Deep impact: the role of architecture as narrative medium
Date
2012-08-07
Authors
Cloete, Eugene
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The following document deals with the issue of the Narrative Role of Architecture in
the representation of knowledge in Museum Architecture and landscape
interpretation. The aim of the research is to extract a set of principles that can be
used in the design of a visitors’ centre to a meteor crater impact site at the Vredefort
Dome Conservancy World Heritage site, north-west of the town of Parys. The
research is aimed at investigating changes in the representation of knowledge in
museum architecture by looking at Psarra 2009’s comparisons of museum design,
from early 19th century museum representations of Victorian knowledge and the
development of Natural History museums to current issues facing the design of
Natural Science exhibitions. It Includes the museum as a form of entertainment and
spectacle, content as a whole and the inter-relationships between objects on display
and the architecture that houses it. The significance of the research is to establish
current thought on the question of the Museum in terms of the representation of
knowledge as a means of educating the public and promoting a sense of respect for
heritage and a positive attitude towards conservation. Museums have often made
use of narrative architecture to help convey information to the public. These
principles are summarised and applied to the design of a visitors’ centre for a meteor
impact site. The final design explores geological concepts in order to tell the story of
the Vredefort Meteor impact site