Our Story

Scroll Down

Danie van Loggerenberg

“The Guy With The Wooden Bowtie”

Danie van Loggerenberg doesn’t blend very well into a crowded room–or a crowded city skyline. From his trademark hand-carved wooden bowtie to his charming South African cadence to his uncompromising devotion to authentic architectural design, Danie takes to heart Shakespeare’s sage advice, “to thine own self be true.”

A successful architect in South Africa and England, Danie encountered a continental shift in focus when he visited Houston for the first time in 2001. He laid eyes on the master planned community of The Woodlands and fell in love. Deciding that he could make a positive contribution to the architectural landscape, he trekked his family over 8,000 miles and set up shop in Houston in 2003.

And then it was Houston that fell in love with Danie, who became known not only for those wooden bow ties, but for his devotion to client-centered, historically-accurate design. His firm has completed hundreds of residential and commercial projects in the ensuing decade. He designed the very first home in East Shore, and has gone on to design dozens more of the upscale master-planned community’s residences.

But what Danie’s clients really want to know is, “What’s with the bowties?” That quirky trademark stretches all the way back to Danie’s days as a young architect in South Africa. “I grew up as a professional having to wear a collar and tie every day,” he says. “A normal tie got in the way, especially in the old days when we would sit over a drafting table. It drove me mad!” So, he decided to switch accessories, and in uniquely-Danie fashion, hand carved a bowtie out of local wood. Now he has a varied collection of bowties made of materials including wood, marble, metal, and porcupine quills.

“I have a terrible long last name that no one can pronounce, but everyone knows me as the ‘guy with the wooden bowtie,’” Danie says.

“At the end of day, we design to accommodate people. We create character that humans can relate to.”
Danie van Loggerenberg Architecture Founder

Awards and Honors

Danie van Loggerenberg Architecture has been recognized for excellence in design by architecture industry peers, including:

  • The Texas Institute of Building Design awards, including the W.R. Coleman Award of Excellence, Best of Show trophy and Designers Choice
  • American Residential Design Awards top honors over a number of years, including the inaugural Global Choice Award
  • Best of Houzz for the past five years including Client Satisfaction and Design categories.
  • Awards spanning categories such as remodeling and renovations, custom luxury homes, conceptual design, multi-family housing, and commercial projects, as well as artistic presentation
  • Award-winning projects circle the globe from Houston, Texas to the City of Sochi on the Black Sea in the Russian Federation,
    host of the 2014 Winter Olympics

Awards

  • 2008 American Residential Design Awards

    1st place – Custom Luxury 6500+ SF
    2nd place – Custom Luxury 5001-6500 SF
    2nd place – Model Home Design 4001+ SF

  • 2008 Texas Institute of Building Design Competition

    Best in Show – W.R. Coleman Award of Excellence
    1st place – Graphic Design Presentation 2501-4000 SF
    1st place – Graphic Design Presentation 4001+ SF
    1st place – Bob Jackson Artistic Presentation
    1st place – Commercial Design
    2nd place – Built and Photographed Design 4001+ SF
    2nd place – Commercial Design
    2nd place – Built and Photographed Design 2501-4000 SF
    2nd place – Remodel/ Addition Design
    2nd place – Graphic Design Presentation 4000+ SF
    2nd place – Graphic Design Presentation 2500- SF

  • 2009 American Residential Design Awards

    2nd place – Custom Luxury 4001-5000 SF
    1st place – Renovation 1500 SF & under
    2nd place – 4001-5500 Unbuilt
    1st place – Multifamily

  • 2009 Texas Institute of Building Design Competition

    1st place – Bob Jackson Artistic Presentation
    2nd place – Bob Jackson Artistic Presentation
    2nd place – Built and Photographed Design 2501-4000 SF
    1st place – Commercial Design

  • 2010 American Residential Design Awards

    1st place – Open Category

  • 2010 Texas Institute of Building Design Competition

    Designers Choice
    1st place – Built and Photographed Design 2501-4000 SF
    1st place – Bob Jackson Artistic Presentation

  • 2011 American Residential Design Awards

    2nd place – Conceptual Design
    2nd place – Custom Luxury 5001 – 6500 SF
    2nd place – Community Development

  • 2012 American Residential Design Awards

    Global Choice
    2nd place – Custom Luxury 4001+ SF

  • 2012 Texas Institute of Building Design Competition

    1st place – Commercial Design
    1st place – Bob Jackson Artistic Presentation
    2nd place – Bob Jackson Artistic Presentation
    1st place – Multi Family
    1st place – Built and Photographed Design 4001+ SF

  • 2013 American Residential Design Awards

    1st place – Custom Luxury 6501+ SF
    2nd place – Renovations added 1500- SF

  • 2013 Texas Institute of Building Design Competition

    1st place – Multi Family
    1st place – Bob Jackson Artistic Presentation

  • Houzz Awards

    Best of Houzz 2013 – Client Satisfaction
    Best of Houzz 2013 – Design
    Best of Houzz 2014 – Design
    Best of Houzz 2015 – Client Satisfaction
    Best of Houzz 2015 – Design
    Best of Houzz 2016 – Design
    Best of Houzz 2017 – Design

Client Feedback

Quote Mark
I’ve known Danie for seven years and in our two transactions have found him to be very hands-on. We bought some raw land in Florida, and Danie and I flew to Florida to meet with local realtors and contractors. In designing our home, Danie wanted to make sure we were happy. He understood the nuances of what we needed. I strongly recommend Danie and his abilities.
Philip Mori
We sought an architect who could design a Southern farmhouse. We went to East Shore in the Woodlands and saw the Charleston-style homes--we liked the incredible detail. Danie designed most of those so we met with him. He’s an interesting character. We said that we were looking for an architect who understands Southern design. Danie replied, ‘I’m from the South. Really far south. South Africa.’ He had gone to Charleston and studied with historians and architecture experts to get the detail right on his Charleston style homes. That kind of passion resonated with my wife and I. We fell in love with Danie. The house he designed is our last house, and we knew it would be a major investment, so we wanted everything just right. He gets it and listens to you. He was the right fit, and our home feels phenomenal. Working with Danie was a dream.
Mark Miller, Vice President, Construction, Transwestern Development Company
Danie is a very perceptive architect with a feel for the market. He researches period architecture--he’s done a couple of Vieux Carré and Louisiana plantation style houses for us. He did a really good job on the elevations, capturing the detail for that period. We’ve known Danie for about 10 years, and before each project, we sit down to talk about what we’re trying to accomplish. He comes back with a plan that’s an art in itself. Together we create something that people really enjoy.
Tom Cox Sr., President, T.D. Cox Custom Homes
We just built a house in Shreveport. We’ve known Danie for many years, and he’s the first person who came to mind. He’s a great guy--fun, smart, and easy to work with. The process was super easy--we met him and talked about our desire to build an Acadian style home. He was good about guiding us and giving us professional opinions. He was pretty big on keeping things classy and in theme. He’s really, really talented, and our home is gorgeous. We wound up with a beautiful and classic but unique to our area home.
Nicole Cotter
I’ve worked with Danie for 10 years, and I’m always thrilled with his creativity, imagination, and ability to take my ideas and put them on paper. I’m a builder and have a particular style. He is able to interpret my style cohesively, and that’s what I like about Danie. He’s wonderful to work with. He listens and interprets, and he’s very patient.
Mary Ross, President, Mary Ross Custom Homes
I've been doing this for 27 years and have built over 17,000 houses. I would say that Danie is the most creative, genuine, passionate architect that I’ve ever worked with. He has a very diverse level of skill. A lot of residential architects can’t do what’s he’s capable of doing. He’s extremely detail oriented and most effective at taking a concept from conversations and pictures and bringing it forward in a meaningful manner. Plus, he’s a good man.
Tom Cox Jr., President/CEO Gracepoint Homes
Danie designed the custom home that we live in now. The process was pretty easy, and he was very helpful in the design. When we got stuck, we would talk it through. Danie would make suggestions, and nine times out of ten we’d love it. We had an idea of some things we wanted, but we were also open to ideas. One of the things Danie thought of that we’re really enjoying--we have electrical on top of the house, so we plug the Christmas lights in there and just flip a switch. We would have never thought of that, but we’re really glad we did it. We’ve been there four years now, and we couldn’t be more happy.
Mark Logan
I have known Danie professionally for over 16 years and had the pleasure of watching him build a thriving business during this time. He is the inspiration for one of the most prestigious and sought after areas in The Woodlands--East Shore. His creativity, unique designs, and fresh ideas are highly sought after by many of the top builders and residents in our city. His talents and strong work ethic make him the top choice for architects in all of Houston.
Jason Higham, Branch Manager-The Woodlands, Cherry Creek Mortgage Company
Danie really listens to our ideas and takes every detail into consideration. We've enjoyed working with him on multiple projects and he always gets back to us promptly.
Mike and Ally Seder