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ILASA AWARDS

map with vertical “blades” signalling a
gateway and compass points.

JUST TREES AWARD WINNER:
Bosjes Chapel - CnDV Landscape Architects

TSHALA ENVIRONMENTAL SENSI-
TIVITY AWARD WINNER:

Bosjes Chapel - CnDV Landscape Architects
THE PRESIDENT’S AWARD (Spon-
sored by Prime Trees) WINNER:
Stellenbosch Municipality Heritage
Inventory and Conservation Management
Plan
Bosjes Chapel: The chapel and reflection pond
The Stellenbosch Municipality Heritage
Inventory and Conservation Management Beyond the tangible assets of buildings and enriched the profession through instilling
Plan comprises four phases of research, structures, the landscape itself has cultural a passion for indigenous landscapes with
public participation, data mapping and significance. In the Western Cape much of a great number of students and landscape
analysis and finally grading of heritage its heritage is tied to the evolution of the architects in an era when exotic plant
resources. The project was undertaken landscape through human settlement material was the given scenario. She
over three years from 2016 to 2019 and significant events. Assessing the is a prime example of how landscape
and covered a study area that includes cultural landscape is fundamental to the architects with other relevant study
the remainder of the Stellenbosch management of heritage resources. backgrounds can be successful and bring
municipality - incorporating most of the about a change in thinking and approach
Eerste River and Franschhoek Valleys, The positive impact of this project is not within an entire profession.
the Bottelarey Hills and the related rural limited to the study area of Stellenbosch.
areas and settlements. As the core of the The approach and methodologies She also played a cardinal role in the revival
town of Stellenbosch had previously been developed and refined by the team to of ILASA during the mid-90’s. ILASA has
subjected to a heritage inventory process, include pre-colonial and post-colonial struggled to sustain its momentum to the
it was excluded from this project. paradigms are robust enough to inform extent where it had basically died down,
future research and site assessments of with little to no activity or upholding of its
The project team set out to provide cultural landscapes in the Western Cape, constitution. Dr Van Den Berg managed to
two key deliverables, namely a Tangible nationally and internationally. involve young graduates and professionals
Heritage Resources Inventory and a The completion of the project with to revise the constitution, come up with a
Heritage Resources Management Plan. recognition of the importance of the restructured management model allowing
landscape as a cultural and heritage for regional offices and improving the
It became clear that both these resource provides an enduring asset to the sustainability of ILASA overall through
deliverables were dependent on the prior profession of landscape architecture, both implementing various alterations to the
completion of an appropriate Heritage nationally and internationally. This project previous dispensation. This prepared
Resources Survey. The Western Cape score was an average of over 95% between ILASA for the new era of the Institute’s’ very
has a rich and layered cultural heritage all the national judges involved. important role as a Voluntary Association
reflecting thousands of years of human on the verge of BOCLASA (Board of
settlement. This wealth of heritage LIFETIME AWARD WINNER: Control for Landscape Architects in South
resources presented an enormous task Africa) being transformed into SACLAP.
to ensure each resource was adequately Dr Erika Van Den Berg hails from a This exercise also allowed for the tracking
captured, identified and graded. horticultural background and has of ILASA’s donated funds and honouring
its obligations to those who entrusted
funds to be managed by ILASA. The revival
of the Merit Awards was an outcome of
this process.

Throughout her career, she has
demonstrated how knowledge of plant
material can be applied in the skilful
hands of a landscape architect to achieve
designs that surpass the performance of
exotic and mixed plant material designs.
This set a trend and demonstrated to the
profession the versatility of our indigenous
plant bank.

She receives the Lifetime Award for her
selfless commitment to reviving ILASA,
preparing students and young landscape
architects for a future in the profession,
and leading by example. LSA

Erika van den Berg receives the Lifetime Award from ILASA President Eamonn o’ Rourke

Landscape SA • Issue 91 2019 17