Page 13 - LandscapeSAIssue114

PROJECT

rchitect Edmund Batley says
the design of the park is about
Acirculation and spatial connection, “a
green lung that is robust enough to handle
a density of people and be aware of their
need to escape the confines of Covid.”
The east/west orientation of the previous
space was reintroduced for the park, making
an obvious link to the university and the
rest of Braamfontein. The relatively steep
slope has been terraced upwards, along its
main axis, with a raised mound at the top
providing a pleasant grassy spot and look-
out point. From here, park users can view the
inner city and Nelson Mandela Bridge.
The offices of Liberty Life and SA Breweries
in Braamfontein date back many years
and Batley says his advice to Liberty was
for the park to be a place where people
come together to relax and interact. He
also wanted to ‘bring life back to the well-
known SAB building’ and felt strongly that:
• there should be no shops close to the
park;
• art should be introduced into the space;
• the park should be peaceful and
nurturing, embracing the theme of
wellness;
• the re-development should strive to
achieve a carbon net zero rating. In this
regard, the project has emphasised a
‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ policy;
• the emphasis should be on the
importance of peoples’ ability to move
around freely and for this reason, the
park will not be fenced and will be open
at night, with lighting and visible security
cameras.
The entrance to the Liberty offices has been
‘re-invented’ says Batley, and it has become
a porte cochère and drop-off point.

Art and wellness
James Delaney, a contemporary painter and
sculptor, was approached by the architect
and representatives of Liberty to help them
re-imagine the disused car park. “Over
time, the site had been paved to be used
by cars, making it hard and unattractive. It
was essential to bring greenery and nature
back to the people of Braamfontein and
to restore some of the original highveld
scenery,” he says.

He introduced his vision of wellness and
healing as central themes to the park as
it was designed at the height of Covid
when these aspects were uppermost in
peoples’ minds, and Joburg residents were
rediscovering the need to spend time
outdoors. Delaney says he learned from
his experience at The Wilds that spending
time in nature is beneficial for mental
health. “Plants are central to our physical
well-being and can provide many natural
medicines. Young people in the city have
become disconnected from nature and the
park’s downtown location made it ideal to The extensive use of stone as the architectural language makes a historical connection to nearby
educate them in this regard,” he says. Parktown Ridge and The Wilds. n

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