Chancellors Building (photos)

Abstract

Increasing student numbers in the late 1950s necessitated additional lecture facilities and in 1958 it was decided to build a new building between the Old Arts and Old Chemistry buildings. Two fan-shaped lecture halls were designed by the architectural firm Meiring Naude. The building was completed in 1959 and named the Third Humanities building. In 1963 the council commissioned architect Brian Sandrock to add three additional lecture halls. On completion of these extensions, the building could accommodate a total of 1 800 students in the five lecture halls which could seat respectively 600, 400, 300, and 250 students each in the two smallest venues. Besides providing lecture facilities, the halls are also used for tests and examinations. The building was renamed the Chancellors building and the five halls named Roos, Louw, Van der Byl, Te Water and Muller Hall after five Chancellors of the University.