Craft of Architecture

What Craft of Architecture does

Craft of Architecture (COA) is a privately held, award-winning architectural practice founded in 2006 by Ian Gray, Michal Korycki, and John van Wyk, operating studios in Cape Town (Woodstock) and Durban, South Africa. The firm employs over 30 architects and interior designers and delivers a full suite of architectural services across residential, multi-residential, hospitality, commercial and mixed-use, master planning, retirement, educational, sports, and infrastructure typologies, following a six-stage process from inception through close-out. COA serves three primary client segments: developers and estate operators (notably Devmco Group), international hotel operators (Hilton, Club Med, One&Only, Fairmont), and high-net-worth private clients seeking bespoke residences across South Africa, Mozambique, Montenegro, Sri Lanka, and the UAE.

The firm's core technology platform is cloud-based Building Information Modelling (BIM), in which COA claims to be the most advanced Graphisoft/BIM office in South Africa, enabling integrated design-to-construction collaboration. Its interiors and brand architecture capability is delivered through an affiliated practice, Mobius Interior Architecture, and it partners with Think3Dlab for VR visualization during the design phase. Notable commissions include the 45,000m² Umhlanga Arch mixed-use scheme, Club Med Tinley Manor, the Hilton Garden Inn at Umhlanga Arch, the Fairmont Zimbali, and One&Only villas in Montenegro.

COA generates revenue through professional architectural and interior design fees on a project basis, typically structured as fixed-fee or percentage-of-construction-cost arrangements, with an additional recurring revenue stream from estate design guidelines. The go-to-market motion is enterprise field sales targeting developers, hotel operators, and HNW private clients, supported by editorial coverage in South African architecture publications (SCAPE Magazine, Leading Architecture & Design, Designing Ways), industry awards participation, and events such as Open Studios Cape Town. The firm received Architecture Firm of the Year shortlisting at the SCAPE Awards 2025 and co-founder Michal Korycki was named in the SCAPE 100 (2026).

Name

Craft of Architecture

Legal name

Craft of Architecture

Website

https://coasite.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Craft of Architecture is a privately held South African architectural practice founded in 2006, with 30+ architects across Cape Town and Durban studios, delivering integrated architecture, interiors, and master planning for developers, international hotel operators, and high-net-worth private clients across five countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (54141), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHAKAA

Architectural Design Services

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

SECONDARYBPAHAKAB

Interior Design Services

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

SECONDARYBPAHAKAO

Community Engagement & Participatory Planning

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Master planning urban design
• Hospitality architecture design
• Interior brand architecture
• Commercial mixed-use design

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: COA generates revenue through professional architectural and interior design fees across residential, commercial, hospitality, and master planning project types. Revenue is project-based, typically fixed-fee or percentage-of-construction-cost arrangements. The firm also offers estate design guidelines as a recurring service offering.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Craft of Architecture is an award-winning architectural practice providing full-scope architectural design services spanning master planning, urban design, residential, hospitality, commercial mixed-use, retirement, educational, sports, and infrastructure projects, with integrated interior architecture and brand design delivered in collaboration with Mobius Interior Architecture. The firm serves enterprise developers, international hotel operators, and high-net-worth private clients across South Africa, Mozambique, Montenegro, Sri Lanka, and the UAE, leveraging cloud-based BIM (Graphisoft) for integrated design-to-construction workflows.

Product overview

Craft of Architecture (COA) is an award-winning architectural practice established in 2006, operating from South Africa with offices in Cape Town and Durban. The firm offers a comprehensive suite of architectural design services organized into distinct service modules: Master Planning & Urban Design, Private Home Collection, Multi Residential, Lodges & Hotels, Estate Guidelines, Commercial & Mixed Use, Interiors & Brand Architecture (delivered in collaboration with Mobius Interior Architecture), Retirement Communities, Educational & Sports Facilities, and Bridges & Infrastructure. The practice also provides technology-enabled BIM services, claiming to be the most advanced Graphisoft/BIM office in South Africa. Projects span across South Africa, Mozambique, Montenegro, Sri Lanka, and the UAE. The workflow follows a six-stage process from inception through close-out.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Full-service architectural design covering residential, commercial, hospitality, and infrastructure projects across South Africa and internationally, delivered through a six-stage design process from inception through close-out.
• Master Planning & Urban Design Large-scale master planning and urban design services for mixed-use developments, coastal precincts, and residential estates (e.g., Tatali Precinct at Zimbali Lakes Resort).
• Private Home Collection Bespoke residential architecture for high-net-worth private clients, including single-family homes, beachfront villas, and estate residences (e.g., Hidden House, Waters Edge, Kerzner Leeukoppie).
• Multi Residential Multi-unit residential developments including apartments, duplexes, and estate housing within larger mixed-use schemes.
• Lodges & Hotels Hospitality architecture including hotels, resorts, lodges, and private villa developments for international and domestic operators (e.g., Club Med Tinley Manor, Hilton Garden Inn Umhlanga Arch, Fairmont Zimbali, One&Only Porto Novi).
• Estate Guidelines Design guidelines and aesthetic standards for residential estates and coastal precincts, offered as a recurring service.
• Commercial & Mixed Use Commercial developments and mixed-use projects combining retail, office, and residential components (e.g., Umhlanga Arch — 45,000m²).
• Interiors & Brand Architecture Interior architecture and brand design for restaurants, retail spaces, hotels, and corporate environments, delivered in collaboration with Mobius Interior Architecture (e.g., Hidden House interiors, Siba Restaurant, The Pencil private members club, Red Bull HQ Africa).
• Retirement Communities Specialised retirement estate design including free-standing homes, healthcare facilities, and community amenities (e.g., Rimaal Village).
• Educational & Sports Facilities Design of educational institutions, sports complexes, and recreational facilities (e.g., Gold Coast Estate sports facility with kinetic brise-soleil using 14,000 perforated aluminium tiles).
• Bridges & Infrastructure Structural infrastructure design including bridges and civil engineering elements integrated into project sites.

Quantifiable outcome

• COA's Hidden House achieves optimal thermal comfort through passive design principles including a north-facing central courtyard and site-responsive massing.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mobius Interior ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOA maintains an affiliated practice, Mobius Interior Architecture, led by co-founder Ian Gray's wife. Mobius works in seamless collaboration on COA projects, providing integrated interior design services. Examples include Hidden House interiors (stone, concrete, timber, and earth tones), Chateau des Huguenots interiors, and The Pencil private members club interior fit-out at Umhlanga Arch.
• Scape Magazine / Scape AwardscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCOA participates in SCAPE Magazine's annual awards programme and Michal Korycki was featured in the 2026 SCAPE 100 list of 100 Voices shaping South African architecture. SCAPE Magazine serves as a key industry platform for recognition and visibility.
• Devmco GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevmco Group is COA's primary developer client, responsible for multiple landmark projects including Umhlanga Arch (45,000m² mixed-use), Gold Coast Estate, Salta Estate, Pebble Beach, Ocean Dune, and Marine Walk Shopping Centre. The relationship spans master planning, commercial, residential, and hospitality typologies across KwaZulu-Natal.
• Oggie FlooringminorOthersOggie Flooring is listed as an industry partner supporting SCAPE Magazine's awards programme and was thanked alongside Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel and Infinity Surfaces for supporting the Scape Awards 2025.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SAOTA (Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects): Cape Town-based luxury architectural practice with an international portfolio in residential, hospitality, and mixed-use sectors. Highly comparable to COA in typology mix (private homes, hotels, large mixed-use), Cape Town origin, and international hospitality clients.
• Reardon Smith Architects: UK-based architectural firm specializing in luxury international hospitality and resort design. Comparable to COA in its focus on branded international hotel commissions and high-end resort typology.
• Boogertman + Partners: Major South African multi-disciplinary architecture practice with offices across the country. Comparable to COA in providing integrated architectural services across commercial, residential, hospitality, and master planning typologies within South Africa.
• dhk Architects: Cape Town-headquartered architectural practice offering integrated design across residential, commercial, hospitality, and urban design. Comparable to COA as a similarly positioned South African multi-typology firm with broad service coverage.
• GASS Architecture Studios: Cape Town-based boutique architecture firm delivering residential, hospitality, and commercial projects. Closely comparable to COA's boutique size, Cape Town base, and luxury/residential emphasis.
• KMH Architects: South African architectural practice with multi-typology expertise including residential, commercial, and hospitality projects. Comparable to COA in regional positioning and service breadth within the South African market.
• ARRCC: Cape Town-based interior architecture and design practice serving luxury residential, hospitality, and branded environments. Directly comparable to COA's Mobius Interior Architecture offering and shared high-end hospitality client base.

Broad incumbents

• Foster + Partners: Global architectural firm with extensive hospitality, mixed-use, and master planning portfolio. Comparable to COA in typology overlap but operates at a vastly larger scale and competes with COA for marquee international hotel operator mandates.
• Woods Bagot: Global architecture and design practice with strong hospitality, mixed-use, and interiors expertise. Comparable to COA in hospitality focus and integrated architecture-interiors model, but operating globally at much larger scale.

Emerging players

• Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG): High-profile global architecture practice with strong mixed-use and hospitality portfolio and digital/BIM-forward workflows. Comparable to COA in typology and technology emphasis, but serves a much larger and more international client base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/coasite
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coa-architects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Craft of Architecture