A Pretoria mom with a passion for recycling decided to “recycle herself” by going back to university at the age of 49 — and went on to win an international award less than two years later.
Cornelia Bosman was recognised for designing a new type of floating marina, made largely from recycled yachts, that produces its own seaweed forest.
Bosman returned to Tukkies, after spending 24 years in India, to fulfil a childhood dream of becoming an architect. She never expected her work to be celebrated so soon — scooping the “Student Architectural Award” at the Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous at the Yacht Club de Monaco, one of the world’s top yacht clubs and a global leader in sustainable marina management.
Her innovative “SeaforeStation” design triumphed over multiple rival projects and 29 students from nine countries. It combines renewable energy systems such as solar panels, saltwater desalination and waste recycling with innovative construction. It was inspired largely by years spent in India witnessing widespread environmental degradation.
The project would never have happened had Tukkies not allowed her to complete her degree after a gap of more than 20 years. Fortunately, she had undergraduate architectural exposure in India doing freelance architectural design work and co-founding a chain of coffee shops. She also worked in the retail trade.
Bosman completed her extra credits in 2023 and worked piecemeal jobs waiting to start an architecture honours degree in 2025.
“I couldn’t find permanent work for a few months, working for a few architects here and there, so I thought a meaningful way to spend my time would be to enter an international competition,” she said. “It really was quite a challenge.”
The brief aligned with her environmental concerns and love of travel. She needed to design an ecologically sensitive, compact, demountable and sustainable boat mooring system which she turned into a marine conservation area off the coast of France.
“Working on these epic sites, even remotely and digitally, is truly invigorating. Every moment that I work on these projects I am emotionally on site. Walking up and down those coves and hamlets. It’s like being on holiday.”
Research led her to incorporate the use of discarded composite yachts — a growing environmental hazard, particularly in Europe. At the time she had no idea many of those yachts were manufactured in South Africa, a global hub for recreational boatbuilding.
“So, here I am working on the SeaforeStation project with retrofitted catamarans, harnessed to become instruments of regeneration and all the while many of these beautiful vessels are produced locally.”
Bosman believes her sustainable design can be applied to low-cost housing and public service delivery, particularly in areas affected by — or due to be affected by — rising seas. “Can you imagine the possibilities with such quantities of material at hand (composite or reusable), especially if made available at low cost? We’re talking floating schools in Bangladesh, affordable housing and markets in water-rich countries and floating sustainable marinas.”
Bosman, a single mom with a son in matric, said she was fortunate to have a sponsor for her studies but is still working in between to make ends meet.
“My motto is that, whether you are 20 or 51 or even older, just go for it. Do whatever you can to get that degree, even if it means working six jobs — it’s a small price to pay for your passion — and to think that one day I can make a difference.”
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