A Walk Around the Block
The project unfolds within Johannesburg’s Randjieslaagte triangle, originally unclaimed land that gained significance with the discovery of gold and the city’s establishment. Nestled near the Gautrain station, a pivotal transit hub, the initiative seeks to reshape perceptions by leveraging sensory experiences. Embracing visual, auditory, and olfactory stimuli, the study crafted models with nuanced differences, exploring the profound impact on users, drawing inspiration from Juhani Pallasmaa’s insights.
The project’s essence is distilled from the ever-changing journey around the block. Through a collage of images stitched together, it narrates a dynamic story, capturing the varied atmospheres encountered at each turn. Ethereal concepts meld with tangible reality, manifesting in a lexicon that explores the site’s intangible aspects. Influenced by artists like Olafur Eliasson, the project engages in experimental endeavours akin to the theories of Juhani Pallasmaa.
Tools crafted for experiential capture include a matchbox pinhole camera, producing images with a sense of tranquillity that contrasts with the bustling reality due to the camera’s inability to capture movement. A drawing apparatus deciphers subtle changes during a journey, and a kaleidoscope challenge conventional spatial perception. Microclimates are investigated through the melting of coloured ice blocks, generating drawings that showcase spatial variations. A solar study exposes the station’s shortcomings and proposes interventions, aiming to infuse natural light dynamically, fostering seasonal adaptability for diverse user experiences.
