The document discusses the architecture of Pretoria, South Africa's capital city. It notes that Pretoria has a strong tradition of modernist architecture due to the influence of Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer in the mid-20th century. Several landmark modernist buildings from this era still stand today, showing Brazilian influences like sunscreens and repetition in facades. The document also discusses how Pretoria's architecture has evolved alongside South Africa's political transition, from modernist and brutalist styles during apartheid to more postmodern styles after 1994. It profiles several important architectural works and highlights ongoing efforts like the Cool Capital biennale to promote appreciation and exploration of Pretoria's architectural heritage.

1. mTohedern
WORDS: BRENT SMITH (@BSIDECT)
SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS:
PRETORIA IS AN ARCHITECTURE
LOVER’S DREAM. TAKE A LOOK AT
HOW THE CAPITAL’S BUILT ENVIRONMENT
HAS EVOLVED ALONGSIDE SOUTH
AFRICA’S TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY.
A BRAZILIAN
CONNECTION
Pretoria became the capital
of the Transvaal Republic
at the end of the Great
Trek. When the Union was
created in 1910, it became
the administrative capital and
remained so when SA became
a republic in 1961. Post-1994, it’s
taken on a new identity – a place of
diplomacy, with the second-most
foreign embassies in the world.
The city has a tradition of
independence and of detailed
buildings, says Pieter Mathews,
the president of the Pretoria
Institute for Architecture and
principal architect at Mathews
& Associates Architects (MAAA).
In the modernist era, which
coincided with the early days of
apartheid, many local architects
went to Brazil to meet modernist
pioneer Oscar Niemeyer (see
right). This was the man who laid
out Brazil’s planned capital, Brasília.
You can see the influence of Brazilian modernism in the
TPA building off Church Square, the Meat Board building
and the Musaion at the University of Pretoria. Look out
for sunscreens, pillars freeing the ground plain, square roof
cutouts with rounded corners and repetition in their facades.
ow much do you know about our nation’s capital?
You probably know the government calls it home
for six months of the year (and you probably
have some opinions about that). You probably
know that in October the blooming jacarandas transform
the streets into a regal purple. You might know it’s home
to Unisa, Africa’s biggest university. You might even know
someone who lives in one of its loftily named suburbs such
as Valhalla and Olympus. But did you know some of SA’s best
20th-century architecture can be found in Pretoria’s centre?
H
This image The Human
Sciences Research Council
building to the west
of Church Square
in Pretoria.
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2. ABSA
Lilian Ngoyi Square
Architect:
Samuel
Pauw
PHOTOGRAPHY: CARLA CRAFFORD, PIETER MATHEWS, A MELCK, ISTOCK BY GETTY IMAGES, COURTESY IMAGES,
JFL HATTINGH AND G EITZEN (COURTESY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE, UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA)
OPEN GOVERNMENT
Like many other South African cities, Pretoria
experienced “white flight” in the 1990s. But
despite the bland Tuscan explosion in the suburbs,
interesting things are happening in the CBD today.
With government departments returning to the area,
there are signs of Pretoria becoming an urban oasis
in the Highveld once again.
“But the CBD?” you ask. “Surely it’s dodgy.” Well, no. That perception
is changing. If you’d like some convincing, check out one of the pop-up
cinemas that take place on downtown rooftops (search for Molo Mollo
on Facebook, for instance). They offer a new perspective – literally –
on city life in the capital and let you appreciate its rich architectural
heritage, encouraging people to experience town.
LOOKING AHEAD
The recent refurbishment of the 38-storey Absa monolith shows
there’s also growing business confidence in the CBD. City living hasn’t
caught on in the capital yet, though. “Pretorians still want a garden,”
explains Pieter. “But with the new Tshwane Rapid Transit (TRT) system
taking shape, perhaps more people will want to live here.”
MAAA is involved in the architecture of the TRT bus stations.
“People will be able to appreciate the historic context while waiting
for a bus,” he says.
COOL CAPITAL
Although Pieter recommends a top-down view of the CBD at a rooftop
cinema, he prefers a bottom-up approach to reimagining the city. This
is where Cool Capital (www.coolcapital.co.za) comes in. The biennale,
held from 29 August to 16 November this year, aims to make Pretoria
a better place. Pieter says it’s not curated: “Instead of telling people
what’s good, we get them involved in deciding how they want things
to be,” he says. It’s democracy at work.
Cool Capital is integrated into the Pretoria schools’ art syllabus.
Schools are partnered with an artist and kids then get a chance to
create an intervention for Cool Capital. This reaches their parents,
followed by the community.
It also gives you a great opportunity
to explore the CBD to view its
modernist masterpieces. Look
out for art and architecture
installations, music and film
festivals in interesting spaces, and
tours to buildings and places you
may never have known existed.
Pretoria has long been
associated with government.
But it’s clear that in the 21st
century it’s shaking that stuffy
image by building on its celebrated
modernist heritage. If Cape Town is the
Mother City, then Pretoria is Daddy Cool –
and his clothes are back in style.
VOORTREKKER MONUMENT
Eeufees Road, Groenkloof
Architect: Gerard Moerdijk
HOUSE MCINTOSH
(Currently a retirement home)
233 Mackenzie Street, Brooklyn
Architect: William Gordon McIntosh
MEAT BOARD BUILDING
140 Hamilton Street, Arcadia
Architect: Helmut Stauch
NETHERLANDS BANK
(NEDBANK) BUILDING
Corner of Helen Joseph
and Thabo Sehume streets
Architect: Norman Eaton
TPA
Corner of Pretorius
and Parliament streets
Architects: Meiring & Naudé
ART DECO/EARLY MODERN
EARLY MODERNISM
(1940s)
MODERNISM:
INTERNATIONAL STYLE
(LATE 1960s)
MODERNISM:
BRAZILIAN INFLUENCE
(1950s)
POSTMODERNISM
(EARLY 1980s)
BRUTALISM:
LATE MODERNISM
(1970s)
MODERNISM:
CRITICAL REGIONALISM
(1950s)
LITTLE THEATRE
287 Nana Sita Street
Architect:
Norman Eaton
POLLY’S ARCADE
Between Pretorius and
Francis Baard streets,
underneath the Wachthuis
Architect: Norman Eaton
HUMAN SCIENCES
RESEARCH COUNCIL
Pretorius Street
Architect: Samuel Pauw
PRETORIA ART MUSEUM
Park Street, Arcadia
Architects: Burg,
Lodge & Burg
(Today’s BILD Architects)
HOUSE JOOSTE
(Currently Brasserie de Paris)
381 Aries Street, Waterkloof Ridge
Architects: Jooste Associates
UNISA
Preller Street,
Muckleneuk
Architect:
Brian Sandrock
STATE THEATRE
Corner of Sisulu and Pretorius streets
Architects: Interplan Inc
and Daneel, Smit & Partners
Pretoria’s WHERE landmark buildings
TO SEE
Look out for the
documentary about
Pretoria-born Norman
Eaton. Although he was
among those who visited
modernist pioneer Oscar
Niemeyer, he was one of
the first modernists to look for inspiration in
the Highveld. “He saw modernism through
African spectacles,” says Pieter.
He also preferred local materials, resulting
in a uniquely “Pretorian” style of modernism.
Norman’s reasoning was perhaps more to
do with starting his designs with what was
available than starting a revolution. But he
inadvertently created truly green buildings
in the process, as no shipping of materials
was needed. He was also an advocate of
careful planning, which resulted in minimal
wastage, and passive design, where buildings
are designed to take advantage of the
climatic conditions.
The film on Norman, In Search of Our Own,
will premiere in the Atterbury Theatre during
Cool Capital.
ON NORMAN EATON
BRUTALISM TO TUSCAN
Modernism spawned a fortress-like aesthetic
known as brutalism. Some observers make
a connection between this style and the
Nationalist government’s policies of exclusion.
The truth is, while they may be a great metaphor
for the apartheid city, brutalist buildings were
popular worldwide from the 1950s to 1970s.
“Architects exposed their materials. Concrete
had to be concrete; steel had to be steel.
They were used in their natural state,” Pieter
explains. You can see this at House Jooste,
now a restaurant. “You can almost feel the
era if you go there,” says Pieter.
There’s an honesty about these buildings.
But during the postmodernist era, which took
hold in the 1970s and early 1980s, there was
a backlash against modernism and particularly
brutalism. Architects regarded buildings of the
era as inhuman. “Designers went back to things
like Greek columns, as in the Human Sciences
Research Council building to the west of Church
Square. Unfortunately, this degenerated into
the Tuscan style prominent in Gauteng today.”
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