Subjugated South African Buildings: The Bonwit Clothing Factory in Cape Town and the Peri-Urban Areas Health Board Building in Pretoria

Abstract

Two important and original buildings in the respective oeuvres of the South African architects RS Uytenbogaardt (1933-1998) and C Strauss Brink (1920-1992), viz. the Bonwit Clothing Factory (1967) in Cape Town by the former, and the Peri Urban Areas Health Board Headquarters Building (1959) in Pretoria by the latter, have been subjugated to conform with their surroundings. The article presents these buildings as respective examples of two modern architectures, Brutalism and the International Style. In symbolising the brutalisation of factory workers, essentialising the industrial aesthetic-as-type, introducing original forms, and using carefully considered materials, the Bonwit Factory is positioned at the pinnacle of Uytenbogaardt’s architectural achievements. Strauss Brink’s carefully considered combination of sparkling black banding, olive green, thin white stripes, decorative grille blocks, and articulated façades made the Peri Urban building an original, striking, and aesthetically pleasing building. The obliteration of one of South Africa’s most important Brutalist buildings as well as one of its original International Style buildings is a loss to South Africa’s architectural heritage.