If you are researching the site of this year’s 1.618 Competition brief, take a look at The Johannesburg Gas Works, a fascinating and comprehensive book on the spectacular industrial landmark in the city. It was compiled by heritage consultants Monika Läuferts le Roux and Judith Mavunganidze, whose job it is to carry out heritage and architectural surveys, heritage impact assessments and historical reports, and whose interest in the Gas Works began when they were commissioned to do a heritage report on the site. They discovered a treasure trove of historical material collected by a former employee on the site, chemical engineer Peter Finsen, including maps, drawings and photographs. They eventually compiled it as a beautifully produced coffee-table book that takes the reader into the heart of the factory as it was decades ago and as it is today. The book also includes insightful and thought-provoking essays by Johannesburg’s pre-eminent architectural historian Clive Chipkin, and architect, artist, and academic Alex Opper. Not only does it provide a fascinating glimpse behind the walls of this extraordinary industrial site, but it also provides insight into the potential it has as a catalytic and transformational urban node. Certainly, essential reading for students entering the competition, and for anyone interested in Johannesburg’s industrial heritage.
