The following epic case study, written by Albrecht Holm, appeared in a 1996/7 edition of the old Johannesburg Historical Foundation's Journal 'Between the Chains'. It not only highlights the significance of the site but also the skill of a spectrum of professionals needed to achieve the spectacular result.
With Northwards restored to something akin to its original form, the question 'for what purpose?' needs to be addressed. The answer is two-fold. First it must be used. Furthermore, the interested public should have access. In this way one could talk of a living monument rather than a museum" - Neil Viljoen, Johannesburg College of Education (JCE) Trust. What does an architect do with such a brief? Is there still a place for monuments in our present situation? And what is a living monument? Such questions I have asked myself many times and still do so today when I view the golden coloured castle atop the Parktown ridge. The fact that Gencor [now BHP Billiton] was prepared to invest millions in the restoration and upkeep of an old house and to convert it to a 'living monument' at first also struck me as something quite extraordinary. Is this pure romanticism? Or is there a need behind it?
The Need for Upliftment
At the turn of the century Johannesburg was little more than an oversized shanty town, a pioneer's world, a fortune-seeker's paradise with thousands of poor people and a few very rich. There was a dearth of everything refined or cultured and...
