Wits' Dewar secures spot as architectural student awards finalist

Katherine Dewar receives her prize from Musa Shangase of Corobrik.

Musa Shangase, Corobrik commercial director, presented prizes to the architectural students of Wits, with Katherine Dewar the regional winner of R8,500, Samantha Aserman received the R6,500 second prize and Robert Dos Santos took home the third prize of R4,500. The prize of R4,500 for the best use of clay was won by Chamismoyo Parirenyatwa.

Dewar's thesis is entitled Hyperembodiment and is an approach to discussing the interface between spaces for women [in Johannesburg’s inner-city] and jewellery as a connector of the body to place. She proposes the jewellery hub be situated in New Doornfontein, a space that is male-dominated and where women are present but seem to be largely excluded, unsafe and vulnerable, is also full of vibrancy and activity. This area has the potential for a positive and radical cultural change, but currently remains disconnected and uninclusive for all people.

Making space for women

"By looking at spaces for women, as well as jewellery being a 'location' between the body and architecture, I aim to take an architectural design approach that solves issues of making space for women, and for jewellery practices in Johannesburg,” says Dewar.

Three multi-storey connected buildings on the main pedestrian route on Albertina Sisulu Road will be used for the hub and community centre. The ground floor is to offer community spaces and jewellery galleries, and floors above are for classrooms and workshops that embrace and introduce a space for women to learn, create and engage with each other.

Shangase said that the winners in the Corobrik Architectural Student of the Year Awards had shown outstanding maturity, innovation and technical skill in their designs which were a credit to the profession in both local and global terms.