Gerard Moerdijk - the formative years

Abstract

In this article Moerdijk's early architectual career is paralleled with the chronological sequence of texts that express his concerns with developing an authentic South African style. In these we discover those significant aspects which are pragmatically functional - namely planning arrangements, acoustics, economy and societal well-being, geographical - namely topography, climate, available labour and materials; and cultural - namely historical events, cultural inheritance, as sense of self worth and dignity, all as reflected in the practice of religion and the conduct of civil society.