LÚNELL GREYLING UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE ‘ Ode to tragedies lost between land and sea : A Shipwreck Interpretation Centre at the Southern Tip of Africa to collect , retell , and bridge different events through fragments and sequences of architectural mises-en-scènes ’
The ocean , a vast and mysterious force , sets the stage for tragic shipwreck events around the Southern Tip of Africa . Countless historic shipwrecks of different nationalities met their untimely demise at the hands of the ocean . Meisho Maru no . 38 fishing trawler , emplaced in the scene of the Southernmost Tip of Africa , is an icon in the larger shipwreck narrative between land and sea .
A Shipwreck Interpretation Centre located next to Meisho Maru No . 38 and Agulhas National Park is proposed to preserve and recount forgotten shipwreck tragedies . The strong filmic quality of the setting inspires an intervention that builds on the experiential cinematic elements , creating architecture that tells a story . The Shipwreck Interpretation Centre , funded by SAN Parks , proposes sequences of architectural mises-en-scène that articulate both the dualities between and interconnectedness within human experiences as visitors move through places and times .
From the first year of her architectural studies , Lúnell went on holiday to L ’ Agulhas , visiting icons like the southern tip of Africa and Meisho Maru No . 38 shipwreck . The place and specifically the mystery of the shipwreck captivated her . Knowing absolutely nothing about its history , she was still drawn to it each year .
“ I realised how little I know of the Meisho Maru No . 38 or for that matter , by extension , how little most of us probably can recall of the tragedies of shipwrecks as such . But if there is nothing to hint at what once was , we would never think twice about the tragedies lost at sea . Preserving these memories is therefore important , which inspired me to write about architectural spaces acting as a stage that interprets and retells shipwreck events .”
Lúnell concludes : “ Architecture to me becomes more than just buildings ; it can inspire , educate , and bring people together , bridging differences through shared spaces . Architecture that roots itself in a specific place when it combines local and traditional craft and materials with contemporary building methods can be meaningful , an architecture that is sensitive to the place and past but that has the future in mind . Using local skills , materials , craftsmanship , and labour can empower local communities . Empowering and supporting local communities can contribute to socio-economic development and transformation .”
74 Student Awards