“I spent the first 5 years of my life in rural Eastern Cape, where I distinctly remember playing dollhouse with friends. We would build houses with mud and anything we could find. It was in this childhood game I first learnt to convert my imagination into reality,” she relates.
An affinity for working with her hands continued in her early education.
“I went to a Waldorf school, and there, I was constantly involved with building things. When it came time to choose a career path, architecture held the most appeal, as it offered me a means to take the many ideas in my head and turn what I imagined into something visible,” she explains.
The other influence that fanned the flame towards architecture was Iphendule's mentorship in her formative years with an Italian professor, who funded her schooling until matric.
During his annual visits to the country, he also left Iphendule with a curiosity about and a desire to live in Italy. A leaning towards architecture and a love for Italy converged when she learnt about that country's historic contribution to the discipline. It also sparked a desire to live in Italy someday.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Architectural Studies degree, at the University of Cape Town, and working at architectural firms for two and a half years, Iphendule realised her dream, when she decided to pursue her Master’s in Architecture – Architectural Design at Politecnico di Milano in Italy.
It was this decision that would steer her towards sustainability, and towards WSP.
“While doing my master’s degree, I was exposed to working on UNESCO protected sites. I became curious about architecture that is sensitive to sustainability. That experience showed me the importance of taking sustainable actions from the outset. Otherwise, we end up trying to recover what has already been lost,” she relates.
On her return from Italy, Iphendule explored several different options for where she could further her career. Some entailed returning to work in architecture, whereas others were related to sustainability. It was the latter that took hold, as she landed a position at small sustainability consulting firm Ecocentric. After a year-long stint there, she was introduced to Alison Groves who is now her manager at WSP.
“Having been an international student and growing up with my eye on another part of the world, I have always been inclined to work for a company that gives me access to a global community. WSP does just that, and often the team I work with is comprised of people from various other parts of the world,” she explains.
Her move to WSP was made smoother by the fact that going from architecture to sustainability was a natural transition. Even as she is relatively new to WSP, having joined in August 2023, working at WSP is already enabling Iphendule to have an impact internationally, as reflected in her current project, working on a hospital in Ethiopia.
She explains that her architectural background also comes in handy on a day-to-day basis. “There are instances where I will explain numbers on an Excel sheet by means of drawing. If you draw a schematic as opposed to writing an explanation, I find that people tend to grasp it more quickly. I have noticed that the person who audits my work often approves my proof of calculations (drawings),” she explains.
When not certifying buildings and assessing their sustainability requirements, Iphendule spends time developing her skills in aerial sports.
Reflecting on her path to WSP, one of the aspects of her work she most appreciates is that she isn't left on her own to ‘sink or swim’, while still being given a great deal of autonomy.
“When I combine the trust that WSP places in me with the autonomy to develop as a professional, I believe it creates a trajectory for my career to grow,” she concludes.
