AE du Toit Auditorium and Annexe (photos)

Abstract

AE du Toit Auditorium & Annexe: The auditorium constructed in 1956, comprises two large lecture halls and was designed by Prof A L Meiring, head of the Department of Architecture and Building Sciences at the time. Because the building borders on University Road, it was designed without windows to minimize traffic noise. The building was named after Prof A E du Toit, the first professor of Mathematics and a former Principal of the University and was inaugurated in June 1957. An interesting feature of the structure is a grey relief against a red mosaic background on the southern wall designed by the artist Zoltan Borberéki and donated to the University by Prof Meiring. The larger of the fan-shaped lecture halls accommodates 700 students, while the smaller hall seats 250 students. Van der Graaf Accelerator: Constructed in 1963, this building forms part of the Department of Physics. The facility consists of a proton accelerator and a sub-critical reactor module which is utilised for training and research in the field of nuclear physics. Since its inauguration in 1964, the University and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have cooperated closely in this field and more recently the University has broadened its international research connections in this regard.