(Winner Paul Wijgers
with his associate Trishana Naidu with their winning presentation. Their work
engages with the edges in their vision to reconfigure suburbia. Pic by
Publicity Matters)
The Alliance Française de Durban has announced the architect
chosen to re-imagine their premises to embrace the innovative “Without Walls”
initiative.
The winning architect is Paul Wijgers: Director of Urban
Solutions.
In response to innovative research, The Alliance Française
de Durban has run a competition to challenge the city’s leading architects to Imagine
a World Without Walls – putting up their hand for theirs to be the pioneer
venue to be reconfigured.
Architects were invited to present their vision of this
philosophy. The three architects who were shortlisted are: winner Paul Wijgers;
runner-up Amanda Lead and third place went to Jeremy Steere.
Three brilliant presentations were considered on August 10. After
extensive deliberation by the panel comprising Vincent Frontczyk: Director
Alliance Française de Durban; Prof Monique Marks from the Durban University of
Technology, Urban Futures Centre; Deborah Ewing: Chairperson: Alliance Française
de Durban; Themi Venturas: board member of Alliance Française de Durban; and
Prof Theo Andrews: board member of Alliance Française de Durban / Executive
Dean: Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment DUT – the panel have
chosen one architect to take the project forward.
The project, which was initiated at the end of 2014, has
been formally endorsed by Brian Jackson from Blue Security. The competition
criteria and process was guided by American architect Andrew Caruso supported
by Marion Guerreiro: a civil engineer student at the Urban Futures Centre. A
valuable resource person throughout the process was Tinus Kruger from CSIR.
“The bravely-initiated project to break down existing
concrete security walls is an effort to create more open visible integrated and
engaged public spaces. This initiative is part of a broader Durban-wide project
entitled Imagining a City Without Walls
to promote new ideas and design practice that will positively impact on safety
and security; social cohesion; community engagement; urban design and improved
neighbourliness,” explained Vincent Frontczyk: Director Alliance Française
Durban.
Prof Marks explained: “It started with a hunch. For many
years I have been completely overwhelmed by the high walls that South African
suburbanites have created around their dwellings. They have always struck me as
confronting, offensive and aesthetically unappealing. But, more than this, I
couldn’t shake the feeling that these walls, which were supposedly created to
make people safer, were actually having the opposite effect. As a criminologist
by training, I’ve worked with police officers and security guards over many
years. So I reached out to a member of the Durban Metropolitan Police, Chris
Overall. This marked the start of a journey that has taken us through very
different suburbs and very different ways of thinking about security – and that
will see the Durban chapter of a global organisation, Alliance Française,
literally break down its walls.”
The next phase is for Alliance Française de Durban together
with the selected architect to engage with the organisation’s board, the city,
neighbours – including Sutton Park - and appropriate stakeholders.
Thereafter a comprehensive fund raising and awareness
creating programme will be put in place to create the necessary funds to bring
the design to live.
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