Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa May/June 2014 | Page 75

social, productive and natural space and proves that there is
productive value in the resources we discard as waste,” she said in
the abstract to her dissertation.
Edna Perez, who supervised Van Eeden’s thesis,pointed out that,
in a world where architecture’s ability to navigate an uncertain future
was increasingly being questioned, Van Eeden explored one of the
biggest challenges of our time - how to transform wasted sites,
wasted structures and wasted land into sites that can regenerate
conditions within which life can flourish and evolve.
“Her project challenges our very perceptions about waste and
industry and finds alternatives for these processes in a part of the
capital which is considered an urban wasteland. She creates a
building that sees potential for life in every aspect of functionality,
from processes to materials. Her architectural solution builds on
the positive aspects that each activity offers to provide a tangible
solution that not only functions efficiently like a machine (using
closed loop systems) but also provides the intangible qualities
necessary to promote the intangible well-being of social-ecological
(people and nature) networks,” she said.
Perez praised Van Eeden for boldly tackling a complex subject
which architects and society tended to ignore. “She not only
showed that architecture can be used to facilitate the design of an
ecological industry, but it can also elegantly provide all the other
aesthetic qualities associated with daily life expressed in a diversity
of South African cultures,” she added.
The judges in their critique commented: “The reinterpretation of
architecture as a living machine, this project reconnects a community
with its history and with a nearby river as well as re looking at the
idea of waste as a resource. It achieves a well-considered urban
design resolution. The author demonstrates a great maturity
and professionalism. The depth of research is astounding. The
completeness and thorough examination of the design of a
complex building type is exemplary. This level of research and
resolution could be applied to address similar urban problems. The
imaginative reuse of obsolete infrastructure is resourceful. Ideas
were well presented, verbally and graphically demonstrating a high
degree of competence. The judges are confident that this building
is buildable. It provides an upliftment to the immediate community
it benefits by acknowledging an inherent industry and supporting
its growth. It will be an asset to the city of Tshwane”.
“It is significant that a thesis such as this manifests a design
ethic that strives to deliver a richer environment that that caters for
future generations at a significant time in our country’s history – the
celebration of 20 years of democracy,” said Dirk Meyer.

Student Awards

75