Fort Merensky : Abditory & Observatory : Narrating the Botshabelo story through acts of hiding and revealing

Abstract

In a culturally diverse South Africa, the debate concerning whose history to commemorate, is an increasingly controvertial issue. In light of this, a refreshing opportunity for the celebration of a shared memory has been identified in the forgotten Mpumalanga mission station, Botshabelo. It is remembered as a place of harmony between different cultures, the natural and man-made landscape, this once self-sustainable, flourishing settlement that now stands abandoned and in a state of decay (Langhan, 2000:25). This dissertation research focuses on design within sensitive heritage environments at various scales, through acts of layering. At the urban scale, the research investigates the possible mediation between heritage conservation and development for a returning local community. At a more detailed scale, the project focuses on the rediscovery of Botshabelo’s cultural precinct through layering of the old fabric with new ritual. And finally, at the precinct vision’s climax, Fort Merensky (which overlooks the Botshabelo valley) forms the dissertation’s site of design focus. Finally, through the reinterpretation of Fort Merensky as a device for ‘hiding’ and ‘revealing’, a cumulative moment is formed by which a (figurative and physical) vantage point for the unlocking and celebration of Botshabelo’s meaningful landscape is enabled. The project intends to create an architectural device for the safekeeping, showcasing and testing of ideas that mark Botshabelo’s memory, learning from it as a model for the development of South African self-sustainable, creative communities.

In ‘n kultuurryke Suid-Afrika, is die debat rondom wie se erfenis behoort gedenk te word ‘n kontroversiele onderwerp. ‘n Verfrissende geleentheid om ‘n gedeelde herinnering te vier is geïdentifiseer in die vergete Mpumlanga sendingstate, Botshabelo. Onthou as ‘n plek van harmonie tussen verskillende kulture, die natuurlike- en mensgemaakte landskap, word hierdie eens self-volhoubare, bloeiende nedersetting vandag bevind in ‘n verlate en vervalle toestand (Langhan, 2000:25). Die verhandelingnavorsing fokus op die tema van ontwerp binne sensitiewe erfenisomgewings op verskillende skale deur middel van gelaagtheid. Op die stedelike skaal ondersoek die navorsing die moontlike bemiddeling tussen erfenisbewaring en ontwikkeling van ‘n terugkerende plaaslike gemeenskap. Op ‘n meer gedetailleerde skaal, fokus die projek op die herontdekking van Botshabelo se kulturele gebied deur die ou stof met nuwe ritueel te laai. As hierdie gebied se klimakspunt, word Fort Merensky wat oor die Botshabelo-vallei uitkyk, die terrein van ontwerpfokus vir die skripsie. Deur die herinterpretasie van Fort Merensky as ‘n toestel om te ‘versteek’ en ‘onthul’, word ‘n kumulatiewe oomblik geskep waardeur ‘n (figuurlike en letterlike) uitkykpunt vir die ontsluiting en viering van Botshabelo se betekenisvolle landskap moontlik gemaak. Die projek beoog om ‘n argitektoniese toestel te skep vir die bewaring, uitstalling en toetsing van die idees wat Botshabelo se verlede kenmerk en sodoende daaruit te leer as ‘n model vir die ontwikkeling van Suid-Afrikaanse self-volhoubare, kreatiewe gemeenskappe.