The healing of a lost past : the revitalization and adaption of Cullinan mining compound

Abstract

This dissertation will focus on revitalizing and adapting an abandoned mining Compound on the outskirts of Cullinan. Through this journey of uncovering and understanding this lost, abandoned and deteriorating site, one starts to fall in love with the beauty of these ruins within an unrestricted landscape, where the natural has started infiltrating into all areas of this site. It starts to evoke emotions of a romantic lost time although this is not the case. This environment has lost its identity of a harsh working lifestyle where many of the workers died in extremely uncomfortable and inhuman conditions. Uncovering this intangible narrative of the past has led to the idea of contrasting these two very different conditions, the harsh past environment with the vision of a new productive landscape where there is an opportunity for healing. Healing through exposing and appreciating the past; healing the people of Cullinan by providing new skill and opportunities during this decommissioning transition and healing this abandoned and neglected land.