Within our current society, humankind often
separates 'human place' from 'natural
place'. This alienation from nature leads
human beings to believe that activities
outside of protected natural areas have
no effect on the areas demarcated as
'natural' (Mang 2007). This belief is evident
within the landscape of the Cradle of
Humankind, the only UNESCO-protected
natural and cultural World Heritage Site,
which is under threat from past and present
social and economic activities, including
acid mine drainage and poor farming
practices. These activities within the Cradle
are however not only threatening what is
left of the historical landscape, but are also
placing pressure on the hidden networks
of the landscape. Among the networks
which are hidden, is the vulnerable karst
ecosystem, which hosts the endangered
Schreiber's long-fingered bat colonies,
which, in turn, impact on local farm
production and the livelihoods of the
community (Durand et al. 2010:74).
A significant, yet vulnerable area within the
Cradle is Bolt's Farm, located south-west
of the Sterkfontein Caves, and forms the
focus of this dissertation. It hosts some of
the oldest fossiliferous deposits discovered
in the area, which offer modern humankind
a view into the historical landscape of
the Cradle. This historical layer of the
landscape, together with the destruction
caused by the economic layer, and the
opportunities within the social layer, make
up the landscape of Bolt's Farm.
Its existing networks are investigated,
uncovering the threats to the landscape
and using architecture as a way to
reveal the opportunities inherent to the
landscape. The proposed programme
of a tourism route, linking archaeological
and bat research facilities builds on the
existing tourism network of the Cradle,
while protecting the historical and natural
landscapes, through the remediation of
the destructive impact of the economic
landscape.
In ons huidige samelewing, skei die
mensdom dikwels 'menslike plek' van
'natuurlike plek'. Die vervreemding van
die natuur bring mense onder die indruk
dat aktiwiteite buite beskermde natuurlike
areas geen effek het op die areas wat
afgebaken is as 'natuurlik' nie (Mang 2007).
Di? wanpersepsie word duidelik gesien
in die landskap van die Wieg van die
Mensdom, die enigste UNESCO-beskermde,
natuurlike en kulturele W?relderfenisterrein
wat in gedrang gebring word deur die
sosiale en ekonomiese aktiwiteite van die
verlede en hede, insluitend suur mynwater
en onvanpaste boerderypraktyke. Di?
aktiwiteite binne die grense van die Wieg
is egter nie net besig om die historiese
landskap in gedrang te bring nie, maar
plaas ook druk op die verskuilde netwerke
van die landskap. Dit sluit die kwesbare
karts ekosisteem, waarvan die bedreigde
Schreiber's lang-vinger vlermuis deel vorm
in, wat op sy beurt die plaaslike boerderye
en die lewensbestaan van die plaaslike
gemeenskap be?nvloed (Durand et al.
2010:74).
'n Merkwaardige, maat tog kwesbare area
in die Wieg is Bolt's se plaas. Di? area is
suidwes gele? van die Sterkfontein Grotte,
en vorm die basis van die verhandeling.
Die area bevat van die oudste fossiel
neerslae wat in die area ontdek is, wat die
moderne mensdom insig in die historiese
landskap van die Wieg bied. Saam met die
historiese laag van die landskap, vorm die
ekonomiese en sosiale lae, die landskap
van Bolt se Plaas.
Die bestaande netwerke word ondersoek
om die bedreigings van die landskap
aan die lig te bring, en argitektuur as 'n
middel te gebruik om die geleenthede
wat eie aan die landskap is, te verbind.
Die voorgestelde programme, in die vorm
van 'n toerisme roete wat argeologiese
en vlermuis navorsing fasiliteite verbind,
bou op die bestaande toerisme netwerke
wat gevind word in die Wieg. Terselfde tyd
word die historiese en natuurlike lae van die
landskap beskerm deur die remedi?ring
van die vernietigende invloed van die
ekonomiese landskap.
