Between boundaries: a new border post at Beitbridge
Date
2014-11-04
Authors
Trollip, Daniel Charles Fulton
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Abstract
The current perception that engulfs borders and their posts is one of fear, apprehension and
hostility. The essay seeks to formulate a new approach through which to view a border. Borders are
places of cultural collision and richness, forming a type of hybrid, described best through the
metaphor of theatre. This exploration is divided into three topics, namely security, immigration and
the human experience, and culture and the border as theatre. Conceptual architectural projects by
Lebbeus Woods, Office KGDVS and Rem Koolhaas are examples of how this thinking can be realised
through architectural possibilities.
It is therefore the intention of this thesis to express these ideas through the proposal of a new
border post at Beitbridge, situated between South Africa and Zimbabwe. The development of no
man’s land, or the ‘Space of Cultural Possibilities’ provides an opportunity to create a platform
where the random encounters between travellers is encouraged. The transition from one country to
another becomes a vibrant an unanticipated experience that seeks to shift the negative perception,
built on fear, illegality and the questioning of one’s identity, to one that exposes the cultural richness
of a place where multitudes of nationalities are filtered through a single gateway.
Description
Thesis (M.Arch. (Professional))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning, 2013.