Typological form in the architecture of Gabriel (Gawie) Fagan (1925-)

Abstract

Gabriël (Gawie) Fagan (1925-) is a leading South African architect. His architecture is regionally rooted and can be described as a “new” architecture that mediates between a love of the Cape vernacular, functional requirements, site responses and a Modern Movement architectural education. Fagan has assimilated, transformed and mediated the two distinct (although at times formally similar) architectural typologies in his search for appropriate local architectural form. In this article, the antecedents and resolution of Fagan’s architectural typologies are investigated through the medium of his domestic oeuvre. The article will outline how Fagan responds to both generative and productive typologies, how he assimilates these, through his imaginative abilities develops them and creates new formal and functional typologies, constantly reworking his own approaches.

Gabriël (Gawie) Fagan (1925-) is ’n vernaamde Suid Afrikaanse argitek. Sy argitektuur is gebiedsgebonde en kan beskryf word as ‘n “nuwe” argitektuur wat ’n liefde vir Kaapse inheemse argitektuur, funksionele vereistes en ’n opvoeding in Modernisme bemiddel. Fagan het die twee afsonderlike (hoewel op tye formeel soortgelyke) argitektoniese tipologieë geassimileer, getransformeer en bemiddel in sy soeke na toepaslike plaaslike argitektoniese vorm. In hierdie artikel word die voorlopers en oplossings van Fagan se argitektoniese tipologieë deur middel van sy huislike oeuvre ondersoek. Die artikel verduidelik hoe Fagan op beide generatiewe en produktiewe tipologieë reageer, hoe hy hierdie benaderings assimileer en deur sy verbeeldingryke vermoë ontwikkel, nuwe formele en funksionele tipologieë skep en voortdurend sy eie benaderings herbewerk.