Cut\fill : architecture as mitigating mediator in dissonance

Abstract

Recent social and political movements beginning with #RhodesMustFall and the following numerous #MustFall campaigns have shone the light on deeplying sentiments. It is believed that these sentiments have been covered by the multi-coloured paint of the rainbow-nation discourse and yet old tensions seem to flare up. The tensions range from historic privilege to disinheritance from current discourse, to racial discrimination and a perceived threat to identity. So it is clear that the reconciliation and the nation-building process that started in 1994 is far from finished and thus a renewed look at our approach to heritage is warranted. The vehicle of this study will be the Pretoria Magistrate's Court, which was constructed in 1941 and in 2010 suffered heavy damage during a fire. This dissertation investigation is specifically focused on the inherent dissonance in the heritage of the court, which is identified firstly in the classical nature of the building, but also the creation and functioning of judicial spaces. These heritage elements are identified and engaged with according to dissonant heritage principles (Tunbridge & Ashworth 1997). Furthermore, this study investigated current heritage engagement strategies and how those engagements can be redefined. This was not only done in order to mitigate the negative effects of dissonant heritage elements, but also to instil contemporary significance. Finally, this study applies the heritage and adaptive reuse principles identified and formulated, to engage the existing building in removing built fabric, redefining spaces and adding new spaces. This will be done in order to re-establish the existing function of a civil magistrate's court. Through this engagement, dissonant heritage elements are extracted or mitigated, while new contemporary value and meaning is instilled in order to re-establish significance for future generations.

Onlangse sosiale en politiese bewegings, wat begin het met #RhodesMustFall, en die opvolgende verskeie #MustFall veldtogte, het onderliggende gevoelens na tevore gebring. Dit was geglo dat hierdie onderliggende sentimente suksesvol gedek is met die veelkleurige verf van die re?nboognasie en tog bly ou spanning opvlam. Die spanning strek van historiese bevoorregting en onterfenis van die huidige diskoers tot rassediskriminasie en die gevoel van bedreiging van identiteite. Dit is duidelik dat versoening en die nasiebouproses wat in 1994 begin is, v?r van klaar is, en dus hersiening op ons erfenisbenaderinge vereis. Die middel vir hierdie studie is die Pretoria Landroshof wat gebou is en 1941 en sleg beskadig is deur 'n brand in 2010. Die ondersoek van hierdie verhandeling fokus op die inherente dissonante in die erfenis van die hof, wat eerstens ge?dentifiseer is in die klassieke aard van die gebou, maar ook in die skepping en werking van regsruimtes. Hierdie erfeniselemente word ge?dentifiseer en benader volgens die Dissonante Erfenis beginsels (Tunbridge & Ashworth 1997). Verder ondersoek hierdie studie die huidige erfenisbenaderingsstrategie? en hoe daardie benaderinge herdefinieer kan word. Dit word nie net gedoen om dissonansie in erfenis te versag nie, maar ook om eietydse betekenis by te voeg. Laastens pas hierdie studie erfenis en aanpassende hergebruik beginsels, wat ge?dentifiseer en geformuleer is, toe om boumateriaal van die bestaande gebou te verwyder, ruimtes te herdefinieer en nuwe ruimtes by te voeg. Dit word gedoen met die doel om die bestaande funksie van die siviele landdroshof weer te vestig. Met hierdie benadering word dissonante erfeniselemente ontgin of versag, terwyl nuwe eietydse waardes en betekenis bygevoeg word. Sodoende word nuwe waardes vir toekomstige generasies geskep.