Johnson's entry, 'The Dark City: Critical Interventions in Urban Despair', began the project as a journey by observing and documenting violence, abandonment and exodus within the inner city of Johannesburg. The result is a six phase design, each with various sub-phases that ranged from basic responses such as rain harvesting, a manual hoist, and windmills to upgrading a building.
Rachel Wilson received second prize for her thesis 'Junkspace City', a sensitive landscape project to rehabilitate scarred landscapes of Alexandra on the banks of the Jukskei River through ecological restoration.
In third place is Zoe Goodbrand for her thesis entitled 'The Connected City'. Goodbrand proposes revitalising Johannesburg's natural environment through the establishment of the Braamfontein Spruit as a sub-urban greenway.
Tiffany Melless received the award for the best use of clay. Her thesis is 'The Frontier City: Converging Rituals in Johannesburg's Urban Fabric'. The project houses the Association for the Cultivatio of Traditional Remedies (ACTR), which responds to, and aids in facilitating, the existing ritualistic and spiritual practices that exist.
This year marks the 28th anniversary of Corobrik's sponsorship of this prestigious competition. Thesis students from universities and qualifying institutes of technology throughout South Africa are invited to submit entries for one of seven regional competitions.
Each regional winner receives a prize of R8,000 and is entered into the national finals, where they will compete for top honours and a prize of R50,000. Students whose projects are placed second and third receive prizes of R6,000 and R4,000 respectively while the project that displays the best use of clay masonry is rewarded with R4,000.
"The Corobrik Architectural Student of the Year Awards were created to promote quality design and to acknowledge talent among architectural students. Over the past quarter of a century, the profession itself has changed significantly. While creating sustainable architecture has always been a fundamental aspect of design, aesthetics, functionality and the environmental issues are now emerging as more equal partners at the design concept stage," said Musa Shangase, Corobrik commercial director.
"While the parameters might have shifted over the years, we have witnessed a consistently high standard of work from architectural students. As in past years, the 2014 entries demonstrate an understanding of the architectural challenges unique to South Africa and showcase innovative thinking," Shangase said.
