MOVEMENT FROM THE HARBOUR, THROUGH THE CELL BLOCK AND QUARRY TO THE PROPOSED SITE, MARKED WITH A LINE OF QUARRIED STONE IN THE GROUND, SETS UP A THOUGHTFUL JOURNEY FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF INCARCERATION AND REPRESSION TO AN EXPERIENCE OF RELEASE AND CELEBRATION. THE MOVEMENT OF THE TIDES, SHAPE OF THE LAND SURFACE, THE ROCK FROM THE QUARRIES AND THE INDIGENOUS VEGETATION INFORM AND DEFINE THE DESIGN.

A COMBINED CONFERENCE FACILITY AND INTERPRETIVE CENTRE CUT INTO THE EARTH EMBRACE YOU AT THE BASE OF THE LIGHTHOUSE AND TAKE YOU ALONG A NARRATIVE TIME LINE OR JOURNEY, THAT LEADS THROUGH SPACE AND TIME TO A CATHARTIC MOMENT WHERE THE VIEW BACK TO THE MAINLAND IS REVEALED.

REVEALING SPACE AND DEEP VISTAS THROUGH WALL OPENINGS IS A DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO PLACE THE PARTICIPANT IN A POSITION OF POWER OVER THE SPACE THEY OCCUPY. THE IDEA OF ‘WALL’ AS FOUND IN THE PRISON AND UPON ARRIVAL ON THE ISLAND IS UNDERSTOOD, RE-INTERPRETED AND CHARGED WITH MEANING.

THE NEW STRUCTURE IS OF THE EARTH AND TAKES NOTHING AWAY FROM THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF THE EXISTING LIGHTHOUSE AND IS DESIGNED TO BLEND WITH THE ISLAND MORPHOLOGY WHEN APPROACHED FROM THE ISLAND SIDE, AND TO BE VISIBLE FROM THE MAINLAND.

THE UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE STRUCTURE IS BOTH SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL, AND THE EXPERIENCE OF ENTERING IS DRAMATIC AND PROVOCATIVE, TAKING THE VISITOR INTO A SLATE WRAPPED VESSEL CONTAINING THE HISTORY OF THE BIRTH OF THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA