restoration specialist, and a Regenerative Soil consultant.
Together, they bring over 40 years of combined experience - blending science, strategy, and design to help create landscapes and systems that don’t just survive, but thrive.