Allin Dangers, Corobrik's director of sales for the inland region, said that during more than a quarter of a century of sponsoring this award, Corobrik had seen a change in architectural approach where, in satisfying the clients brief, economic and social factors pervaded to one where environmental sustainability issues enjoyed equal consideration.
In recent years, students had not only demonstrated a growing awareness of the need to contribute towards sustainable development, but also an increasing awareness of the important technological advances that would ensure that the future of architecture was closely linked with energy and water conservation to minimise the environmental impacts of future residential and commercial developments.
Brecher's entry is entitled 'Main Reef Opera and Choral Chamber' in which she exposes the gold mining landscape. She said she explored the relationship between above and below surface, to unlock their coexistence. From this she proposes an opera and choral chamber to celebrate music and song within a former mineshaft in Boksburg is to set up an essential argument about the historical establishment of the Witwatersrand.
"The mined landscape was developed and constructed by man with intense toil. The remnants on the surface leaves a haunting trail of deep, dark memories that recalls the discovery of gold and the extraction of ore as foundation upon which urban settlement is built on," said Brecher.
In contrast, Michael's thesis is entitled 'Party Sanctuary'. She said Boksburg's landscape is home to many left-over, forgotten, and wasteful spaces which offer no return. She has explored the elusive landscapes, and suggests that nature should return.
In third place Adam van den Houten with his project Space Invaders: Appropriating a Youth Centre, illustrated that the days when the aesthetics of architecture could be divorced from key sustainability issues were gone.
His thesis looks at rethinking the youth centre in South Africa by offering a facility for street art, skateboarding, breakdancing and parkour. He aimed to use these as the drivers in designing a youth centre for Newtown North, providing recreational and vocational opportunities for youngsters but which is also representative of them.
Lana Simson's entry 'Cannabis Exchange' won her a R3,000 prize for best use of clay masonry and is designed to empower rural communities through the legal trade and production of cannabis plant products. She demonstrated how hemp could be used in the construction of a building.
Brecher will represent the University of the Witwatersrand at the National Student Architect awards function in Johannesburg, where the overall winner will receive a prize of R50,000.
