The In(Be)tween

University of Johannesburg, Department of Architecture, Johannesburg

Project idea

This project began with two questions: What can be done with abandoned spaces? and Who gets to define the cultures and ideas that hold value?
As the second, individual phase of a larger project exploring archives in relation to people, the proposal is situated in Makokoba, one of Bulawayo's oldest working-class and mining communities.

The project challenges narrow understandings of culture that often focus solely on traditional African architecture and heritage. While these histories remain important, I explore culture as something broader: the social spaces, everyday rituals, relationships, and collective experiences that communities create and value over time.

Drawing from both traditional Ndebele notions of culture and architecture and the lived realities of Makokoba, the project recognizes the informal gathering spaces, streets, courtyards, and social networks that became important cultural anchors in the absence of conventional traditional spaces.

The Living Archive therefore becomes a place where memory is not simply preserved, but actively produced through participation. It brings together inherited traditions and lived experiences, arguing that culture is not only what we inherit from the past, but also what we continuously create in the present.

Project description

The Buildings main parts are the different Archives including :Community Gallery of Reflection , Gallery of Art, Gallery of Protest and the Observatory Gallery. It also includes courtyards , apartments on the upper floors, a cafe and offices.
It features a walkable roof that connects the two streets.

Technical information

The construction of the building is made of Timber similar to traditional Ndebele structures, reclaimed concrete from existing structure and Rammed earth

Documentation

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