Louis Michel Thibault, born 29 September 1750 was a French-born South African architect, engineer, and surveyor who studied at the Academie Royale d’Architecture in Paris. On qualifying, he studied further focusing on military engineering. And became a protégé of Colonel Charles Daniel de Meuron, commander of a Swiss mercenary regiment. This regiment was commissioned by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) to assist with the defense of the Cape against possible British, invasion. Thibault accompanied this regiment to the Cape Colony. He did not stay with this regiment long and in 1785 he joined the VOC, married a local girl, and started a family He remained in the Cape for the rest of his life. With the VOC he was appointed as inspector of public buildings. In this capacity, he met Anton Anrieth who became a lifelong associate and this association represents an incomparable heritage of Cape buildings. In 1811 he acquired a surveying qualification and was promoted to the position of government land surveyor of the Cape of Good Hope. He designed many of the buildings in the Cape Colony. His work is recognizable as a distinctive neoclassic style. During the 32 years he lived here he worked on many of the well-known buildings at the Cape and his touch can be recognised in many buildings of the period such as the Kat balcony at the Castle of Good Hope, the Koopmans-de Wet House, the wine cellar at Groot Constantia and the houses Uitkyk at Stellenbosch
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