A survey of buildings designed by Brian Sandrock Architects for the University of Pretoria and the University of South Africa

Abstract

Many buildings in the extensive oeuvre of the architect Brian Allen Theodor Sandrock (1925-1990) and his ‘right hand man’ Alewyn Petrus Burger (1933-) are iconic symbols of apartheid modernity. Their Modern Movement buildings are located mainly on the campuses of the University of Pretoria (UP) and the University of South Africa (Unisa). To date, information on these buildings has not been collated in one document and more complete biographies of Sandrock and Burger have also not been compiled. The aim of this ‘work in progress’ survey is to begin to fill the information-vacuum on the development plans and buildings designed by Brian Sandrock Architects. The survey is a step towards the establishment of a comprehensive record of Sandrock and Burger’s work, as well as the compilation of their respective biographies. In conclusion, key aspects of buildings designed by Brian Sandrock Architects are identified and outlined, such as the firm’s love of tall buildings; its preference for elevating buildings on columns; its inconsistent approach to shielding windows from the sun’s rays, and the firm’s experimentation with the integration of Brutalism and the International Style at Unisa’s Muckleneuk campus. Further research, such as conducting interviews with former employees in the practice, taking additional photographs, and sourcing drawings and documents for archiving, is recommended to establish a more complete record of the processes and people who brought the projects of Brian Sandrock Architects to completion.