Docomomo International is pleased to announce that on 19th October 2021 a mini-symposium and book presentation of the publication Common Ground, Dutch-South African Architectural Exchanges 1902–1961, edited by Nicholas Clarke, Roger Fisher, and Marieke Kuipers, will take place in the Netherlands and South Africa on young architectural heritage shared between these two countries. This event will take place online simultaneously in Amsterdam, Pretoria and Cape Town.
“As part of the Dutch History Month, the results of a transnational study into the work of emigrated Dutch built environment professionals from the period 1902–1961 will be presented. This research was initiated by the University of Pretoria and carried out with support from the Embassy of the Netherlands in South Africa, the South African Heritage Resources Agency, the Dutch Cultural Heritage Agency, Zuid-Afrikahuis and DutchCulture.
More than seventy Dutch architects chose South Africa as their new homeland after the end of the South African War. They designed hundreds of buildings and residential areas, from swimming pools to the ‘model township’ Atteridgeville. These contributions are now partly controversial because they were created at a time when apartheid politics and segregation were on the rise. The question is therefore to what extent the Dutch-South African history and heritage is shared. Yet the built heritage of the 20th century is an unmistakable part of South Africa and often still in daily use. In that sense, it stands on the Common Ground of makers and users.
During the mini symposium, the new research results will be briefly explained during an interactive panel discussion. Participants include Ben Mwasinga (SAHRA, Cape Town) and the three editors of the just completed book on newly discovered heritage. The generous cooperation of especially the direct descendants of the emigrated architects has resulted in totally unknown stories and beautiful images and they too will contribute to the presentation.
Finally, the ground-breaking new book Common Ground: Dutch-South African Architectural Exchanges 1902–1961 will be presented.
Editors; Nicholas J Clarke, Roger C Fisher, Marieke C Kuipers
Publisher: LM publishers, Edam
ISBN: 9789460225338
The richly illustrated book reveals not only a great variety of architectural styles and building types, but also an unsuspected layer in the complex history of migration, cultural exchanges and social constructions of public memory and heritage.”
The event can be followed online via Live Stream on the zuid-afrikahuis webpage or on Youtube.
