Bridge of art

PHOTOGRAPHY SUPPLIED

The Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria (Javett-UP), which officially launches this September, will provide a public showcase for the art of Africa, and will include some of the country’s national art and heritage treasures such as the worldfamous Mapungubwe gold collection. It consists of two main parts: a public art gallery and the Mapungubwe Museum, which is linked to an open Museum Square and includes a restaurant and outdoor exhibition space located in a publicly accessible portion of the university’s South Campus. The gallery extends over Lynnwood Road with a raised pedestrian concourse and a bridge gallery, stitching together the university’s Hatfield Campus and South Campus and touching down on a new University Art Square positioned above a new student gallery.

The Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria links the north and south campus via a "bridge gallery" that spans Lynnwood Road, and culminates in the Mapungubwe Museum, a vault-like concrete structure that houses the historical collection of art and artefacts.

The Javett-UP will house some of the finest artworks from the collections of the Javett Foundation – the lead donor on the project – and the University of Pretoria, as well as various temporary special exhibitions. It will also provide a public showcase for the famous Mapungubwe Collection, which includes the Golden Rhino and other artefacts. Architecturally, it also celebrates and extends the original historic Tukkielaan over Lynnwood Road, strengthening the cultural spine of the University of Pretoria.

THE MAPUNGUBWE MOUNTAIN

The architectural forms and patterns are an expression of their historical local influences. The Mapungubwe Gallery, located alongside Lynnwood Road, is the commanding focal point of the centre, towering into the sky. It is formed as an abstract architectural interpretation of the Mapungubwe Hill: a solid, iconic, sculptural, vault-like structure was moulded using custom-formed shuttering to create deeply carved random recesses in the external concrete surface. These grooves create a constantly changing play of light and shadow on the building’s surface as the sun moves through the day and when viewed from the passing cars on the busy Lynnwood Road. This dynamic effect is further enhanced by the precise selective inclusion of golden mosaic strips placed to get the maximum effect from the site’s sun and the passing view angles, hinting at the collection of golden treasures that are displayed within.

The sculptural, vault-like structure of the the Mapungubwe Museum was inspired by the Mapungubwe mountain, where the famous golden artefects were discovered, and creates an iconic new city landmark.

BRIDGE GALLERY STITCHING TWO CAMPUSES

The second dominant feature is the bridge gallery, which connects the Mapungubwe gallery and Hatfield campuses via a raised pedestrian concourse that extends over Lynnwood Road. Positioned alongside the pedestrian concourse is a dynamic gallery space that will display various travelling exhibitions, as well as selections of the students’ own works of art, graphics, architecture and even projects of a more academic nature from various faculties. The bridge gallery elevates art firmly into the public domain while celebrating Tukkielaan through the culmination and extension of this historic route.

In contrast to the massivity of the Mapungubwe Museum, the bridge gallery over Lynnwood Road has a light, permeable quality created by perforated screens, the pattern of which was inspired by shweshwe fabric.

The patterns of the concrete sunscreen panels that provide a cooling solar filter for the building are a graphic representation of shweshwe fabric – which has been part of South African life since 1652, continuing up to the present day – that symbolises the crossovers between Pedi, Indian, English and Afrikaans cultural heritage. The ever-changing shadow patterns on the external walls and floors will provide a dynamic reminder of these nationally unifying patterns that serve as a reminder of our common heritage.

ART CENTRE

In addition to the many galleries, the main art centre includes a 117-seat auditorium, administrative offices, storage, art conservation and quarantine areas, as well as a restaurant serving the art complex while looking out over the picturesque grounds of Pretoria Boys’ High and opening up onto the centre’s main public Museum Square.

The main gallery space includes a 117-seat auditorium.

PUBLIC SPACE

The Javett- UP includes two open squares: the Museum Square and the Art Square. The Museum Square is located on the southern side of Lynnwood Road in front of the main entrance. A natural gathering zone, this space is directly accessible to the public, serving the restaurant and playing host to various public functions and events. The main public entrance is located from this square.

The dramatic angular canopy at the entrance to the bridge gallery not only provides a point of orientation, but also guides the eye towards the focal point of the Mapungubwe Museum.

The Art Square is located where the bridge gallery touches down on the university’s Hatfield campus, forming a raised focal culmination point along the university’s culturally historic Tukkielaan route. The university is well known for its sculptor alumni and it is envisaged that this square could also play host to international sculptural exhibitions and competitions. The space below the square will form another student gallery that will create a direct link between the faculties of the Built Environment and Visual Arts, thereby bringing together these two creative fields.

The Javett-UP will provide a valuable contribution to the university, the city, and the country as a whole through the reactivation and unification of the university, the cultural enrichment and education of the city, and the international attraction of an uplifting national celebration of our rich African past.

The bridge gallery is positioned to reactivate the historical Tukkielaan, an arterial thoroughfare bisecting UP's north campus.