Meeting Gawie Fagan alone isn't possible. His receptionist whispers when I arrive for my appointment that he and his wife, Gwen, are always together. Our conversation is clearly one between me and an overlapping of Gawie and Gwen's voices. Answers to questions posed to Gawie are answered by Gwen, with Gawie at times gently interjecting or disagreeing with this wife.When a reason for an architectural design is required, Gwen turns to Gawie to explain. When asked for an opinion on how the city is developing, Gwen says she's horrified by the paint colour. It's too dark, she says. He disagrees with her.They are a team, and have been for many years. Gawie turned 90 this month, and Gwen is 91. They have spent most of their lives in Cape Town, where they have built many buildings, their own home and raised four children.Gawie is known for his heritage and restoration architecture and most recently for his involvement with the renovation of the warehouse on the corner of Bree and Strand streets in the city centre.The building, which belongs to Casey and Mike Augoustides, was built in the 18th century. Gawie's rendition of the initial proposal is an elegant four-storey structure that was rejected by the city council."What must we do to get it passed?" Gwen says.What has subsequently been passed by the city is a plan for a three-storey glass construction which will partially obstruct the view of the adjacent Lutheran church. "This building," Gwen says, pointing to a drawing of Gawie's first plan, "is further back, so that when you come down the street you see the whole church. There is no obstruction. Everybody we consulted said it was a brilliant solution to a difficult problem."Gawie, she says, is the one who knows the most about heritage matters in this country. "Now they want to allow a building that looks like a ship to be built on this valuable old building," she says.There is passion and concern about their work. But interestingly, when asked about the development at Maiden's Cove between Clifton and Camps Bay, and the plans for the Two Rivers Urban Park development at the confluence of the Black anbd Liesbeek rivers, the couple have little to say.Gwen suggests dark paint colours are terrible."Have you noticed that the buildings are going black? I find that awfully depressing," she says."That's only paint," her husband says. "I never worry about paint. Ja well Gwen. It's not a major issue.""But it is for me," she says.Gawie does express an opinion about the Waterfront, which was his concept. He thinks it's overdeveloped.It was Gawie who many years ago went to Chris Heunis, a National Party politician at the time, to stop the demolition of heritage buildings on the Waterfront."I didn't get a very good reception, but at least they stopped the demolitions," says Gawie. "That minister was a real bastard."The man who designed and built 50 Volkskas banks has built public buildings, wine cellars, university residences and homes.The building he likes best, Gwen says, is the Maritime Museum in Mossel Bay, which she says transformed the village.We talk about Gawie's latest passion. It's an 18-storey building on Bree Street which he has designed for the site next to his studio. It will sit on top of the existing art nouveau building."It's what we want to do now," says Gwen, turning to Gawie to explain the drawing to me.For effective sun control he has created a building that swirls around a core service area.This is Gawie's dream, says Gwen. "He wants to see it built before he dies."I leave charmed by the two, but frustrated that I haven't learnt more about their thoughts on the city's future. I phone a friend who works on heritage architecture and tell her about meeting the couple. He is an architect's architect she says. Not a politician.A retrospective of Fagan's work is on at the Cape Institute for Architecture, 71 Hout Street, Cape Town, until Friday, 021-424-7128..