South Africa’s listed property funds, private developers, and architects were honored at the 2026 South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) Property Awards for Innovative Excellence. The awards recognized developments across offices, industrial, retail, residential, mixed-use, student accommodation, and refurbishments.
The awards were presented at the annual SAPOA Convention, held at Sun City from 29 September to 1 October 2026, which marked the association’s 60th anniversary. A total of 13 categories were awarded, with winners ranging from a Reserve Bank headquarters to a rural Eastern Cape mall and a student residence.
Awards and Winners
Growthpoint Properties continued its strong run at the SAPOA awards, with Ninety One’s head office, developed by Growthpoint with Paragon Group as architects and interior architects, winning Interiors Development of the Year. This follows a standout 2025 for South Africa’s largest Reit, which took three awards, including the overall title for Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof and Best Student Accommodation for Thrive @ Crescent Studios in Johannesburg.
Octodec Investments won Residential Development of the Year for Yethu City on Sisulu, its affordable housing development in the Pretoria CBD, designed by GASS Architecture Studios. West Property Fund took Industrial Development of the Year for the Goscor Lift Trucks facility at Lords View Industrial Park, designed by Empowered Spaces Architects.
Notable Winners
Atterbury Property Group won Commercial Office Development of the Year for Bendehuis, developed with Twin City and designed by Slee+co. and Francois van der Merwe Architects. Divercity Urban Property Group won Mixed-use Development of the Year for The Herringbone, another GASS Architecture Studios design.
Century Property Developments won Retail Development: ‘Large Regional’ of the Year for Mushroom Farm Shopping Centre, designed by Bredenkamp and Reid Architects. Abcon Developments won Retail Development: ‘Small Boutique’ of the Year for Sandton Gate Central, designed by Boogertman + Partners Architects.
Institutional and Owner-Occupier Projects
The South African Reserve Bank’s head office campus redevelopment was one of the night’s biggest winners, taking both Corporate Office Development of the Year and Refurbished Development of the Year. GASS Architecture Studios was the architect. The University of Johannesburg’s Rescue Simulation Centre, designed by Impendulo Design Architects, won Innovative Development of the Year.
The Emeris Sandton Campus, designed by SNA Architects, won ‘Other Development’ of the Year. GASS Architecture Studios was credited for four winning projects: Octodec’s Yethu City on Sisulu, Divercity’s The Herringbone, and the SARB head office campus, which won two categories.
The full list of 2026 category winners includes: Commercial Office Development of the Year, won by Atterbury Property Group for Bendehuis; Corporate Office Development of the Year, won by the South African Reserve Bank for its head office campus redevelopment; and Industrial Development of the Year, won by West Property Fund for the Goscor Lift Trucks facility.
