Kerplaats and Capitalists

Overview of Building Cultures in ZAR (1857-1902)

  • Contrast between rural kerkplaats (village) and urban industrial centers in Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR).
  • Transformation of kerkplaats into ZAR capital vs. mining camps becoming industrial metropolises.
  • Understanding of the term "architect" extends beyond legal definitions to include all creators of habitats.

Architectural Developments

  • Importance of contextual reading of architecture, moving beyond mere aesthetics.
  • Uses circumstantial evidence due to lack of extensive historical documentation on designers' intentions.
  • Historical benchmarks include:
    • 1850s: Industrial era influences such as Crystal Palace (1851) and Napoleonic styles.
    • 1880s: Reaction against industrialism, emergence of Art Nouveau.

Urban Design Principles

  • Kerkplaats as a community center, with church at its core;
  • Enclosed space facilitating community gatherings, marked by street designs like Kerkstraat.
  • The need for practical solutions, such as irrigation systems and coherent urban layouts based on grid patterns.
  • Legal frameworks governed property use and urban planning, balancing functionality with aesthetics.

Town Development

  • Examples of early urban settlements like Pretoria and Johannesburg:
    • Pretoria's layout based on natural boundaries and radial organization surrounding the church.
    • Johannesburg's rise as a mining camp adopted a functional layout with no overarching design strategy.

The Role of Governance in Urban Planning

  • The department under Sytze Wopkes Wierda responsible for developing Pretoria into a structured capital (1887).
  • Comparison of Wierda's urban designs with European precedents, notably Haussmann's Paris.
  • Architecture as a reflection of governance and societal values, focusing on order and regulation.

Shift in Societal Values

  • Transition from agrarian society to a capitalist mining economy.
  • Johannesburg's growth post-1886 saw multi-story buildings and differentiated zones; reflects changing community dynamics between Boers and Uitlanders.
  • Architects in Johannesburg operated within a professional spectrum, contrasting with the lay approach of earlier Voortrekker settlements.

Summary of Architectural Styles

  • ZAR style versus Victorian style:
    • ZAR: Cohesive civic architecture emphasizing unity and collective identity.
    • Victorian: Individualistic, commercial-focused architecture often disconnected from community engagement.

Conclusion

  • Contrasting architectural developments highlight the differentiation in societal values between religious agrarian roots and industrial capitalist growth in ZAR during the 19th century.