Colonial Buildings

In 1811 Joseph de Maistre wrote that every nation gets the government it deserves. By extension then, it also get the heritage it merits, and as building after building in our city centres continue to fall before the demolisher’s hammer, many South Africans have been left wondering exactly what they have done to warrant the destruction of so many of their memories.

To many, 1994 marked a turning point in our history, when we had the opportunity of leaving behind the horrors perpetuated by racism and Apartheid and embracing a bright new rainbow future, free from the guilt and recriminations of past events. Regrettably such an approach requires that many hard realities be put into abeyance, and it has not always been possible to ignore the bitter legacy that our ancestors have handed down to us. 

A South African flag is waved in front of the Chamber of Mines Building in Johannesburg (The Heritage Portal)

The metaphorical flow of history is linear and does not have sharp corners or U-turns. Instead it moves inexorably through time, and while the lies and dark secrets of our colonial past may lie hidden for a while, eventually history will open them to the light of critical examination and the fresh air of open debate. Then, like...

In 2001, the Journal of Heritage Studies published a fascinating article by Joan Henderson titled Conserving Colonial Heritage: Raffles Hotel in Singapore. In a section of the article that looks at the history of heritage conservation in Singapore, Henderson highlights four strategies that post-colonial societies can adopt when dealing with buildings inherited from the colonial era: renaming, neglecting, removing and using. She acknowledges that there have been cases of neglect, removal and renaming in Singapore but shows that the overwhelming trend over the last few decades has been using.

The article points out a few reasons why this has been the case. Firstly, the progress made by Singapore since independence has created a self-confident nation that doesn't see colonial buildings as a threat or embarrassment (which could lead to neglect and removal) but rather as a benchmark to show off its subsequent achievements. Secondly, the economic success that Singapore has enjoyed has created an environment where the preservation of built evironment heritage has become a priority. Lastly, and linked to the second reason, the authorities have taken a pragmatic approach towards colonial era buildings, recognising their potential to attract thousands of tourists and contribute to the economy.
 

Entrance to Raffles Hotel Singapore (The Heritage Portal)

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