The Capital Park Steam and Railway History Museum: Implementing a Holistic Methodology for Contextual Museum Architectural Design - The Rovos Rail Estate

Abstract

This dissertation focuses on the development of the site in and around Rovos Rail. Rovos Rail is a unique train travel company cut off from the public view. The project context is located in Capital Park adjacent to Transnet Avenue. The primary purpose of the site was to accommodate railway-related workshop facilities that provisioned and maintained the trains and carriages on their way to the industries of Johannesburg. Rovos Rail has done much in terms of the conservation of railway history in Pretoria. This ambition should be celebrated and built upon. It is necessary to promote the conservation of the rich railway history of South Africa and understand the impact thereof on the contemporary landscape. In order to understand the significance of contextualism, research based on philosophical, theoretical and practical lenses will be conducted. The argument relies on understanding the context through these different lenses. The historical significance of the site is celebrated. The dissertation places it within the historical continuum of both the larger context of Pretoria and the smaller context of the surrounding community. Through the design of a Steam Locomotive Museum next to Rovos Rail, a holistic approach, based on contextualism theories and South African case studies is illustrated. The project proposal establishes a physical connection with the historically significant structures of the site and emphasises the historical layers. Inspiration is drawn from the existing railway lines, the existing platform, ecological features and buildings. The chosen function, that of the museum, intends to act as the arbitrator for the diversity of narratives of an ever-evolving landscape, be it manmade or natural. The museum represents a prototype for the methodology proposed. The design aims to facilitate the conservation of railway history, the education of the importance thereof and enticement to develop these sites to represent a prosperous future.