A mediated modern movement : Le Corbusier, South Africa and Gabriel Fagan

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that the canonic architectural principles developed, in the late 1920s, by Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris (1887-1965), better known as Le Corbusier, had a profound effect on the built environment of the world. Although the effects of the orthodox Modern Movement were less influential in South Africa, they were directly disseminated through Rex Martienssen’s (1905-1943) meetings with Le Corbusier in 1933 and 1937, formation of the Transvaal Group, editorship of the South African Architectural Record, the 1933 publication of zero hour together with Gordon McIntosh (1904-1983) and Norman Hanson (1909-1991) and a number of seminal buildings. A short-lived orthodox Modern Movement influence was replaced with a regional Modernism, and a South African Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal award winning, architect Gabriël (Gawie) Fagan (1925-) later synthesised the principles of Le Corbusier’s canonical orthodoxy with a deep appreciation and understanding of Cape vernacular architecture. This article will briefly contextualize the Modern Movement, will outline the architectural influence of Le Corbusier, his link with South Africa, the mediation of his architectural principles in this region and most importantly his direct and indirect influence on the domestic architecture of Gawie Fagan.

Dit word algemeen aanvaar dat die kanonieke argitektoniese beginsels wat, in die laat twintigerjare van die twintigste eeu, deur Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris (1887-1965) en beter bekend as Le Corbusier, ontwikkel is, ’n diepgaande uitwerking op die beboude omgewing van die wêreld gehad het. Hoewel die uitwerking van die ortodokse Moderne Beweging minder invloedryk in Suid-Afrika was, is dit direk versprei deur Rex Martienssen se (1905-1933) vergaderings met Le Corbusier in 1933 en 1937, vorming van die Transvaal Group redakteurskap van die South African Architectural Record, die 1933 publikasie zero hour saam met Gordon McIntosh (1904-1983) en Norman Hanson (1909-1991) en ’n aantal invloedryke geboue. ’n Kortstondige ortodokse Moderne Beweging se invloed is met ’n plaaslike Modernisme vervang en ’n Suid-Afrikaanse Instituut van Argitekte, Goue Medalje bekroonde argitek, Gabriël (Gawie) Fagan (1925-) het later die beginsels van Le Corbusier se kanonieke ortodoksie vereenselwig met ’n diepe waardering en begrip van die Kaapse volksboukuns. Hierdie artikel sal kortliks die argitektoniese invloed van Le Corbusier, sy verbintenis met Suid-Afrika, die bemiddeling van sy argitektoniese beginsels in hierdie streek en mees belangrik sy direkte en indirekte invloed op die plaaslike argitektuur van Gawie Fagan beskryf.