Zwartkoppies farm complex : exploiting a redundant cultural landscape for social, ecological and economical development

Abstract

The cultural landscape has long been the indigenous language of man and the original inhabitancy of all living things. Humans evolved amongst animals, under the sky, upon the earth and near water resources. We have touched, saw, heard, smelled, tasted, lived in, and shaped the landscape before the spaces had words to describe what it did. Inhabited landscapes were the first human texts, read before the invention of other signs and symbols. This legacy of ‘native identity’ and cultural process makes a connection in each one, physically and mentally. Landscape thus provides the social milieu of our lives and even though we consist of multi-layered knowledge of the ethnographic landscape which is dependent on personal background, traditions, education and character, we should be collectively and individually aware of changes in our cultural landscape and or heritage (Swaffield 2005: 17). The following dissertation attempts to present an approach that might inform landscape design strategies or principles as a basis to the reclamation and/or conservation of redundant cultural heritage places. Along with theory, this paper will also investigate precedential studies to gain knowledge on how to efficiently redevelop a cultural landscape. Key Words: Cultural landscape, heritage, landscape design, reclamation, conservation