Nisha van der Hoven

Nisha van der Hoven is an architect and the founder of Hoven, a Johannesburg-based design practice established in 2018. With a foundation in architecture and a passion for cross-disciplinary exploration, her work spans the fields of interior design, art, fashion, film, illustration, and exhibition. At Hoven, each project is approached as an opportunity to tell a story—one shaped by place, material, and imagination.

Central to Nisha’s design philosophy is the concept of neuroaesthetics—an understanding of how aesthetic experiences affect the brain and emotions. This science of perception informs her approach to creating spaces that not only function beautifully but also evoke a deep sensory and emotional resonance. By considering how design is felt as much as it is seen, Hoven crafts environments that connect intuitively with those who inhabit them.

Nisha’s experience in designing collective and shared spaces led to her role as design lead for Workshop17, a network of workspaces across South Africa and Mauritius. 

Before founding Hoven, Nisha spent 12 years at Boogertman + Partners Architects, where she also curated FuturePart, an experimental platform for research and transdisciplinary design thinking. Her approach—rooted in learning through experimentation and making—continues to inform her studio practice.

She has remained deeply engaged with academia, contributing as a tutor, guest lecturer, examiner, both the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Johannesburg.

At Hoven, the unknown is welcomed as a space of possibility. The studio’s work is grounded in craftsmanship, informed by nature, and shaped by collaboration. Their goal is to create spaces that stretch the imagination, cultivate atmosphere, and elicit emotional depth—where space, story, and spirit meet.