Anton Smit was born on 18 November 1975 in Springs, Gauteng, as the second of two children. He completed his matriculation at Bergsig High School in 1993 and went on to obtain his National Diploma in Architecture in 1998 from the then Pretoria Technikon.
Anton’s professional journey began in 1999 when he joined Mathews and Gerber Architects as an Architectural Technologist. In 2001, when Pieter J Mathews established Mathews and Associates Architects, Anton was invited to join the new firm as an Associate. His career progressed rapidly, and in 2003, he registered as a Professional Architectural Technologist with the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP). By 2005, he was elevated to the status of Senior Professional Architectural Technologist.
In 2011, Anton was appointed Senior Associate at Mathews and Associates Architects, where he played a key role in the firm’s success. Over the course of his 20 years with the firm, he contributed to award-winning projects, many of which were featured in prominent architectural magazines. Some of these projects include the 2018 Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool Art Campus (Merit award), 2006 Baobab Toll Plaza (Merit award), 2021 Ablé's Barn House (Merit award), 2017 Oaktree Studio (Merit award), 2013 House Fouché (Merit award), 2007 Kee Enterprises (Peer award), 2005 Fusion boutique hotel (Commendation) and the 2005 House Nixon (Merit award).
In 2019, after the reinstatement of SACAP's Recognition of Prior Learning program, Anton applied for and successfully registered as a Professional Architect. Later that year, he left Mathews and Associates Architects to take on the role of Head Architect and Project Manager at a Development Group, where he drove the architectural excellence and oversee large-scale projects. During his 6 years at the group more than 850 residential units were completed.