Interior and exterior views of the SA Embassy in Berlin

Constitutional Court VISIT the Constitutional Court website, and learn more about the court. RELATED LINKS: Constitutional Court opens for business THE first sitting of the country's highest court, the Constitutional Court, in its brand-new building in Johannesburg, took place on a rainy February morning amid construction vehicles, muddy puddles and hardhatted workers. Read more On tour with Albie Sachs THE invitation said: "Join a tour of the Constitutional Court at 5.30pm on Friday, conducted by Justice Albie Sachs." I didn't hesitate for a moment and discovered that it was as much a tour of the court as a tour as Sachs' life and passions. Read more Constitutional Court, an artwork through and through THE soon-to-open Constitutional Court was abuzz with activity this week as various choreographers steered workmen here and there, hurrying to get the premises perfect for its grand opening on Human Rights Day, 21 March. Several frowning judges paced around the entrance in deep discussion with organisers. Relocating is said to be one of life's most stressful experiences, so now was clearly not the time to ask them how they were feeling. Read more The Fort turns into the Court ONE of Johannesburg's most restricted and hated buildings is about to become one of its most open and people-friendly buildings - The Fort and prison. Read more

Different levels, different textures in Beauf Constance in Constantia The interior of the Constitutional Court foyer

Constitutional Court building wins award The building housing the Constitutional Court in Braamfontein has won the highest accolade in architecture - an Award for Excellence conferred by the SA Institute of Architects' (SAIA) - for its African architecture and people-friendly atmosphere. September 15, 2006 By Lucille Davie THE Constitutional Court has received another award: the SA Institute of Architects' (SAIA) Award for Excellence. Awarded every second year for an exceptional achievement in architecture, the award was conferred on 1 September at a gala event in Bloemfontein. "It is the most prestigious award in architecture and the highest accolade that the SAIA and the architectural profession can confer on a building," said a SAIA press statement. The court, with its distinctly African architecture and people-friendly atmosphere, sets a new standard in court construction that breaks from the usual stuffy, unwelcoming court buildings of the past. The court was designed by OMM Design Workshop and Urban Solutions Architects and Urban Designers. Architect Paul Wygers of Urban Solutions said he felt great satisfaction with the project and the award. The award is not the result of a competition, and as a result, more than one award may be given, or none at all. The award is sponsored by Corobrik. Views of the bush from the pool of Singita Lebombo in the Kruger Park In addition to the court, three other projects were given excellence awards: Beauf Constance, a family residence on a wine estate in Constantia, by Metropolis Design; Singita Lebombo, a tourist facility in the Kruger National Park, by omm Design Workshop; the South African Embassy in Berlin, by MMA Architects. Over 30 projects completed during 2003 and 2004 were submitted for the award, and adjudication took place during May, June and July last year. Twenty-nine projects received the SAIA Award of Merit, and four of those were selected for the excellence award. In 2005 the court received two other awards: a merit award from the Gauteng Institute for Architecture; the Building Project winner of the Fulton Concrete Award of the Concrete Society of Southern Africa. The building has received accolades from other architects. "The architecture possesses an African grandeur, dignity and great scale resulting from the building of grand voids, rather than eurocentric grand solids; not grand form, but grand space. It is a building to be physically experienced, not seen from a distance; a building carefully made, people-friendly, culturally respectful and responsive, a beacon on the hill serving as a marker in the urban landscape," say architects Thorsten Deckler, Anne Graupner and Henning Rasmuss in their book Contemporary South Africa Architecture in a Landscape of Transition. Two months ago the corrugated iron construction walls went down around the western and southern edges of the site, as the project neared completion. Now the site is accessible from both the east and the west, showing off its welcoming walkways and attractive textures around the court building. Some buildings still need to be renovated: the old Queen Victoria Hospital and the Old Fort; and the recreation grounds in the north-east corner. The site can accommodate just over 1 600 cars in its six-level basement parking, and large circular spaces will function as exhibition and outdoor decks. A museum, a hotel, a coffee shop, a tourist office and retail space were part of the original plan, and still need to be completed. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za