       DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRIES CAMPUS PHILOSOPHY… The building and its setting are seen as being analogous to African settlements set within the greater landscape. When initially establishing a settlement, a place is demarcated in the landscape and then purified or cleansed of evil spirits. The settlement is then laid out to reflect order in the cosmos with the headman’s dwelling occupying the most important position. Inside this dwelling as well as within the settlement’s enclosure, people have a ‘contract’ with the spirits and therefore the most control over their environment. The further you move from the main dwelling, human imposed order diminishes and there is less control over the spirits. Once beyond the settlement, spirits are imbued in nature, and are less controllable. The settlement is contained within an enclosure, which may be penetrable but nevertheless distinguishable. Within the enclosure, order is pronounced and noticeable and it is here where you can fulfil you obligations. For men the centre of power is the kgotla, where religious and business transactions take place and important decisions are taken. For women, their responsibility is centred round the hearth. Three basic elements evolve from this. The settlements structures and their importance and hierarchy in relationship to each other, the space within the enclosure where control is evident, and the landscape beyond where humans have less control of their environment. THE LANDSCAPE VISION… The landscape design of the DTI campus responds to these three key elements with specific ‘landscapes’ that reflect this general philosophy. The proposed landscape consists of three distinct areas:
The landscape design of the DTI campus, a public place, would be a showcase for South African products and materials; both in its implementation and as a place where products can be displayed. Materials such as quarried rock, water, steel, medicinal plants, indigenous plants, flowers, timber, concrete, clay, gravel and stone will be used. Cultural artefacts will also be displayed in the landscape to illustrate the industrious and creative nature of South Africans. The design would attract a variety of users. Greatest use diversity is the key to success. The campus must be robust, an active meeting place, a place to pass through, a place to watch passers by, a place where you can experience sunlight and shade. Microclimate is important; the public places of the campus should not be too hot or cold rather they must be comfortable to be in i.e. sit, walk and stand. The campus must link with existing and future pedestrian routes. The general planting strategy for the DTI campus will draw on the principle that tree species be selected to complement the overriding theme of an ‘African building within an African landscape’. To this end all proposed plants are endemic, where possible or indigenous. Certain established exotic trees with cultural/social significance such as Jacarandas and Canary Island Palms will be retained or transplanted. The streets of Pretoria lined with mature Jacaranda trees define the boundary of the DTI site. These must be retained to preserve the unique character of the place. |