National 2012
2012 Corobrik National Architectural Student of the Year Award
University of the Witwatersrand Student, Nontokozo Mhlungu has, clinched the prestigious national Corobrik Architectural Student Award for 2012 and the R50,000 prize, beating the top thesis students from seven other universities around South Africa to the winning post.
In her thesis entitled “Hillside Sanctuary: Reception centre for the urban refugee” Mhlungu explored a refugee’s survival strategies in Johannesburg.
She believes refugee camps are an example of ‘post crisis’ rehabilitative systems which vainly attempt to restore stability in a state of disaster. With so many refugees arriving in Johannesburg, she questioned whether the city had made sufficient provision for sheltering and protecting refugees particularly should there be further xenophobic turmoil in the townships. Her research took into account facilities offered by refugee aid and religious organisations and how this type of accommodation differed from typical rural and urban settlements.
“By understanding these fundamental parallels, a premise is formed for the development of a unique and prototypical urban refugee centre located in Hillbrow at the heart of Johannesburg’s eclectic foreign national communities,” she said.
The centre presented in her thesis comprises emergency relief facilities, rehabilitative programmes and transitional accommodation all encompassed within a spiritual, yet nondenominational Christian church establishment. This highlights the ‘curative’ relationship between spirituality, architecture and the user. The panel of judges, architects Heather Dodd, Sindile Ngonyama and Peter Rich, said Mhlungu’s thesis is a scheme that explores the spiritual, existential and practical needs of the refugee in Johannesburg. As spokesperson for the judges, Peter Rich says, “it is a mature spatial exploration of a difficult site that is resolved with a very clear concept. As a final resolution it’s an architecture that is enabling, it has a pleasure of use and it’s open to adaption.” “Good research and a well prepared entry that was clearly presented explained how she arrived at the concept.” Speaking at the event Corobrik managing director, Dirk Meyer said that the juror panel had found it particularly difficult to select a winner for the 26th Corobrik Student Awards due to the very high standard of work that was presented. Consequent to three thesis projects being recognised by the juror panel as being of ‘international quality’ and able to compete on the world stage, three ‘Commendations for Excellence’ awards were made to the 2012 National Architectural Student of the Year – Nonotokozo Mhlungu, Jarryd Murray from the University of Johannesburg and Norbert Koch from the University of Pretoria.
She believes refugee camps are an example of ‘post crisis’ rehabilitative systems which vainly attempt to restore stability in a state of disaster. With so many refugees arriving in Johannesburg, she questioned whether the city had made sufficient provision for sheltering and protecting refugees particularly should there be further xenophobic turmoil in the townships. Her research took into account facilities offered by refugee aid and religious organisations and how this type of accommodation differed from typical rural and urban settlements.
“By understanding these fundamental parallels, a premise is formed for the development of a unique and prototypical urban refugee centre located in Hillbrow at the heart of Johannesburg’s eclectic foreign national communities,” she said.
The centre presented in her thesis comprises emergency relief facilities, rehabilitative programmes and transitional accommodation all encompassed within a spiritual, yet nondenominational Christian church establishment. This highlights the ‘curative’ relationship between spirituality, architecture and the user. The panel of judges, architects Heather Dodd, Sindile Ngonyama and Peter Rich, said Mhlungu’s thesis is a scheme that explores the spiritual, existential and practical needs of the refugee in Johannesburg. As spokesperson for the judges, Peter Rich says, “it is a mature spatial exploration of a difficult site that is resolved with a very clear concept. As a final resolution it’s an architecture that is enabling, it has a pleasure of use and it’s open to adaption.” “Good research and a well prepared entry that was clearly presented explained how she arrived at the concept.” Speaking at the event Corobrik managing director, Dirk Meyer said that the juror panel had found it particularly difficult to select a winner for the 26th Corobrik Student Awards due to the very high standard of work that was presented. Consequent to three thesis projects being recognised by the juror panel as being of ‘international quality’ and able to compete on the world stage, three ‘Commendations for Excellence’ awards were made to the 2012 National Architectural Student of the Year – Nonotokozo Mhlungu, Jarryd Murray from the University of Johannesburg and Norbert Koch from the University of Pretoria.
The judges and finalists are pictured at the 2012 Corobrik Architectural Student of the Year Awards .
From Left to right
Back Row – Jarryd Murray University of Johannesburg , Ruan Marsh Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Andre Malan University of Cape Town, Norbert Koch University of Pretoria, Marcel Swanepoel University of the Free State.
Front Row - Dennis-Lee Stols University of KwaZulu-Natal, the winner Nontokozo Mhlungu University of Witwatersrand, Heather Dodd, Danél Mentz Tshwane University of Technology, Peter Rich and Sindile Ngonyama.
From Left to right
Back Row – Jarryd Murray University of Johannesburg , Ruan Marsh Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Andre Malan University of Cape Town, Norbert Koch University of Pretoria, Marcel Swanepoel University of the Free State.
Front Row - Dennis-Lee Stols University of KwaZulu-Natal, the winner Nontokozo Mhlungu University of Witwatersrand, Heather Dodd, Danél Mentz Tshwane University of Technology, Peter Rich and Sindile Ngonyama.
The judges and finalists are pictured at the 2012 Corobrik Architectural Student of the Year Awards .
PdT & NMhlungu
The 2012 winner of the Corobrik Architectural Student of the year Award is Nontokozo Mhlungu from the University of Witwatersrand. She is pictured with Peter du Trevou Chairman of Corobrik.
PdT & NMhlungu
The 2012 winner of the Corobrik Architectural Student of the year Award is Nontokozo Mhlungu from the University of Witwatersrand. She is pictured with Peter du Trevou Chairman of Corobrik.
