Mashabane Rose Architects I GAPP
Architects and Urban Designers I MMA Architects
in joint venture
Freedom
Park is a National legacy project that has cabinet approval
and is legislated by the National Heritage Resources Act No.
25 of 1999.
Situated
on a prominent koppie overlooking Tshwane, Freedom Park’s
vision is to become “a leading national and international
icon of humanity and freedom.” Its Mission is “to
provide a pioneering and empowering heritage destination that
challenges visitors to reflect upon our past, improve our present
and build on our future as a united nation.”(1) At
the core of this mission is reconciliation and nation building
through the use of history, culture and spirituality.
The development
of Freedom Park is envisioned to ultimately create a dedicated
precinct celebrating South Africa’s heritage - a
centre of knowledge aimed at creating a deeper understanding
of South Africa and its people through the narration of South
Africa’s geological, pre-colonial, colonial, Apartheid
and post-Apartheid history. It aims to be inclusive of all of
South Africa’s people and will retell South Africa’s
story because “many myths and injustices have hidden
the true history of South Africa”(2).
Underpinning
the re-telling of the South African story is the emancipation
of the African voice. Indigenous Knowledge and Knowledge systems
(IKS) are brought to bear on the project as a whole including
guiding the architectural and landscape interventions.
The 52-hectare
site lies immediately south of the city, comprising a natural
quartzite ridge of significant ecological value and forms an
important visual, natural and strategic gateway into the city.
The first
two phases of the project have been completed, the latter being
inaugurated on December 16th 2006. The first phase entailed
the development of the Garden of Remembrance whose key feature
is the Isivivane, a symbolic final resting place of those who
sacrificed their lives in the pursuit of Freedom. Composed primarily
of boulders dedicated in the nine different provinces and from
abroad, it is derived from indigenous spiritual practices of
commemoration.
The next (intermediate) phase, Isikhumbuto, is the Place of
Remembrance whose features include the “wall of names”,
the sanctuary and main gathering space, a gallery of leaders
and Moshate, a hospitality facility for presidential guests
and dignitaries. Its most visible feature is the assemblage
of steel “reeds” which are in some places up to
30m high. According to African spirituality reeds are a conduit
between earth and ancestors and signify the emergence of new
life.
In an ongoing
process, over 50 000 names of those who perished in the fight
for Freedom are inscribed in the wall of names, according to
eight different historical conflicts.
The different
elements are connected by a spiral path that forms a commemorative
journey up the hill to the main space of dedication - the sanctuary
- that houses the eternal flame.
Phalaborwa
quartize rock, mostly dry-packed is used as the unifying material
that binds all architectural and landscape elements together
and to the site.
The final phases will see the completion of Xhapo (the dream),
an interpretive centre and Pan-African archive, currently under
design.
(1)Freedom
Park Trust (2004), Freedom Park, Garden of Remembrance, Freedom
Park Trust, Pretoria.
(2)Freeom Park Trust (2004), Freedom Park, Garden of Remembrance,
Freedom Park Trust, Pretoria.
Structural
Engineers:
Africon / Madinga | Mechanical Engineers:
Uhuru Wetu | Electrical Engineers:
Electrical - Wsp / Ubunye | Environmental:
Earth Inc | Landscaping: Newtown
Landscape Architects Bagale Green Inc Momo Landscape Architects
Joint Venture (Nbgm) | Quantity Surveyor:
Davis Langdon; Chauke Qs | Contractor:
Concor Trencon Jv | Electronic
Engineers: Wsp | Project Managers:
PMSA | 3d Views: Courtesy
of Peter Vernarcik (MRA) and Dianoua Studios