Abstract:
A ruined castle sits forgotten and in disarray on the
southern fringe of Johannesburg’s inner-city. The
gaping cracks worn on the stone and brick façade are
partially obscured by layers of graffiti and soot, while
nature has reclaimed the interior of the ruin - beginning
to form a beautiful garden.
Once a towering symbol of The Three Castles Cigarettes
company, the disused factory is now dwarfed by
abandoned apartment blocks and office skyscrapers as
it has become a forgotten place of the city’s cultural
and historical landscape. The interior walls continue to
crumble as the possibility of architectural restoration
or adaptive reuse dwindle and social issues in the area
escalate.
The aim of this dissertation is to generate a landscape
design proposal for The Three Castles building that
reactivates the site, introducing plant-based microindustrial
activities. A successful economic model
for the site can be established, which will benefit the
surrounding community. The project investigates the
potential of landscape architecture to regenerate the
ruined building into a productive site, which prevents
further decay, celebrates its alluring heritage and is
accessible to the public.
Landscape architecture is therefore presented
as a medium for heritage conservation and as a
catalyst for urban regeneration in the post-industrial
neighbourhood of City and Suburban, Johannesburg.
