RAND STEAM LAUNDRIES IN RICHMOND JOHANNESBURG. WE HAVE SIGNED THE OVERALL SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN. On Wednesday 26th November 2014 we finally reached agreement on what is to be built on the site of the old Rand Steam Laundries which were obliterated by Imperial on 12th, 13th and 24th January 2008. Nearly seven years of protest, recriminations and reproach leading eventually to negotiations over rezoning and now the details of the development of new and reconstructed buildings. It has been a very long campaign, but at last we feel confident that the most significant elements of this heritage will be restored. What was it we lost? 1. The Amawasha: An initiative of Zulu men this was a noted pre-industrial commercial activity on the goldfields. They were entrepreneurs who collected the washing from the many men living in the mining town and carried it out to the rocky parts of the small streams. In this case water came from the Gasworks Spruit. Imperial’s site includes the original part of stream at North West end. 2. The Rand Steam Laundries was the amalgamation of two earlier Laundries – The Palace Laundry and Chrystal Spring Laundry. This was the oldest remaining complex of laundry buildings in Johannesburg. The property boasted a largely intact group of buildings used for a single common purpose of a steam laundry, including small scale residential, minor industrial, a water storage and filtration tank and large scale industrial; 3. Individual buildings within the group clearly demonstrated their original use with large double volume, clearstory lit spaces, suitable for steam operated laundry machinery; But it was the roof-scape with large serried ranks of sheet metal ventilators which was a familiar landmark to all those passing by along Barry Hertzog Avenue and Napier Road. Technically the larger industrial buildings had interesting examples of timber roof structures: longitudinal parallel girder trusses on columns supported smaller transverse roof trusses thus freeing up the internal volume and creating a high volume nave with lower volume aisles. 4. A small group of row houses, at the north east corner of the site had articulated gable fronts, small scale verandas and projecting fire walls which created a human scaled street frontage to Napier Road. This was especially picturesque when seen in context with the oak street trees. WHAT WILL BE RECONSTRUCTED? All but one of the buildings which edged Napier road will be reconstructed. Initially it was thought they should be returned to the year of their destruction, but the heritage architects who have been working on the old plans, new plans and looking at integrating these with new developments, suggested a varied approach which we have accepted because some of the buildings had been altered rather badly and the original buildings were worth the effort. Detail: The first building (dyeing room) with its collection of roof ventilators will be restored according to the original drawings, except that the basement will be part of a parking garage. The next two which were joined to form the benzine room will be returned to the photographs of 2008, but having regard to the original drawings so that for instance the gable will be the original design. Then come the grand spaces with the clearstorey windows and array of ventilators which are parallel to Napier Road. These will be the 2008 version, but with the earlier small and high windows along Napier restored. The small 1950’s building in yellow brick come nest and will be restored to 2008, but informed by the original building plans. Set back from the new entrance will be the circular filtration tower (STILL STANDING!) built because Johannesburg’s municipal water was too hard for laundry purposes. This becomes the security guard house. Flanking the original Queen’ Road are three very simple small buildings starting with the pump-house. These will all be reconstructed to 2008. Where there was a very large gable and only a screen wall was to be rebuilt, it has been agreed to return to the earlier version of twin gables and pitched roofs and allow a new front which will be visually penetrable – preferably glass - with the original elevation etched so that people will recognise it and it will respect the Napier Road edge. Then at the corner with Barry Hertzog Avenue will come the cottages. These could not go back to 2008 where they were heavily barricaded with steel sheeting. Instead they will be restored to circa 1928, the small stoeps will be glazed and used for circulation. An interesting relic will be the axis of what was Nelson Terrace – a lane which bisected the property from Menton Road. This will be visible in paving leading vehicles into the workshop. WHAT ABOUT NEW BUILDINGS? Along Barry Hertzog will be new motor car showrooms for Imperial and behind that a large workshop and washing bay and refuse sorting section. A lot of thought has gone into reducing the visual impact of enormous expanses of roofs and trying to echo the feel of the old buildings. We are really happy with the new designs. The most valued exposure for Motor Car showrooms will be from Barry Hertzog, but the view from the flyover will also be exciting and the ventilators will become a landmark once again. COMMEMORTAION OF THE HERITAGE OF THE SITE There will be a commemorative section under the huge pepper tree alongside the channel with the history of the site, but there will also be some form of public art telling the story along Napier road and Barry Hertzog. The story ranges from the Amawasha and the laundries with the many mule carts to fetch and deliver laundry to the crafts which occupied many of the buildings before demolition. CONCLUSION: It is really such good news that Imperial will be occupying the site. Instead of running away and getting someone else to do the job – the coward’s way out - they have accepted their responsibility for the original destruction and will gain redemption by the reconstruction. We believe this is a first for South Africa and a first for public opinion. It was not the heritage authorities who pursued the malefactors in fact the Public Prosecutor refused to prosecute. It was public opinion strongly supported by the media which ensured this outcome.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 12:00:15 +0000
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