Finalists of Corobrik Student Architect of the Year Awards announced

© 1xpert – 123RF.com

Competing for the accolade are:

• Leon van der Westhuizen from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth. The thesis title is 'RE-generating the Boet Erasmus Stadium in Port Elizabeth'.

“The project is concerned with issues pertaining to the impact of derelict sites on ecological systems and the opportunities presented by these for the restoration and regeneration of damaged ecosystems - socio-economically, culturally and physically," Van der Westhuizen says.

• Ulrich Pieterse from the Tshwane University of Technology. His thesis is titled 'The design of an institute for the documentation of fossil heritage in Nieu Bethesda, Karoo'.

This dissertation deals with the making of a palaeontological research and display centre to document fossils from the Nieu Bethesda area and the Karoo at large. The project acts as catalyst for the creation of a satellite campus for the use by South African universities and scientists. The purpose of the facility is to study prehistoric biodiversity and geology and to understand how and why mass extinctions occur.

• Matthew Mills from the University of Cape Town. His thesis title is 'Transurbance: a walk about the river'.

Mills believes the cities in which we live are designed to be technically enhanced but consist of functionally isolated systems that bear no relevance to the living environment. Paarden Eiland in Cape Town is an area that exemplifies a disconnected and disjointed environment. The focus of his project is on a portion of Salt River, which runs through Paarden Eiland and reaches its mouth surrounded by industrial factories.

• Jaco Jonker from the University of Johannesburg. His thesis is titled 'The Plug-In Plantation - Reforestation and industrialisation of the Nasrec precinct through the implementation of a new timber mill industry'.

Jonker’s thesis explores how an important part of Johannesburg’s southern reef band, the Nasrec Precinct, can reduce direct and secondary impacts of soil erosion, heavy-metal toxins, and rampart water evaporation from increasingly frequent dust storms along the engineered mine dumps in the area. In order to do this, the project envisioned how existing 'thirsty' Eucalyptus tree groves in the area can be replaced with more sustainable varieties of Conifer tree plantations.

• Najeeba Hassim from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The thesis title is 'Defining an architectural typology: Inner City Green Centres within South Africa'.

Hassim proposes an environmental research facility in KwaZulu-Natal to address threatened natural resources. She says this does not seem to be high in priority in most city projects within South Africa. The Green Centre is located within a dynamic context of light industrial, commercial and environmental nodes, sits along the edge of the Umgeni River, in Briardene.

• Gillian van der Klashorst from the University of Pretoria. Her thesis title is 'Urban Observatory - Re-introducing Observation and Measurement to reveal the invisible city'.

The Johannesburg Observatory site, situated on the highest point of the Witwatersrand, exhibits a history of the application of different types of viewing. It is not used as the night sky has been obscured by the city’s artificial radiance and pollution. The site is analysed with the aim of re-interpreting a weather station and astronomical observatory paying tribute to the historic value.

• Nilene van Niekerk from the University of the Free State. The title of her thesis is ‘Freedom of Expression Forum’.

Van Niekerk says the project developed by examining the Secrecy Bill. This led to an investigation into the intimidation of journalists by the controversial Secrecy Bill. Although freedom of expression and the press are generally protected practices in South Africa’s constitution, the persistent role of the government to protect state information, is a substantial threat to citizens constitutional right of freedom of expression.

This inevitably influenced the idea of creating a Freedom of Expression Forum within the direct vicinity of Constitutional Hill in Johannesburg. The tower provides protection to journalists, becomes a pivotal point where classified information can be sent to and archived, as well as establishing a public space that encourages communication.

• Vedhant Maharaj from the University of Witwatersrand. The thesis title is 'YANTRA. Infrastructures of the Sacred and Profane.'

Located on the edge of the River Ganga in Varanasi, India, YANTRA proposes a water purification infrastructure for an ecological life force which has become hazardously polluted. The project responds to the biomedical requirements of the treatment infrastructure and designs it into the rich socio-cultural fabric of one of India’s most sacred cities.