Erased Heritage Landscapes

Danielle Gruner
MArch 2022
Supervisors:
Unit Leader: Dr. Finzi Saidi
Unit Leader: Mathebe Aphane
Unit Tutor: Bonolo Masango
Unit Tutor: Nomalanga Mahlangu
UNIT 15X
Landscapes of Memory
Awards
Distinction
This project aims to connect the erased memory of the Old Location with
the other collective memories contributing to the independence of
Namibia. The Old Location was a ‘township’ for many years, and when the
municipality proposed moving it along the city’s margins, the residents
refused. The many encounters that the Old Location residents had with
the municipality contributed to the tensions between them, resulting in
the tragic massacre and removal of the residents to Khomadal and
Katutura, which played a prominent role in Namibia’s fight for freedom. I
started analysing what was erased and what remained where the location
was formerly located.
Most of the resident’s houses were demolished, however, there are a few spaces which are still standing that played a role in the lives of the location residents. I am proposing the design of a fragmented memorial. The memorial will be fragmented, a metaphor for the remaining scattered heritage from the old location. The spaces will be connected through a route. Through my interventions, I would like to find intentional means to expose the erased layers of the old location. In a way, I wish to effectively erase the “unpleasant” layers and leave the wanted ones for participants to experience.
Most of the resident’s houses were demolished, however, there are a few spaces which are still standing that played a role in the lives of the location residents. I am proposing the design of a fragmented memorial. The memorial will be fragmented, a metaphor for the remaining scattered heritage from the old location. The spaces will be connected through a route. Through my interventions, I would like to find intentional means to expose the erased layers of the old location. In a way, I wish to effectively erase the “unpleasant” layers and leave the wanted ones for participants to experience.






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