Mashabane Rose Architects I GAPP Architects and Urban Designers I MMA Architects in joint venture

11 000m2
Museum and Archives project
Due for completion in 2010

The concept for the museum came from a traditional healer’s ‘healing’ garden seen at a homestead in Kuruman in the Northern Cape. The concept evolved into the creating of large boulder-like volumes that contain the story-telling spaces.

The boulders are planted at the base of the Salvokop hill like a rock outcrop. With walls and roof all clad in copper sheeting, the ‘outcrop’ will, with time, rust to green and merge with the natural landscape.

The museum forms the primary entrance to Freedom Park and forms the start of the pathway journey into Freedom Park. The ‘boulders’ collect visitors and lead them along the path to the memorial at the top of the hill.

The interior spaces of the museum are designed with a cave–like quality with natural light used to dramatize the large volumes and ‘outcrop’ forms of the buildings.