The domestic architecture of the seminal South African architect Gawie Fagan expresses a unique
technological inventiveness formed by a deep appreciation of the technical and haptic properties
and qualities of building materials. This appreciation was established through childhood exploits,
a University of Cape Town engineering training, a pragmatic Pretoria University architectural
education, years of architectural conservation practice, and hobbies such as sailing, flying and boat
building. But the simplicity of Fagan’s technological solutions belie their inner complexity, richness
and effectiveness as they synthesize craft-based and grounded pragmatic intellectual approaches.
This paper will outline these aspects as well as the inheritances of Fagan’s approach to the use
of materials, and will highlight how he synthesizes Cape vernacular influences with those of the
late Modern Movement to achieve a unique, honest and economical material expression in his
architecture.
Die huishoudelike argitektuur van die invloedryke Suid-Afrikaanse argitek Gawie Fagan openbaar ‘n
unieke tegnologiese vindingrykheid wat gevorm is deur ‘n diep begrip van die tegniese en haptiese
eienskappe en kenmerke van boumateriale. Hierdie begrip is gewortel in wedervaringe tydens
sy kinderjare, sy opleiding in ingenieurswese by die Universiteit van Kaapstad, die pragmatiese
argitektuur-onderrig aan die Universiteit van Pretoria, jare in die argitektoniese bewaringspraktyk,
en in stokperdjies soos seil, vlieg en bootbou. Die eenvoud van Fagan se tegnologiese oplossings
verskuil egter ‘n innerlike kompleksiteit, rykdom en doeltreffendheid in die manier waarop hulle
‘n sintese van ‘n handwerk-gebaseerde benadering met ‘n gefundeerde pragmaties-intellektuele
benadering verteenwoordig. Hierdie artikel sal hierdie benaderings uiteensit, die nalatenskap van
Fagan se benadering tot die gebruik van materiale definieer, en aantoon hoe hy inheemse Kaapse
invloede met dié van die Laat-Moderne Beweging saamvoeg om ‘n unieke, eerlike en ekonomiese
materiaal-uitdrukking in sy argitektuur te volbring.
