Special Report: CIRCA
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Transcript of Special Report: CIRCA
SPECIAL REPORT: CIRCA
CIRCA ON JELLICOE
By Bev Hermanson
It’s a Saturday morning and the residents of Rosebank, one of Johannesburg’s elite northern suburbs, are flocking to the art precinct on the corner of Jellicoe and Jan Smuts Avenues to enjoy a coffee, browse through the book store and view the artworks on display. This is the vision of Mark Read of the Everard Read Gallery, whose brief to Pierre Swanepoel of StudioMAS architecture & urban design was to create a multifunctional space on what once was a narrow parking lot.
SPECIAL REPORT >
Top row: The Circa building commands the
corner while the Everard Read Gallery forms a
demure backdrop.
Left: A walkway connects the Circa building with
the fire escape.
SPECIAL REPORT >
Photo by Russell Cleaver
The Everard Read Gallery was started back in 1912 in the
central business district of Johannesburg. In a bid to
escape the crime ridden inner city, the Read family chose
to relocate the gallery to Jellicoe Avenue in Rosebank,
where a domestic residence was converted into a flow-
ing, bright viewing space for various artworks, sketches,
sculptures and artifacts. Then in the 80s, the Reads pur-
chased the property facing Jan Smuts Avenue, across
the road from the gallery. For the next 15 years the land
was utilised as extra parking for the gallery, however,
during this interval, the seed was sown to do something
more meaningful with the site. Mark Read set about
finding an architect that could share his vision and
eventually settled on the award winning practice of
StudioMAS. He briefed Pierre Swanepoel, the senior
partner, to come up with a concept that would become
a dynamic multi-functional building that would com-
plement the existing gallery.
“It was very challenging to conceptualise a building
that would take best advantage of what was essentially
a long narrow utility area. We came up with a triple storey
building that is an elliptical shape, transparent, yet self-
contained,” says architect Pierre Swanepoel. Known as
Circa, which means ‘thereabouts’ or ‘approximately at
that time’, the new building occupies the north western
corner of the Rosebank precinct. It is within walking
distance of the various malls, craft market, banks and
the many hotels and restaurants in the district. With
the building of a Gautrain station in the suburb, it is
expected that this area will become a vibrant node and
an attractive destination for visitors and residents of
Gauteng to visit.
“Mark had initially wanted to extend the gallery across
the street, but as the project unfolded he decided to
leave the existing gallery as it was, merely paving the
road between the two sites to create more of an ‘art
in the street’ atmosphere,” Swanepoel continues.
“The new building is a very theatrical space that has
been split into three levels with a circular staircase
that ascends around the perimeter. It’s a place where
people can meet and interact in a highly inspirational
environment.”
The concrete stairs which encircles
the central structure
The aluminium fins that clad the
exterior of the structure
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It was extremely difficult to piece the building together
to achieve the elliptical shape, says Swanepoel. Much
of the structure had to be constructed virtually ‘by
hand’ to achieve the uniformity desired. The central
structure is made from concrete, which is encircled by
concrete stairs. To ensure a level of privacy, this was
then clad with aluminium fins that allow natural light
to filter in during the day and artificial light to splash
on to the surrounding pavement area at night. “The
fins resemble the structures used for a Zulu kraal,
shielding the interiors from the bright African sun.”
The structure was conceptualised to become an integral
part of the public spaces with a coffee shop and book
store that will spill out on to the paving. The streetscape
lends itself to the showing of large sculptures and two
large glass sliding doors are the perfect answer to the
need for security, while offering transparency and a feel-
ing of openness to the space.
The ingenuity of the design has given this landmark a
triple storey structure with a top level lounge and deck
that takes in 270 degree views clear across to Northcliff
hill. The lounge, designed by Christine Read, and adjoin-
ing kitchen area is large enough to cater comfortably for
gatherings of 50 or so people and the west facing deck
is perfect for sundowners. The first floor, covering
around 177 sq m is a multipurpose exhibition space
with seven movable screens that can be dropped
through the floor to the level below should the need
arise for more exhibition space on the ground floor.
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Named Speke, after John Speke, the pioneer who sought
the source of the Nile, this ground floor space is ideal for
displaying treasures of contemporary art and artefacts,
all things passionately collected by Mark and Christine
from Africa and around the world. The top level, known
as the Darwin Room, is linked to a fire escape via a walk-
way. This metal structure will eventually be covered by
a vertical garden, allowing visitors the experience of
descending through a green world of foliage, should
they wish to do so.
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The top level lounge,
known as the Darwin
Room, designed by
Christine Read.
The top level deck that
takes in 270 degree
views clear across to
Northcliff Hill.
In addition to displays of artworks and crafts, Circa will
be used for a variety of cultural events that will encour-
age gallery supporters to rethink the definitions of art
and other cultural pursuits. “One can say that Circa is a
small building with a big attitude,” says Swanepoel.
“One that is inspired by a new world economy, where
commercial gain is tempered by a concern for urban and
natural environments.” <
Circa’s multipurpose
exhibition space.
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