Hubo Studio Wins at the World Architecture Festival 2025 - Redhill Early Learning Centre awarded Best Use of Natural Light

Johannesburg, South Africa — Hubo Studio is proud to announce that the Redhill Early Learning Centre has been named the Winner in the Best Use of Natural Light category at the prestigious World Architecture Festival (WAF) 2025. This recognition places the project among the most innovative architectural works globally.

Hubo Studio was shortlisted for 2 awards at this years’s WAF.

Designed and delivered by Hubo Studio in close collaboration with the children, teachers and leadership (Joseph Gerassi and Sue Pilkington-Williams) at Redhill School, the Redhill Early Learning Centre sets a new benchmark for child-centred educational design.

The World Architecture Festival is the world’s largest live-judged architectural awards programme, celebrating excellence across built and unbuilt work from around the globe.

A Year of Major Recognition for Hubo Studio

This WAF award follows an extraordinary year of accolades for Hubo Studio and its founder, Asher Marcus. Earlier this year, Marcus received the National Arts & Culture Award (NACA) for Architecture, recognising his contribution to education-focused design in South Africa.

In addition, Hubo Studio’s design for the Redhill Early Learning Centre was also named Educational Build of the Year at the SCAPE Awards, with the studio receiving a High Commendation for Architecture Firm of the Year. Together, these achievements underscore Hubo’s position as a leader in innovative, future-forward educational architecture.

A New Model for Early Learning Environments

The Redhill Early Learning Centre is a purpose-built, Reggio Emilia–inspired environment for children aged 3–7. The design supports curiosity, play, collaboration and expressive learning, with flexible studios, atelier spaces, a central piazza and integrated outdoor learning landscapes.

Delivered in 2024, the project has become a flagship model of child-centred educational design and a showcase of how architecture can meaningfully support early childhood development.

Natural Light as Material, Function and Feeling

This award recognises the project’s innovative use of natural light during a time when South Africa faced severe load shedding. The design team explored natural light through three core lenses:

• Light as functional necessity, ensuring learning continuity even without power.
• Light as material, shaping atmosphere, texture and spatial experience.
• Light as feeling, capturing warmth, safety, focus and joy for young learners.

Only two South African firms were shortlisted in this international event, making the win an important milestone for South African design excellence on the global stage.