Colonial architecture as heritage: German colonial architecture in post-colonial Windhoek

dc.contributor.advisorTownsend, Stephen
dc.contributor.authorRuhlig, Vanessa Jane
dc.date.accessioned2019-06-05T07:07:37Z
dc.date.available2019-06-05T07:07:37Z
dc.date.issued2018
dc.description.abstractThe rapid post-Independence development of the city of Windhoek, Namibia; and the ensuing destruction of a substantial number of German colonial buildings in the capital city, prompted speculation as to why these buildings are inadequately protected as heritage – and whether they are, in fact, considered to be heritage. The study explores the issues pertaining to the presence of German colonial architecture, as artefacts of the German colonial period, within the postcolonial context of Windhoek. The trauma and pain of the Namibian War and genocide (1904 – 1908) are recurring themes in the body of literature on postcolonial Namibia; and this informs a wider discourse on memory. Memory is found to play a crucial role in evoking a sense of both individual and shared ownership, through its capacity to create meaning, which can in turn ascribe value to a place. Memory is also dependent on visual cues for its continued existence, which suggests the importance of colonial architecture as a material prompt to sustain memory. The research therefore investigates the memories and multiple meanings attributable to colonial architecture in this plural society, and how these meanings can be created, or possibly reinvented, through the continued use of these buildings. The study is based on an assessment of three halls in Windhoek – the Grüner Kranz Hall (1906), the Kaiserkrone Hall (1909), and the Turnhalle (1909; 1912), all designed by the German architect Otto Busch – which illustrates in part, the need for the development of historical building surveys that assess the social values and significances of these contested spaces; and moreover, the potential that these spaces have to support memory work through their continued use.en_US
dc.identifier.apacitationRuhlig, V. J. (2018). <i>Colonial architecture as heritage: German colonial architecture in post-colonial Windhoek</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Engineering and the Built Environment ,Conservation of the Built Environment. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30196en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationRuhlig, Vanessa Jane. <i>"Colonial architecture as heritage: German colonial architecture in post-colonial Windhoek."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Engineering and the Built Environment ,Conservation of the Built Environment, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30196en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationRuhlig, V. 2018. Colonial architecture as heritage: German colonial architecture in post-colonial Windhoek. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Ruhlig, Vanessa Jane AB - The rapid post-Independence development of the city of Windhoek, Namibia; and the ensuing destruction of a substantial number of German colonial buildings in the capital city, prompted speculation as to why these buildings are inadequately protected as heritage – and whether they are, in fact, considered to be heritage. The study explores the issues pertaining to the presence of German colonial architecture, as artefacts of the German colonial period, within the postcolonial context of Windhoek. The trauma and pain of the Namibian War and genocide (1904 – 1908) are recurring themes in the body of literature on postcolonial Namibia; and this informs a wider discourse on memory. Memory is found to play a crucial role in evoking a sense of both individual and shared ownership, through its capacity to create meaning, which can in turn ascribe value to a place. Memory is also dependent on visual cues for its continued existence, which suggests the importance of colonial architecture as a material prompt to sustain memory. The research therefore investigates the memories and multiple meanings attributable to colonial architecture in this plural society, and how these meanings can be created, or possibly reinvented, through the continued use of these buildings. The study is based on an assessment of three halls in Windhoek – the Grüner Kranz Hall (1906), the Kaiserkrone Hall (1909), and the Turnhalle (1909; 1912), all designed by the German architect Otto Busch – which illustrates in part, the need for the development of historical building surveys that assess the social values and significances of these contested spaces; and moreover, the potential that these spaces have to support memory work through their continued use. DA - 2018 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Colonial Architecture KW - Post-Colonial Values KW - Heritage Significance KW - Historical buildings Survey KW - Namibia LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2018 T1 - Colonial architecture as heritage: German colonial architecture in post-colonial Windhoek TI - Colonial architecture as heritage: German colonial architecture in post-colonial Windhoek UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30196 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/30196
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationRuhlig VJ. Colonial architecture as heritage: German colonial architecture in post-colonial Windhoek. []. University of Cape Town ,Engineering and the Built Environment ,Conservation of the Built Environment, 2018 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30196en_ZA
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisher.departmentConservation of the Built Environmenten_US
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Townen_US
dc.subjectColonial Architectureen_US
dc.subjectPost-Colonial Values
dc.subjectHeritage Significance
dc.subjectHistorical buildings Survey
dc.subjectNamibia
dc.titleColonial architecture as heritage: German colonial architecture in post-colonial Windhoeken_US
dc.typeThesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMPhil
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