Contents
of April 1999
EDITORIAL
BOOK REVIEW
NEWS
INSPIRATION
Giraffe
House - Centurion, Pretoria
INSULT
Pristine
area ruined by badly positioned and constructed road
TREE OF THE ISSUE
FEATURES
Millennium Public Spaces Competition
Finalists in the nature conservation areas category
The
value of community-based public art
Vodacom
Corporate Park
Waterwise theme garden, Witwatersrand National
Botanical Garden
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EDITORIAL
Grasslands
are a lot more than just grass. They are unique ecosystems extremely rich in plant and
animal species which are highly specialised to cope with fire, frost and grazing - factors
that maintain the grass dominance and prevent the establishment of trees. Gautengers dash
off to see the flowers in Namaqualand, unaware of the phenomenal display of veld flowers
in spring and summer in the Suikerbosrand reserve - right on their doorstep. According to
botanist Braam van Wyk of Pretoria University, if you take one thousand paces across a
stretch of healthy grassland, the experience will be more profitable than the equivalent
walk through an area of fynbos. Not only do our grasslands have a high species richness,
but they are also very poorly conserved.
Our
grasslands are being lost to forestry, agriculture, urbanisation and open cast mining -
and we need to understand what it is we are losing. Many plant and animal species are
endemic to grassland - strictly confined to the southern African temperate grassland
biome, and habitat destruction for them will mean extinction. According to Van Wyk,
transformation of grassland through ploughing and afforestation is thought to be
irreversible: "I have never seen an example where such grasslands regain their full
species complement. A species count has been done on the old agricultural lands which now
form part of the Suikerbosrand reserve and, after 30 years, the non-grassy herbs are
largely not there, in contrast to the nutrient poor soils on the quartzitic ridges of the
reserve which have not been ploughed and are rich in herbs, with high diversity in
general. Ploughing and afforestation affect the soil structure, as well as the plants, and
the long term climatic changes cannot be incorporated into a restoration project."
Van Wyk say
that our grasslands are completely undervalued as a medicinal source. Many of the
beautiful herbaceous plants in our grasslands are so old - they have survived for decades
or even centuries - that Van Wyk feels they must have in-built, natural insecticides in
their massive underground storage organs which could have invaluable medicinal properties.
Research in this field is certainly happening but needs to be accelerated, in conjunction
with tapping the know-ledge of traditional healers before that knowledge is lost.
It is
wonderful news, therefore, that landowners in the area of the Suikerbosrand reserve have
suggested the idea of forming a conservancy to Gauteng Nature Conservation and that the
pos-sibility of a Biosphere Reserve is being investigated. (See Up Front News, page 3.)
According to Michelle Pfab, these landowners will be helping to conserve two vegetation
types - the Rocky Highveld Grassland, only 2% of which is under conservation, and the
Moist Cool Highveld Grassland, only 3% of which is under conservation.
Publisher
Frits van Oudtshoorn has brought out a revised edition of Guide to Grasses of Southern
Africa which describes and illustrates more than 300 southern African grasses and we will
be reviewing the book in our next issue.
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BOOK REVIEW
New Kirstenbosch Gardening Series
Four new 36
page A5 size gardening guides were launched by the National Botanical Institute (NBI) in
September 1998: ‘Grow Proteas’, ‘Grow Agapanthus’, ‘Grow Restios’
and ‘Grow Cycads’. The guides draw on the combined know-ledge and experience of
horticulturists and botanists at the NBI. The books are written in clear layman’s
terms and illustrated with inspiring colour photographs which will help with the
identification of different species. Along with directions on how to propagate these
plants, there are ideas on how to use the various subjects in the landscaping of gardens
and parks. Comprehensive species lists, an index and suggestions for further reading are
included.
‘Grow
Proteas’ is written by research horticulturists Neville Brown and Philip Botha in
conjunction with Deon Kotze, chief landscaper and former curator of the protea section at
Kirstenbosch. The South African family of Proteaceae, part of the fynbos community,
includes groups such as the sugar bushes (proteas), pincushions (leucospermums) and
conebushes (leucodendrons). Propagation of many fynbos plants from seed is complex, as the
seeds of these species are dormant when shed and require very specific environmental cues
before they will germinate. Fire provides a major cue for germination in the wild and this
has to be simulated when attempting to germinate the seeds of many fynbos genera in the
nursery or greenhouse.
"Many
protea species make outstanding landscaping subjects. There is a choice of tall elegant
shrubs for height and background. There are procumbent, sprawling or prostrate proteas for
groundcovers and growing in rockeries. In between these extremes are a wealth of
medium-sized shrubs that produce handsome flowers at different times of the year. Other
species have colourful foliage with seasonal colour changes."
‘Grow
Agapanthus’ is written by Kirstenbosch horticulturist Graham Duncan. The genus
Agapanthus is endemic to southern Africa. There are ten species in the genus and these can
be divided into evergreen and deciduous species. As a group, the evergreens have a very
long flowering period, beginning in late spring and early summer with the main flowering
period in mid-summer. The genus exhibits a remarkable flower colour range from pure white
through every imaginable shade of blue to deep violet hues.
"The
larger evergreen species can be massed together in big beds in parks and large gardens or
be interplanted with deciduous winter and spring flowering bulbs like Chasmanthe
floribunda or Watsonia borbonica. The evergreen species are also excellent subjects for
stabilising steep banks, as their long, fleshy roots bind the soil and prevent erosion. In
difficult coastal gardens, the evergreens generally stand up well to wind and they will
also transfrom many a dreary road verge into a riot of summer colour in all but the driest
of conditions."
Research
horticulturists Neville Brown and Philip Botha, in conjunction with horticulturist Hanneke
Jamieson, who is responsible for the spectacular displays of restios at Kirstenbosch,
co-authored the guide entitled ‘Grow Restios’. The Restionaceae, a family of
evergreen, rush-like plants, is one of the three major families of the fynbos community.
About 300 species are endemic to the Cape Floristic Region and ± 19% of the Cape species
are considered to be threatened in the wild. Restios are found mostly in poor sandy soils
from near sea level to high above the snow line. Planted in the right positions they are
tough long-lived plants, ideal for low maintenance gardening, while their striking
growth-forms, textures and colours makes this a very attractive group for landscaping
purposes.
The authors
of ‘Grow Cycads’ are Kirstenbosch horticulturist John Winter and botanist John
Donaldson, well known for his research into rare and endangered South African cycads. The
African genus Encephalartos is the second largest in the cycad family, comprising about 60
species with the main centre of distribution in the eastern parts of South Africa, where
37 species occur. The genus Stangeria is endemic to South Africa and comprises a single
species that resembles a large fern.
A permit
system serves to protect these ancient plants in the wild. "An important part of
conservation is to encourage people to grow cycads from seeds (of garden origin) or from
nursery-grown seedlings, and there are relatively few restrictions to these activities.
The permit process becomes more complicated for trade in larger cycads (which could have
been taken from the wild) and for international trade in cycads. Some plants were
wild-collected many years ago and have valid permits. It is, however, now illegal to
remove cycads from the wild or to trade in cycads that have been illegally
removed from
the wild. Nature conservation agencies are marking plants in the wild with micro-chips and
other forms of identification so that they can trace plants that have been removed from
nature. Registered cycad nurseries will usually obtain a permit (for a legal cycad) for
you. If you are in any doubt, contact the flora permit section of your provincial nature
conservation department."
The journey is
the teacher
An
autobiography
"Is
Korzennik the artist or the craftsman, the muralist or the sculptor, the graphic artist or
the fine art painter, the designer or the decorator, or a curious and unique mixture of
all of these? The body of Korzennik’s work is a sprawl of bewildering
diversity." John Brett-Cohen. (Poet, writer, photo-journalist, photographer and
lifelong friend of Korzennik’s.)
In the
preface to his book, Mickey Korzennik speaks of his successor as being, in all likelihood,
a young aspirant from the previously disadvantaged communities: "The ‘leitmotif’
of minimal means and little background to speak of must certainly be relevant to them as
it was to me with a family background of very scant means and no recognised formal art
training. The struggle for a place in the sun and social justice which dominated and still
dominates my ‘weltanschauung’ (universal world view) can easily be transposed
from the milieu of my Jewish background and those historical times, to the struggle of the
previously disenfranchised people in South Africa."
Amongst
acknowledgements to a number of people including Brett Cohen, the Zionist Youth Movement
of Hashomer Hatzair and Tim and Marlene Morris for initiating the Crocodile River Ramble,
Korzennik expresses his gratitude to Jeremiah ‘Radio’ Simelane, his faithful
Zulu. "His devotion to duty has been exemplary and his muscle and hands have become
extensions of my own muscle and hands."
This quote
from the Foreword explains Korzennik’s rationale when it comes to the choice of
material and explains, along with his love of experimentation in his "very practical
career", why he used a multiplicity of different media: "Having gravitated early
on towards the architectural environment as the dominant arena of my work, the philosophy
that evolved was to let the architectural setting dictate the material and nature of the
artwork. Corbusier said that a work of art in an architectural setting was either
priceless or worthless. So with this as a dictum, where stainless steel for instance
suited the environment and related to the clients activities, I have worked and come to
terms with that material. Where concrete was the correct material when juggling the
factors of scale, budget, construction practicality, the message and the environment, I
used the knowledge acquired to date with other journey’s using this material and
investigated and assimilated new techniques to suit the current commission. Where strong
colour was called for, to add Corbusier’s ‘priceless’ element to the
environment, I encountered the resin engraving on timber possibility and saw the
opportunity to add vibrant colour to the process, expanding it and enriching it."
Amongst the
many projects recorded in his book are: the 8x2 m resin etched kiaat panel, with colour
inlay, in the SA Permanent Building Society, Randburg - 1978 (Architects:Stucke Harrison
& Partners); the acid etched and sandblasted glass screens of The Star building,
Johannesburg - 1964 (Architects: Nurcombe, Summerley, Ringrose & Todd); pre-cast
concrete balcony fronts, decorative wall and interior cement plaster scratch panel,
Kell-Anne Heights, Germiston - 1962 (Architects: Christelis and Stanley Victor); pre-cast
concrete wall cladding, Twin Products, Isando - 1972 (Architects: Christelis and Stanley
Victor); laminated timber, using router work to express the company’s logo and
wrought iron to donate ancient alchemic symbols, Beige Pharmaceuticals, Edenvale - 1981
(Architects:Barlin, Chaskelson and Francoise); wooden panel symbolising the pattern makers
masters, using laminated timbers,Thomas Foundry, Germiston - 1983 (Architect: Anton Otto
Endres. Interior designer: Fiona Yatt); corten steel constructions Dorbyl House,
Bedfordview - 1980 (Architect: Rinaldi Macdonald Crosby); and the stainless steel water
feature entitled ‘Rockface’ in the JCI Building, Johannesburg - 1984
(Architects: Rhodes Harrison Fee and Bold).
Korzennik’s
sculptures occupy pride of place in many gardens, countrywide, and are made of welded
steel, railway sleepers of Burmese and Rhodesian teak, bronze, polypropylene fibre
concrete, and concrete combined with coloured steel. His graphics have been used
extensively by interior decorators in SA, Europe, USA and Israel. His own gallery is on
the Crocodile River Arts and Crafts Ramble in Muldersdrift outside Johannesburg.
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NEWS
Proposed Biosphere Reserve at Suikerbosrand
On 27 March
this year, a ‘Friends of Suikerbosrand’ group was formed under the auspices of
the Wildlife and Environment Society (WESSA). Suikerbosrand is Gauteng’s premier
nature reserve, located some 30 km south of Johannesburg adjacent to the town of
Heidelberg, in the midst of industrial and intensive agricultural development, and is one
of the few reserves where the grassland biome is conserved - only 0,8% of highveld
grassland is officially conserved, in total. The reserve, named after the Transvaal
sugarbush, Protea caffra, occupies an area of 13 337 ha and is an important recreational
and educational resource for the people of Gauteng.
The reserve,
which is in excellent condition, is managed by the Gauteng Department of Nature
Conservation and the Friends group will serve to organise events and activities to promote
the reserve, in conjunction with the management, such as: talks and courses on numerous
subjects illustrating the biodiversity of the reserve, along with day and night drives to
observe the animals and specialised grassland birds. Guided walks will be organised
during
Suikerbosrand’s exceptional wildflower season, the beauty and interest of which is
little known to the Gauteng public.
At the
well-attended inaugural meeting of the Friends of Suikerbosrand, Peter Mills of Gauteng
Nature Conservation spoke about threats to the reserve from encroaching urbanisation and
said that neighbouring landowners had approached the Department because they were
interested in forming a conservancy of some sort. The idea of a ‘biosphere reserve’
based on UNESCO’s principals had been raised. The Kogelberg area in the Western Cape
has recently been registered as an international Biosphere Reserve - the first in South
Africa.
A biosphere
reserve combines both conservation and sustainable use of natural resources and is
structured in a series of zones with the ‘core area’ or the traditional
proclaimed nature reserve at the ‘centre’ -encompassed by a clearly defined
‘buffer’ zone and ‘transitional’ zones in which activities, in line
with sustainable use, are permitted. Transition zones surround core conservation areas and
promote wise development of resources, ensuring further protection of the representative
ecosystems of the core area, buffering these against human impact, as well as facilitating
co-operation between local communities, landowners and local authorities in order to
promote sustainable use.
Michelle
Pfab, also of Gauteng Nature Conservation, spoke about the high biodiversity of
Suikerbosrand and the rare and endangered (Red Data) species in the reserve. She pointed
out that threatened species such as the Heidelberg Copper butterfly, which relies on an
ant species to complete its life cycle, also occurred in neighbouring areas outside the
reserve and commended the idea of a biosphere reserve or conservancy which would help to
conserve such species.
Afribuild and
Afriwater
The
participation of more than 140 organisations and companies has already been confirmed at
the combined event at Gallagher Estate in Midrand from 18 - 20 August. Public sector
support, in particular, is at unprecedented levels. The government departments and
parastatals exhibiting at the event are the Department of Public Works, the Department of
Water Affairs and Forestry, the CSIR’s Division of Building Technology, Eskom’s
Residential Demand Side Management, Rand Water and Umgeni Water.
Support has
also come from important trade associations and professional bodies, including the Black
Contractors Council, that will be exhibiting for the first time, the National Home
Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) and the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA).
The NHBRC becomes a statutory body in June and thereafter all home builders will be
required to register with it. WISA has endorsed Afriwater since its inception in 1994 and
will be responsible for organising the concurrent conference and seminars.
The joint
show has been chosen as the vehicle for the presentation of the Masimanyane Campaign’s
1998 Sustainability Awards.
Aide-Memoire on
Mining Environmental Management
(A
comment extracted from Andrew Duthie’s progress report in the IAIA Newsletter.)
"Comments
gleaned from extensive consultation with over 400 IAPs are being used as points of
reference to produce a series of guidelines for mining environmental management. So far we
have outlined an overarching ‘Framework for Environmental Management in the Mining
Industry’ and a more specific ‘Guideline for feasibility studies, planning and
decision making’. These documents are in line with the paradigm shift represented by
the Integrated Environmental Management approach. Equal emphasis is being given to product
and process. It is likely that the new name for EMPRs will be EAMPs (Environmen-tal
Assessment and Management Program-mes) to signal a complete break with the past."
Towards a
Strategic Plan for Sanitation
A background
information document has been produced by the Greater Pretoria Metropolitan Council (GPMC)
to introduce key stakeholders to the proposed project, to invite participation in the
process and to inform stakeholders of the project team’s approach to the development
of a strategic plan for sanitation.
Growing
urbanisation, informal settlements and sub-optimal sanitation and water supply are causing
negative environmental impacts on the receiving environments in many areas of South
Africa. The government has developed legislation, policies and strategies to effect change
in the way provincial and local authorities manage this growth, as well as associated
waste generation and disposal. The GPMC is currently responsible for the bulk collection,
conveyance, treatment and disposal of wastewater in its area of jurisdiction - which
covers the Metropolitan Councils of Soshanguve/Akasia, Centurion and Pretoria.
In the last
five years, the GPMC has had a steady urban growth of 3 - 5 % per annum. In order to
respond to this increasing demand on sanitation, the GPMC has embarked on a mission to
promote regional efficiency, affordability and equity in sanitation services - and to
achieve this it has initiated a process to develop a ‘strategic plan for bulk
sanitation’ for the Greater Pretoria area.
The first
step is to undertake a status quo study, including an audit of existing infrastructure
(sewage collection and treatment facilities). The next step is to analyse various viable
strategies with the decision support model and to compare the strategies in order to
identify the best strategy. This strategy must be refined and the implementation details
must be considered.
A
well-defined, optimal bulk sanitation strategy, with the backing of various key
stakeholders and decision makers, is the overall aim of the project. A Project Steering
Committee will guide the process. Workshops will ensure that stakeholders are kept well
informed and form an active guiding element in the process.
The GPMC has
appointed the professional association of Wates Meiring & Barnard (Pty) Ltd and EVN
Consulting Engineers to assist them in the study, while the services of Manyake Greyling
Meiring (Pty) Ltd, a public participation and communication practice, will ensure the
effective participation of local authorities and other key stakeholders.
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INSPIRATION
A
truly contemporary South African living space, set in an indigenous garden
Giraffe
House, Centurion, Pretoria
Known as the
Giraffe House, because of a 3 m high giraffe sculpture displayed in a specially designed
glass box built into the front elevation, this building incorporates different media and
textures in a series of diverse, organic spaces.
Architect
Paul Oosthuisen comments on the design: "I have manipulated the interior spaces and
volumes so as to create a feeling of being in a jungle. Different ceiling heights and
light penetrating through skylights, create an effect similar to that of light filtering
through the leaves of a forest." In keeping with this atmosphere, the wooden deck of
the first floor balcony doubles as a sunscreen for a northern window and casts a beautiful
shadow pattern on the floor.
The ‘flow’
of space in the interior, and between interior and exterior, makes this house special. The
only rooms that are completely separate from the interconnected spaces are the very
private bedrooms and bathrooms. Vistas are cleverly used to emphasise the ‘communication
between separate, but connected, rooms’. A bridge on the first floor leads to the
main bedroom and, from there, the entire ground floor living area and kitchen is visible.
Openings in the walls, and windows with a view into the garden, are positioned below eye
level to involve people in the architecture ".......one has to bend down and peep to
see through," explains Oosthuizen.
The
architecture displays the structural elements of the building with steel ‘columns’
and trusses clearly visible. On the northern facade, brick walls are built on top of these
trusses with glass windows beneath - creating a feeling of free flowing space at ground
level.
The garden
design departs from the too familiar (and very uninteresting) mass plantings of recent
landscaping. Landscaper Peter Huberts talks about the garden: "I have tried to
recreate a natural landscape with only indigenous planting; not only to promote
bio-diversity and support the food-chain, but also to reinforce the ‘Africanness’
of the place." The garden complements the architecture with fever trees and a pond
positioned in front of the glass box to create a ‘habitat’ for the giraffe
sculpture.
Although one
critic referred to this house as ‘architecture per square meter’, with just too
many elements/clutter, for the eye to appreciate, We at
The Urban
Green File, believe that the overall effect is one of clever detailing that adds to the
effect of the building as a whole.
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INSULT
Pristine area
ruined by badly positioned and constructed road
A unspoilt
area of land, including valuable riverine forest, has been ruined by the rash decision of
local government to build an inappropriate road between the resort towns of Kei Mouth and
Morgan’s Bay in the Eastern Cape. For many years before its construction, there was
talk of establishing such a road, because the residents and holiday makers were having to
travel a much longer inland route between the two towns, but the idea was always dismissed
for a variety of reasons including the need to protect the forest. Pressure was brought to
bear on the town clerk of the two towns and the previous objections were conveniently
ignored. The Transitional Local Council (TLC) of the two coastal towns did a hasty and
haphazard planning exercise, appointed a contractor and the road was literally bulldozed
along an existing 4x4 track between the towns. Nature conservation was called in at the
eleventh hour to remove and relocate a number of cycads.
The road was
established prior to the regulations requiring that an Environmental Impact Assessment be
done (Section 21: Environmental Conservation Act) for "the construction or upgrading
of roads outside the borders of town planning schemes". The matter eventually came to
the attention of the Department of Economic Affairs, Environment and Tourism (DEAET) of
the Eastern Cape and a meeting was held with the town clerk, at which fears about the
possibility of the poorly designed road being washed away by the first heavy storm were
raised. A local newspaper reported that these ‘green people’ who were concerned
about the road were "talking nonsense" - and about six months later the bridge
and portions of the road were washed away. Gravel and other road rubble washed into the
Morgan’s Bay lagoon and other parts of the catchment area, road embankments with
treacherously steep slopes were severely eroded and the road was impassable.
The TLC set
about repairing the road, but at this stage the EIA regulations had been enforced and an
objection was lodged against this ‘upgrading’ process since no attempt had been
made to comply with these regulations. At present, the matter is in the hands of the
Scientific Services and Environmental Protection Directorate of the DEAET of the Eastern
Cape.
If the TLC
had followed correct procedure, initially, even though they were not legally bound to do
an EIA, the need for the road could have been resolved by choosing a better route and
building a better road. The short-sightedness of the town clerk has not only cost the
municipality unnecessary money in road repair but has ruined an area of coastline near an
historic Strandloper trail. The pristine riverine forest has been opened up to possible
invasion by alien species and to irresponsible collecting for the traditional medicinal
trade - and two streams have been silted up. The Morgan’s Bay lagoon used to flow out
into the sea on a seasonal basis but this no longer occurs because the flow of the river
has been impeded by development such as this. It is future generations that will pay the
real costs of such debacles!
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TREE OF THE ISSUE
Syzigium cordatum
Commonly
known as the Waterberry
Koos
Oosthuyzen of Patryshoek Nursery has chosen the Waterberry as the Tree of the Issue. The
natural habitat of this tree is along streams in riverine bush and forest, but it makes an
excellent garden subject. In Gauteng it does not grow as tall as it does along the coast,
reaching only ± 8m on average, and is therefore suitable for the townhouse garden, as
well as the larger estate or parkland.
"The
reason I like this tree is that its foliage is a bluish colour, which is not often found
in the garden, and it has a leathery leaf similar, in the layman’s eyes, to that of a
protea, creating a contrasting texture in the landscape. In summer, the new foliage gives
the tree a pinkish tinge," says Koos. Other reasons he gives for choosing the tree
are that it is fast growing, evergreen and, although not frost hardy, can tolerate a
reasonable amount of cold. "It won’t do for the south of Johannesburg, but does
well in the kind of cold experienced in Sandton," he adds.
Syzigium
cordatum can be used as a specimen tree on an area of open lawn - pruned up into a single
stem so that it forms a shady crown. It also makes an effective screen, when a series of
trees are planted side by side and left to branch out naturally from the bottom, because
the foliage is appropriately dense.
"It is
one of the better trees for attracting birds to the garden. They use it for nesting
purposes because the foliage is compact and evergreen and birds such as the Grey Lourie
and the Green Pigeon eat the ripe fruit. The caterpillar of the Emperor Moth utilses the
leaves, as do the larvae of a number of Charaxes and Playboy butterflies. Birds like the
Common Shrike feed on these caterpillars," says Koos.
The
Waterberry does need to be well-watered but, as Koos points out, if it is planted so that
it can be watered efficiently at root level through a pipe, it does not utilise extra
water. An ideal position for the Waterberry is near a downpipe where it can make use of
run-off from a roof.
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FEATURES
Millennium Public Spaces Competition
Finalists in the nature conservation areas category
Finalists in the Campus Category
Our
competition, sponsored by Enviro Elements /Townscape, is drawing to a close and this is
our penultimate category of finalists - only two, this time. Subscribers are encouraged to
vote, once again, for the winner of this category by completing and faxing the ballot
form, included with this issue, to The Urban Green File: (011) 482-3407.
Rand Afrikaans
University (RAU), Auckland Park, Johannesburg
The main campus is the site of the well-known ‘ring-shaped’ building,
housing lecture halls and administrative offices, which encloses a terraced landscape with
a large central fountain. There are a number of student residences on the campus - the two
original, finely detailed, high-rise blocks; several low-rise buildings, enclosing private
courtyards; and the more recent ‘student villages’. The buildings form numerous
open spaces of different character. This is a true campus, as it comprises a consolidated
block of land, planned and developed as a single project. The development of the campus
started in 1973 on the grounds of the original Johannesburg Country Club Golf Course.
Architects that have been involved on site, over the years, are Jan van Wyk, Wilhelm
Meyer, WP Bosch & Associates and Nel Wilreker Partnership.
The original
landscaping philosophy, conceptualised by landscape architect Ben Farrell, was to create a
sustainable and self-generating system and, to this end, originally, only indigenous
plants were utilised. There are many fine specimens of indigenous trees on campus today.
These indigenous plantings increase the value of the green spaces, as they also provide a
habitat for birds and other small animals. There are several endangered, indigenous cycad
species on campus.
Associated
with the main campus are the sportsfields on the Westdene Spruit, which form an extensive
linked green trail through the suburb of Westdene, incorporating Westdene Dam and the
smaller ‘Paddadam’. The surrounding community can access the walking trail at
any of the individual facilities. The swimming pool and the tennis courts can be utilised
by members of the public. The sportsfields form part of an open space system which
continues through to Melville Koppies and Westpark Cemetery.
The campus
is divided into zones maintained by nine maintenance teams, each headed by a team leader.
These team leaders liaise with the groundsman and are assisted by Green Inc landscape
architects. Innovative techniques are being investigated to ensure the environmental
sustainability of maintenance procedures and the self-regenerative ability of the
landscape. Woody landscape waste is chipped to form mulch, so as to reduce the irrigation
requirements of the landscape. The use of earthworms is being investigated to assist the
composting process of by-products such as lawn clippings.
There is
strict access control to the main campus which is fully fenced, while the entrances to
sports facilities which are open to the public during the day are secured at night.
Peninsula Technikon, Bellville
This campus has transformed (with limited financial resources) a relatively barren area of
the Cape Flats into a vibrant public open space that strives for an environmentally
friendly atmosphere with a collegiate feel throughout, taking energy conservation and
other environmental concerns into account - in spite of the site being adjacent to an
industrial area, and a sewage disposal works and tip site. Consultants involved in the
planning and design were the architects, Revel Fox & Partners and the landscape
architects, OVP Associates.
The campus
includes a central pedestrian mall with hard and soft landscaping culminating in a student
square which is the focal point of the campus. This square, which was built nine years
ago, is a popular meeting place for students, staff and visitors. It is flanked by the
cafeteria, auditorium, cafes, a clinic, sports halls and administrative offices. It is
planted with deciduous trees to create a cool shady atmosphere in summer and to allow the
winter sun to filter through after fall. Water fountains add to the tranquility, while the
seating and litter bins blend with the surrounding architecture. The campus, and
particularly the square, is used for activities such as open air concerts, lunchtime
meetings, student orientation and launches of, for example, Environment Awareness
Programmes.
The
Technikon serves the local community by sharing its facilities whenever these are needed.
Bookings for the use of facilities are very tight with some venues being booked out for
every weekend, a year in advance. Neighbouring schools hold their athletics meetings at
the campus. The gardens and lake (detention pond) area, which has a bandstand and braai
facility, are very popular areas for wedding photo sessions and even ceremonies. The
student square recently served as the venue for a concert by the Cape Town Symphony
Orchestra, with an open invitation being extended to the surrounding communities.
The gardens,
squares and courtyards have a scheduled maintenance programme that includes the removal of
refuse on a daily basis. The detention pond stores recycled effluent water for irrigation
purposes. The maintenance of public spaces is done outside of normal hours. The Technikon
employs its own grounds maintenance staff and has an extensive staff development programme
for them. Security is dealt with by means of ‘low slung’ lighting, which lights
up areas below the tree canopies, while all the courtyards are fitted with lampposts and
the buildings have well-lit collonades. In addition to its own security staff, the
Technikon has acquired the services of an outside company to do the perimeter controls.
The campus
was awarded the State President’s Award for its tree planting and greening initiative
in 1996.
-----
Photographic
simulation: an integral part of visual impact assessments
People are
aware, now more than ever, that they have a voice about environmental and aesthetic
matters and that their opinions are being considered. One of their main concerns is the
visual impact that proposed developments will have on the landscape. People are demanding
that visual issues be dealt with in a meaningful way. What is visually acceptable and what
is not, is an issue that most people have a subjective opinion about.
But here
lies the challenge. Evaluating a landscape’s visual quality is complex. "Scenic
beauty is a measure of the aesthetic appeal which a person experiences when viewing a
particular scene. This appeal is conditioned not only by innate appreciation of the
aesthetic qualities of the landscape, but also by personal associations, cultural
conditioning and familiarity with the area. By definition, therefore, the assessment of
scenic beauty will be heavily influenced by personal preference."
Visual resource
In order to minimise the subjective aspects involving human values and
associations, the more quantifiable aspects of the landscape must be emphasised. Landscape
character, landscape quality and ‘sense of place’ are used to assess a visual
resource because these are intrinsic to the landscape and enable a value to be placed on
it - which is independent of the person doing the viewing.
Landscape
character is an "expression of pattern, resulting from particular combinations of
natural and cultural factors that make one place different from another".2 The
description of landscape character thus focuses on the nature of the land, rather than the
response of a viewer.
Landscape
quality is a measurement of the union of ecological integrity and aesthetic appeal.
Ecological integrity refers to the condition or health of the landscape while aesthetic
appeal refers to the visual quality of the landscape. Studies for perceptual psychology
have shown human preference for landscapes with a higher visual complexity, particularly
scenes with water, over homogeneous areas.
Central to
the concept of ‘sense of place’ is that the landscape requires uniqueness and
distinctiveness. The primary informant of these qualities is the spatial form and
character of the natural landscape together with the cultural transformations and
traditions associated with historic use and habitation. Sense of place "is the extent
to which a person can recognise or recall a place as being distinct from other places - as
having a vivid, or unique, or at least particular, character of its own".
Visual impact
Visual impact is measured as the change to the visual landscape caused by the
physical presence of a new development and the magnitude to which that change compromises
(negative impact), enhances (positive impact) or maintains the visual quality of an area.
To assess the visual impact of a new development, three main factors are considered.
Visual
Intrusion
The
compatibility or conflict of the physical characteristics of a new development with the
landscape.
Visibility
The areas from which a new development will be visible.
Visual exposure
Visibility and visual intrusion qualified by distance (view point from the
development) to indicate the magnitude of intrusion.
Perhaps the
concern which is most important to the public is "what will the proposed development
really look like?". People have lost faith in ‘artistic impressions’ which
are supposed to illustrate the end product. These impressions are seldom accurate and most
often do not show the development in its true context. They are produced to
"sell" the development. To temper this concern, it is important that any
representation of a new development is realistic and is illustrated in its true context.
We employ the photographic simulation technique and find that it fulfills these criteria.
The validity of the technique can be measured when the following five criteria are met:
*
Representative: - the
simulation should represent important and typical views of the new development.
*
Accurate: - there must
be a distinct similarity between the simulation and the reality after the development has
been realised.
*
Visual clarity: -
detail and overall contents of the new development must be clearly recognisable.
*
Interest: - a
simulation should hold the attention of the viewer.
*
Legitimacy: - a
simulation is defensible, if it can be shown how it was produced and to what degree it is
accurate.
To meet
these criteria a series of photographs are taken using a single lens reflex camera. The
photographs are then scanned into digital format. When spliced together, the resultant
panoramic scene simulates a person’s peripheral vision.
An image of the development is superimposed, using a computer software programme, onto the
original panorama which then simulates the physical presence of the new development. Two
methods can be used to create an image of the proposed development. A photograph is taken
of a physical model of the development from the same perspective as the panorama or a 3D
computer model of the development is generated from that view point. Either of these
methods, when superimposed onto the existing scene, produces an image which is
representative, accurate and contextual.
The size of
the final image is determined using a mathematical formula, so that when it is viewed from
a distance of 500 mm (the distance from your eyes to a report that you are reading) it
approximates the size of image the naked eye would see in reality.
A realistic,
authentic and clear picture of what people are ‘really going to see’ is produced
using this computer aided photographic simulation technique. The result is a tool which
allows people to make a meaningful and objective input into the debate about the visual
quality of the visual environment.
-----
Vodacom
Corporate Park - futuristic architecture for the information age
Vodacom’s
new head office provides a healthy working environment, whilst also displaying the
dynamism of the cellular industry.
The visitor
to the new Vodacom Head Office at VodaValley, Midrand, may feel as though he is in a
futuristic movie. Employees work in hi-tech open plan offices with custom designed desks
which incorporate filing systems and computers. Access to different sections is obtained
with a smart card and cell phones also serve as compasses in this building - a message on
the screen tells you in which wing you are located.
Architect
Pierre Lombart of Manfred Hermer Grosskopff Lombart describes the building: "The
architectural concept is based on an assessment of the working environment at the turn of
the millennium. Arriving at VodaValley, you are drawn towards the pyramid floating in an
extensive reflection pond - the water softens the harshness of the highveld environment.
Parking is provided underground, under the water feature, and after driving ‘into’
the water to park, you are immediately drawn towards the natural light - coming through
the glass pyramid at the escalators, which leads you into the atrium where the music of
Mozart welcomes you." This use of natural light is so effective that no signage is
needed to point out the entrance.
"The
900m2 atrium foyer is housed in the glass pyramid ‘reaching for the sky’ -
spiritually communicating with the world and symbolising Vodacom as a communications
company," continues Lombart. "This feature articulates the entire
development," he adds, "but is not overstated - it is set like a jewel in a
ring." The atrium is at the heart of the building, functioning as the market square -
a public space utilised by visitors, staff and management: accessible from the underground
parking area as well as from ground level.
Lombart
believes the architectural style is a true reflection of the information technology
industry, highlighting the theme of communication. It is certainly not neo-classical - the
cellular industry is part of the future and therefore the architecture should also look
into the future, rather than borrowing from the past. It is a building without decoration,
masculine in design and utilising natural light and abundant vistas. "The interior
design complements the building, rather than detracting from the architecture," adds
Grant Gillis of Delta Interiors. "There is no interior decoration, only design,"
he continues. "You won’t find any curtain drapes in this building!"
Situated
adjacent to the pyramid are the executive suites which management and their visitors
access via a glass lift in the pyramid. This executive section comprises reception areas,
offices and state of the art meeting rooms with video conferencing and presentation
equipment.
Other
members of staff access the east and west wings from the atrium. They use the galleries on
the ground floor leading to the lift shafts. Visitors are directed from the atrium to
meeting rooms, conveniently positioned on the ground floor along these superb galleries,
overlooking the exterior piazza and reflection pond. On the other levels, both open plan
and individual offices span the walkways. Services, such as ablutions and pause areas with
vending machines, small kitchens, and couches where staff can relax, are positioned
adjacent to the lift shafts at the end of the east and west wings, overlooking the shaded
courtyards. More open plan offices overlook the courtyards on the north and south sides.
"The strong visual connection between the various departments, viewing each other
across the shaded external piazzas, engenders a strong sense of belonging in the staff of
750 people enjoying the corporate head office," says Lombart. A glass bridge on the
first floor spans the atrium pyramid and links the east and west wings, ensuring that the
various departments can access one another with ease.
"We
have re-invented the concept of office space, by reducing the size of individual
workstations and adding meeting rooms, downstairs, to receive visitors. By taking 0,5 m
away from each workstation there was an excess of 325m2, which could be used to provide
generous public areas. Easy communication in the open plan offices enhances efficiency and
productivity. It also reinforces the ‘sense of belonging’ as Vodacom personnel
have been moved from seven different buildings in Sandton and should now be able to feel
proud of their collective working environment," continues Lombart. This concept also
improves security as visitors only have access to the meeting rooms on ground level and
the financial department on the first floor.
Although the
building is very impressive, it is not flashy. The architects specified simple materials,
such as exposed concrete coffer slabs - their approach being not to spend money where it
was not necessary. To add richness, special care has been taken with detail - mahogany
panels with aluminum studs and low voltage lights add interest to the ceilings. "The
architecture is timeless - hi-tech, but mixed with natural materials such as slate. It is
modern but will not date," comments interior designer Gillis.
One of the
most unusual aspects of the building is the use of cityscapes on the interior wall panels.
All the divider panels facing north are clad with large prints of city skylines, and those
facing the courtyards are clad with images of circuit boards, in keeping with the
information theme. The effect is astounding. Standing in front of the building, one sees
the skylines of South Africa’s larger cities through the glass facade and these make
the internal spaces appear bigger. The pictures were photographed and manipulated
especially for this project.
Office
spaces are designed to meet the needs of the information technology driven 21st century
office. The desks are custom-made to incorporate computers, complete with clamps for
computer cables and the company’s filing system. The concrete floor slabs are fitted
with channels for computer cables and the building is also equipped with microcells to
transmit the Vodacom network inside the building. This was done so as not to reduce the
capacity of the network on the adjacent N1 highway.
Extensive
use of glass, on the facades and on the pyramid, ensures an abundance of natural light in
the building. "South Africa has a wealth of natural light," comments Lombart,
"the design relates to the context in utilising this available light." Light
pours into the building but the users are protected from discomfort by sunscreens
shielding the northern facade, while the eastern and western facades are protected by
roofs over the courtyards. To achieve the appearance of a continuous glass facade, the
floor slabs have been tapered towards the glass. The result is that the slabs appear
thinner than they really are. Lombart specified the largest size standard sheet glass
available on the market - 3,2 m panels.
Although
natural light is utilised throughout the building, care has been taken with the interior
lighting. The electrical engineers, in conjunction with the interior designers, specified
a special Zumtobel light fitting for the open plan office areas, which has not been used
in South Africa before - a fluorescent fitting with reflective ‘wings’ which is
suspended from the exposed coffer ceiling slabs. This ensures that glare does not
interfere with the computer screens. The necessary light level is obtained through a
combination of direct light, through a diffuser, and reflected light. "It was
difficult to achieve good lighting levels, whilst also ensuring an aesthetically pleasing
effect," comments Jannie Brink of Brintek Consulting. Viewed from outside at night,
the continuous string of lights on each level, combined with the cityscapes, is striking.
Enclosed
offices and executive suites are fitted with double parabolic, low brightness fittings in
the suspended ceilings. Various models of low voltage, down lighters have been used in
public areas and passageways for visual effect. Brink points out that these are
inefficient lights in terms of the amount of light generated for the power input - 30%
light and 70% heat is generated - which increases the need for air conditioning, making it
an energy inefficient option. As a result the lighting is controlled by the building
management system and automatically switches on and off, according to the programming of
the system.
Provision
has been made for the recycling of waste. All offices are equipped with shredding machines
and a large shredder is situated in the basement. A waste company separates wet and dry
waste, while the dry waste is separated further into paper, glass and aluminum before it
is removed from the site.
The building
‘grows out’ of the landscape - a piazza with a large reflection pond provides a
podium for the building and planted earth berms create a green buffer between the building
and the harsh parking area, in front of the adjacent Vodaworld building. The water feature
links the building with the environment. Water cascades over the north-western edge and is
circulated back into the pond through a bio-filter. A flight of steps leads through the
piazza towards the building. The planting comprises simple masses of groundcovers with
bamboo in special planters on top of the underground parking area. The planters ensure
that the bamboo will not spread and invade the rest of the landscape. In the eastern
courtyard, Syzygiums in pots, positioned in four squares and interspersed with tables and
chairs, form a striking composition. The western courtyard comprises two large planters,
filled with Clivias and Agapanthus, and a podium for a statue.
Adjacent to
the Head Office is a Health & Racquet Club, a convenience store (Stopgap) and
restaurant (Speakeasy) that serve both the Vodacom staff and the public. Vodacom employees
automatically receive a five year H&R membership in keeping with the company’s
concern for the health and well being of its employees. Staff members spend long hours in
the building and because of this amenities such as a shop and canteen have also been
provided.
Although its
primary function is a staff canteen, the restaurant does not look like a standard canteen.
Gillis explains: "I gave the restaurant a corporate and plush feel with fully
upholstered chairs and white table cloths. Each section has a unique atmosphere - people
eat here every day and need variety. The restaurant is suitable for anything from a smart
business lunch to an informal drink. I have used different forms in the ceiling to create
interest and the blue lights in the ceiling relate to the lights in the adjacent H&R
Club." The restaurant has large glass windows, glazed with silicon, overlooking both
the highway and the gym. The result is that no highway noise can be heard at all, even
though it is only 30 m away. ‘Picture lights’ (glass art works, lit from behind)
add vibrancy to the atmosphere, but the real focus is on the people who use the restaurant
- they animate the space and add life to it. In keeping with the communications aspect of
the development, space for cell phone chargers and plugs for laptops are provided.
Rinus
Strydom, head of Properties at Vodacom, feels that the success of the project lies in the
positive working environment that the building presents and the ease of communication
between the various departments, that the building layout facilitates. He does admit that
the building will consume a lot of energy. Though the excessive use of glass reduces
lighting requirements, it increases the need for air-conditioning. Certain energy saving
measures have been taken: for instance the air-conditioning is linked to the Building
Management System (BMS) which switches certain sections off at off-peak times. It may
also, in future, be linked to the Smart Card access system so as to monitor how many
people are in a specific section so that if a section is empty, the air-conditioning
switches off.
Vodacom gave
the designers a lot of freedom. The only ‘must’ was that the design should be in
line with the Vodacom corporate identity and that the finishes be specified so as to
reduce maintenance and costs. For instance, a combination of tiles and ‘marmoran’
plaster has been used on the external facade.
Would they
do anything differently if they had the opportunity? One concern is the large reflection
pond which, although visually striking, will require a lot of maintenance, especially
because the water will evaporate rapidly. Andrew Sheard, facilities manager at Vodacom,
comments that the strict time constraints for the project were challenging:
"Earthworks started before the footprint of the building was even finalised, which
meant that the professional team was still designing while the construction team was on
site. Quick decision making was essential." Another challenge was to manage the move
from the Sandton offices. "We moved in phases and the fact that the building was not
complete when we started moving in, was problematic. It was difficult to work with
contractors around," says Lorraine Bolton, building coordinator at Vodacom.
The
development of VodaValley (Vodadcom Head Office, Vodaworld, H&R Club, Speakeasy
restaurant, Stopgap convenience store, the Chip & Putt Golf Course, the conference
facilities and Vodacom Boulevard) will influence the Midrand cityscape for many years to
come. Gillis views it as the ‘cathedral of the city’. One can expect other
developments to go up around it. What is especially significant is the integration of
public amenities such as the restaurant, shops and gym. If a residential component and
proper public transport had been added to the mix, this would have been an integrated
urban environment.
Between The Flintstones
and Buck Rogers
— critique by Henning Rassmuss
The story goes that during the construction of Bank City in the CBD, the
chairman’s wife managed to persuade the professional team to omit the erection of a
proposed obelisk in the central square. Being a devout Christian, she felt the obelisk
represented a Satanist symbol...
No such
enlightened intervention seems to have been on the side of the Vodacom project team, who
have successfully landed an (albeit truncated) glass pyramid in Midrand.
To call the
building ‘spectacular’ is really not enough. It certainly relies on the surprise
inherent in ‘spectacle’ for its effect. To the high-speed traveler on the N1, it
cuts a striking silhouette against the rolling landscape. It is in many respects an
interesting building: from its prominent west face with its generous open courts under a
high, arched roof, to the ‘gridded’ and cleverly detailed natural stone facades.
If we ignore
the pyramid for the moment, as perhaps a millennial set piece, the really clever device is
the huge curved, voyeurs’ window, towards the highway. Here, the Health Club is
revealed for what it really is: maximum exposure to passing glances. On the edge of the
busiest highway in Africa, sweating yuppies stare at the traffic racing past.
Together
with the adjacent Vodaworld technology mecca, ‘Vodavalley’ was designed as one
complex. Much has been made of the landscaping being a unifying element, but it is perhaps
right here that the product fails to deliver on its promise. Vodaworld was designed as a
hermetically sealed ‘black box’, turning blank walls towards the viewer.
Advertising signage has been forced onto the larger blank surfaces. Now, the neighbouring
building sets up an empty space next to the blank walls. The sweeping curve of the Health
Club facade draws the eye into this crack between the two buildings and onto... nothing. A
void. A driveway. No plants. A fake Vodatree (palm variety) with the Flintstone’s
technocube at its base. Real age-old Midrand fibreglass rock, and the only palm tree that
will not wither away in the afternoon heat.
It seems
like a lost opportunity. Such grand gestures, such sweeping lines, such fine articulation
on the new buildings...Vodaworld stands unconnected to the Head Office building next door.
Perhaps over time some more Vodapalms will grow as a veritable outdoor ecotechnology
museum, to fill this void and hide the blank walls.
Responding to the
highway experience
— critique by Henri Comrie
In 1964 Hans Hollein produced a photo-superimposition entitled Aircraft Carrier
in the Austrian Wheatfields. It is the image of absolute technology contrasted with a
natural backdrop, which achieves a compelling force.
In Midrand
the contrast created by the new Vodacom Head Office / Health & Racquet Club and the
surrounding highveld grassland is somewhat diluted by the loose sprinkling of rival
aircraft carriers in the vicinity. Crowning the adjacent ridge, the Development Bank
represents a rusted aircraft carrier of similar proportions. None, however, have the
expressive presence and contrasting value of the new building. When speaking to
colleagues, students and laymen alike, it becomes obvious that the building has been
successful in creating the visual interest sought by the client. The transparent gym,
filled with bobbing figures facing the highway, has become an interactive source of
entertainment for the many commuters who pass it each day on their tedious journey through
the sea of boring artefacts lining the Ben Schoeman Highway.
The intended
character of the building is obviously one of progressiveness although it seems that some
effort has been made to juxtapose it to the rusticity of quartzite clad surfaces, perhaps
a symbolic reference to the counterpoint between the Karoo Yebo Man and his pushy visitor
from Gauteng. The various fragments of differing texture, opacity and colour are imploded
to form a tight family of forms. This leads to severe challenges in terms of resolution of
details at points of interface. It is obvious when observing the many poorly detailed
junctions that this challenge was not adequately met.
The second
point of criticism is the lack of scale progression as one moves away from the highway.
There is no differentiation between front and back despite a vastly differing
speed-space-scale relationship from fast moving to slower moving traffic approaching the
building and from slower moving traffic to an immediate pedestrian experience. The
articulation of the points of entry into the building is poor and one senses that the
looming aircraft carrier is about to depart, its bridges already drawn.
Despite
these deficiencies, the complex can be described as an effort towards serious architecture
and one which responds to the highway experience in a dynamic manner, unlike the many
arbitrary buildings of the strip.
Project team
Client: Vodacom
Architects: Manfred Hermer Grosskopff & Lombart
Architects (for Health & Racquet Club): Manfred Hermer Grosskopff & Lombart and
Keystone Architects
Project managers: Schneid Israelite & Partners
Structural & civil engineers: Lillicrap Crutchfield
Quantity surveyors: Norval Wentzel Steinberg
HVAC and fire engineers: Van Zyl & De Villiers
Electrical engineers: Brintek Consulting
Interior designers: Delta Interiors in association with Morley & Michael
Plumbing and drainage engineer: Pipe Design Consultants
Facilities planners: Turner & Townsend
Security advisors: John Brett
Landscape architects: Gouws Uys & White
Town & regional planners: New Town & Associates
-----
Water-wise theme garden
Witwatersrand
National Botanical Garden
Following an
initiative of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) and Rand Water to
promote the wise use of water in domestic environments, it was decided to develop a
water-wise display garden at the Witwatersrand National Botanical Garden (NBG). The aim of
the theme garden is to educate the people of Gauteng in the finer details of water
conservation in the domestic garden.
Lynton
Johnson, a well-known landscaper and horticulturist, was commissioned to design the
water-wise garden and he designed it with "every precious drop" in mind - the
circles in the garden are reminiscent of water dripping into a pool. The garden was
designed on a domestic scale so that the visitor would be able to relate the principles
back to his or her own garden. The design of the small garden is tastefully modern with a
wild feel and this marries well with the ‘afro-naturalist’ style of the
Botanical Garden. The plants are all native to South Africa, in keeping with the
Witwatersrand NBG’s strict policy of cultivating only indigenous plant material.
The grouping
of plants with similar water requirements and the use of a variety of different hard
surfaces, along with minimum lawn areas, was the brief given to Johnson by Sharon Turner,
senior horticulturist at the Botanical Garden. Johnson designed the garden with three main
water-use zones. The high-use zone is at the bottom of the slope where it receives the
most runoff. This area was also fitted with a sub-surface drip irrigation system. The beds
were then covered with a layer of wood chips ±100mm thick. This zone is planted with
species such as Red Hot Pokers (Kniphofia rooperii), Arum Lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica)
and Clivias (Clivia miniata), as well as other species that have relatively high water
requirements during the summer months. However, since these species are accustomed to dry
winters, their water requirements are minimal in the dry season.
The low
water use zone is positioned at the top of the slope, adjacent to the natural veld. This
area is planted up with attractive, yet hardy and drought resistant shrubs, bulbs and
groundcovers - rather than the succulent species that are usually associated with low
water consumption. Initially, this area was watered by hand to allow the plants to become
established but as most of these plants are naturally drought resistant, they need little
to no watering, once established. Plants used in the low water use zone included
attractive flowering species such as Blue Squill (Scilla natalensis), Bulbine (Bulbine
sp), Trailing Arctotis (Arctotis auriculata) and Wild Aster (Felicia filifolia). The area
was dressed with a thick layer of woodchip mulch which, aside from providing an attractive
rustic surface, conserves soil moisture, enhances water infiltration and prevents erosion.
Trailing Hermannia (Hermannia saccifera), a drought and frost hardy groundcover which
thrives in full sun, is used very effectively over the brick wall. It is produces a mass
of dainty yellow pendulous flowers.
The False
Olive hedge (Buddleja saligna) is an excellent example of how indigenous drought resistant
plants can be used as formal, clipped screens. The hedge is clipped at 800mm and due to
its rapid growth rate has achieved the desired effect in a very short time.
The lawn, a
notoriously thirsty component of any garden, was kept to small areas and ‘Bayview’
- a variety of Cynodon, which is indigenous to South Africa, was selected for its
attractive blue green colour and low water requirements. An added advantage of this turf
type is its strict winter dormancy which further reduces the amount of water consumed.
The choice
of tasteful flagstone pavers and attractive gravel complements the natural setting of the
water-wise garden. A variety of mulches such as bark chips, leaves and pebbles have been
used throughout the garden, in line with water-wise thinking.
All the
existing trees were incorporated into the design in such a way that they appear to have
been intentionally planted. The adjacent natural grassland areas were kept as a constant
reminder that the natural veld is an asset to any garden and can be incorporated as an
attractive haven for wildlife.
Most of the
plants used by Turner and Johnson were chosen for their tolerance of highveld conditions,
their drought-hardiness and particularly for their ornamental value. It was stipulated at
the outset, that the water-wise garden should not present the visitor with a collection of
succulents and rocks. The aim was to show the visitor that water conservation does not
mean sacrificing lush green gardens but rather managing these same gardens in such a way
that they do not use as much water.
George
Thupe, a groundsman at the Botanical Garden, gave practical advice during every step of
the development phase and was trained, together with some colleagues, as a water-wise
advisor. Thupe is now not only responsible for the maintenance of the theme garden but
also takes groups of adults and children on guided tours, interpreting the different water
conservation techniques employed in the garden and explaining the importance of these in a
dry country like ours. n
DWAF’s
National Water Conservation Campaign, Rand Water and the National Botanical Institute
sponsored this water-wise garden.
Designer’s comment
"The circular pathways allow people to ramble through the garden and the
rounded lines of the design, in general, are appropriate when seen at a distance across
the open expanse of lawn in this section of the Botanical Garden. The random appearance of
the paving lends itself well to rounded corners, as do the pebbles and the ‘semi-naturalistic’
plantings. I used as many water-wise principles as I could, in line with the ideas of the
sponsors. Although the plant material was chosen by the NBG horticulturists based on their
experience of what works well in the area, taking water-wise principles into account, I
wanted to use as many plants with bluish-grey foliage as possible because I find that grey
foliage, such as that of Melianthus major, tends to cope better with changing seasons and
does not look unkempt at certain times of year. It is important to dispel the common
perception that ‘indigenous equals untidy’. People associate gardens that don’t
need watering with a wild and wooly appearance. We have certainly proved otherwise with
this garden. It is a semi-formal garden, designed so that it is applicable to the
townhouse, and it can be downscaled or enlarged according to demand." |
