Subjugated South African buildings: the Bonwit Clothing Factory in Cape Town and the Peri-Urban Areas Health Board Building in Pretoria

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dc.contributor.author Brink, Basil
dc.date.accessioned 2012-10-05T14:20:14Z
dc.date.available 2012-10-05T14:20:14Z
dc.date.issued 2011
dc.description.abstract Two important and original buildings in the respective oeuvres of the South African architects RS Uytenbogaardt (1933-1998) and C Strauss Brink (1920-1992), viz. the Bonwit Clothing Factory (1967) in Cape Town by the former, and the Peri Urban Areas Health Board Headquarters Building (1959) in Pretoria by the latter, have been subjugated to conform with their surroundings. The article presents these buildings as respective examples of two modern architectures, Brutalism and the International Style. In symbolising the brutalisation of factory workers, essentialising the industrial aesthetic-astype, introducing original forms, and using carefully considered materials, the Bonwit Factory is positioned at the pinnacle of Uytenbogaardt’s architectural achievements. Strauss Brink’s carefully considered combination of sparkling black banding, olive green, thin white stripes, decorative grille blocks, and articulated façades made the Peri Urban building an original, striking, and aesthetically pleasing building. The obliteration of one of South Africa’s most important Brutalist buildings as well as one of its original International Style buildings is a loss to South Africa’s architectural heritage. en
dc.description.abstract Twee belangrike en oorspronklike geboue uit die onderskeidelike oeuvres van twee Suid-Afrikaanse argitekte, RS Uytenboogaardt (1933-1998) en C Strauss Brink (1920-1992), eersgenoemde se Bonwit Klerefabriek (1967) in Kaapstad en laasgenoemde se Hoofkantoor van Buitestedelike Gebiede in die middestad van Pretoria, is in die vroeg een-en-twintigste eeu onderwerp aan gedwonge aanpassing by hul veranderende omgewings. Hierdie artikel belig die geboue as voorbeelde van twee bewegings in moderne argitektuur: Brutalisme en die Internasionale Styl. In die oeuvre van Uytenboogaardt word die Bonwit Klerefabriek vooropgestel as ‘n hoogtepunt van sy argitektoniese bereiking. Die gebou simboliseer die ontmensliking van fabriekswerkers, die uitkristalisering van die tipologie van industriele estetika tot die essensie daarvan, die aanwending van oorspronklike vorms en die gebruik van sorgvuldig gekose materiale. Insgelyks dra Strauss Brink se sorvuldig gekose kombinasie van glimmende swart stroke, olyfgroen, dun wit strepe, dekoratiewe roosterblokke, en geartikuleerde fasades by tot die oorspronklike en estetiese bevredigende karakter van die Buitestedelike Gebiedegebou. Die uitwissing van Suid-Afrika se mees belangrike Brutalistiese gebou en een van sy mees bevredigende Internasionale Styl geboue as gevolg van onsimpatieke en onherstelbare veranderinge en verbouings in diens van gebruiksaanpassings, verteenwoordig ‘n verlies van Suid Afrika se argitektoniese erfenis. af
dc.description.librarian ai2013
dc.format.extent 26 pages en
dc.format.medium PDF en
dc.identifier.citation Brink, B 2011, 'Subjugated South African buildings: the Bonwit Clothing Factory in Cape Town and the Peri-Urban Areas Health Board Building in Pretoria', South African Journal of Art History, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 1-26. [http://www.journals.co.za/ej/ejour_sajah.html] en
dc.identifier.issn 0258-3542
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/20059
dc.language.iso en en
dc.publisher Art Historical Work Group of South Africa en
dc.rights Art Historical Work Group of South Africa en
dc.subject Uytenbogaardt, R.S. en
dc.subject Brink, Strauss C. en
dc.subject Bonwit Clothing Factory en
dc.subject Peri Urban Areas Health Board Headquarters Building en
dc.subject.lcsh Architecture -- South Africa -- History en
dc.subject.lcsh Historic buildings -- Conservation and restoration -- South Africa en
dc.subject.lcsh Buildings -- Repair and reconstruction -- South Africa en
dc.subject.lcsh Architecture -- Conservation and restoration -- South Africa en
dc.subject.lcsh Brutalism (Architecture) -- South Africa en
dc.subject.lcsh International style (Architecture) -- South Africa en
dc.title Subjugated South African buildings: the Bonwit Clothing Factory in Cape Town and the Peri-Urban Areas Health Board Building in Pretoria en
dc.type Article en


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