Final Pancho Impress
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Foreword: Professor PG Raman s an architect, artist, educator and his dictum “you can do anything you Apatron Pancho Guedes is a highly choose to do….” on which Marilyn Martin signifi cant and at times controversial builds her paper. But Pancho went further. fi gure. Had he been an architect in the If you do not use your dissenting voice west instead of Africa, the media would to practical effect you become unhappy have made lot more of him than they have and if you are unhappy in your place of done now. But then, that is what we have work you must do something about it or come to expect from our Euro-centric just leave. Quite a reasonable stance to critics and writers. His work and teaching take, one would have thought. However, has been impressive in terms of scope this should not be an occasion to delve and importance, and as the contributions into to the frailties of the great man, of his admirers in this book reveal, he real or imagined, nor should it be one of has exercised signifi cant infl uence in the justifying them. As Jose Forjas suggests, fi eld architecture, art and education. it rather ought to be one of celebration Not having been Pancho’s student or a and through it establish new references colleague and knowing him only from for our students, architects and artists. published works and reputation, one’s What then are these new references? Like CONTRIBUTORS: fi rst emotion is one of envy. How can one Le Corbusier, Aalto, Pietila and Stephen PG Raman not be envious, of someone with such a Holl, Pancho paints, sculpts, designs and Ivan Kadey high calibre of buildings to his credit? How builds buildings. But there is a difference. Ronald Lewcock can one not be jealous of someone who Le Corbusier brought a certain habit of Revel Fox paints, sculpts, teaches design, history and composition to architecture from his purist Ian and Lynn Bader anything else you care to think of, mentors paintings. For Aalto and Pietila painting Lars Lerup – not just the prodigiously talented but and sculpting were “heuristic devices” Wilhelm Hahn also the uncertain who we all know and Stephen Holl’s watercolours are about Julian Cooke Mira Fassler Kamstra are the majority, provides patronage, the simulation of intended architectural Luis Bernardo Honwana mercilessly pokes fun of the self-righteous, qualities in his designs. Herbert Prins the bureaucratic and the undeservedly For all four, paintings and sculptures Peter Rich successful, and gets away with it? There are representations of their intuition. But Joao de Pina-Cabral are those who try to emulate Pancho. But Pancho Guedes exemplifi es Benedetto Julian Beinart it is pointless because these characteristics Croce’s conception that intuition and Jose Forjaz are organic and particular part of his representation are interchangeable terms. Luis Ferreira da Silva nature and nurture. Not very many could Pancho thus sculpts his architecture and Cedric Green survive the enmity he faced at Wits and architects his sculpture – a uniquely non- Malangatana Ngwenya Valente Lewis Levin emerge triumphant. It is indeed a miracle European outlook. Tim Ostler that the Dons at Wits agreed to give him How to eschew design impulses of Udo Kultermann the Honorary Doctorate. Even now, one the fashionable and how to subvert Jo Noero meets intelligent academics at Wits who our students from doing so are the Fredo Guedes disliked his irreverence and who say that preoccupations of every good architect, Pedro Guedes they did not support the proposal. This every good teacher. Pancho’s recourse ‘Ora Joubert makes the award all the more poignant here is to history. Along with many Marilyn Martin – after all there is hope, humanity and philosophers of knowledge, Pancho would Karl-Heinz Schmitz loftiness, even in the academic world. probably suggest history is at least as Heather Dodd Manfred Schiendhelm Many thoughtful students of Pancho say revealing as any rational thought process. & Karen Axelrad that he could not tolerate opposition. How But it is fair to say Pancho’s emphasis is on can this be in such a caring and concerned erudition and not on academic learning. person? Well, it may be because he In addition there is his passion, his critical knew that petty-minded competition eye, his empathy for his students and dissipates energy and the group that colleagues who genuinely struggle. These shows mutualism is the one that survives are some of the legacies of Pancho and and thrives. The young should know that if we are serious about empowering the they have a lot to learn, take time to fi nd previously disadvantaged, we need them where they want to go rather than engage now, more than ever before. in meaningless squabbles. Nevertheless, it Published by is often said that Pancho Guedes, himself Professor PG Raman is currently Head TOTAL CAD ACADEMY a rebel, cannot accept those who rebel of School of Architecture & Planning 76 Clark Road - Glenwood against him. Was this really true? The at WITS University, Johannesburg, Durban - South Africa 4001 www.archicad.co.za sense one gets is that he wants to channel South Africa. rebellion into positive action and hence ISBN 0-620-31592-X 1 Ivan Kadey ays after I handed in my thesis (with DPancho as my supervisor) I had this numinous dream: I was walking in the light of a moonlit night through a suburban labyrinth on small hills like those of Melville. Drawn to a warm honey colored glow emanating from one of the houses I found myself at a large, luminous window, and beyond the window Pancho, who coming to the door, greeted me warmly in welcome and sharing the view of the light, told me, “Now you know my window”. Pancho taught us to invent buildings from dreams; to go beyond waking consciousness into the realms of magicians and sorcerers. He inspired us with the buildings he’d dreamt into reality. With his plans, sections, elevations, axonometrics, models, sculptures, paintings, furniture, photographs, variations, styles, genealogies and families - with his unbounded energy and encouragement. Later, in the eighties, I developed and taught the first year course at Wits, where I thrived in the freedom created by Pancho’s leadership as Head of the School of Architecture. Never judgmental, and always guided by the quality of light given off by the work, Pancho gave us unbounded opportunity for architectural invention and production. The years since I left South Africa have served to amplify my appreciation of Pancho and his achievements. The indelible images I hold of his sparkling buildings. From the pyramidal fugues, to the sensual, animate apartment blocks - all enriched with a wealth of detail and invention. Now, December 10th 2003, I join in celebrating the University of the Witwatersrand honoring Amancio d’Alpoim Guedes with the Doctorate Degree. And dream again of standing at Pancho’s window of numinous light. Salute! Ivan Kadey, Architect, Musician & Acoustic Consultant is currently practising in Santa Monica, USA. 2 Ronald Lewcock Breton and Gide in expressivity Freedom and independence in Dada: ancho embarked on designing ironic Habitable women for Tristan Tzara Parchitecture at an exceptionally early Thatched hospitals on the Costa Brava age and went on to achieve an oeuvre surpassing the hopes of almost all other Pregnant buildings for Duchamps architects. Technically and practically he Bachelor apartments for questionable yields to no one and imaginatively and romps humorously he is unsurpassed. With more fondness for the solid and sculptural than Round-eyed, swinging walls, in most modernists, he is nevertheless playful bouncing, with space, light and shade, and can be Hysterical construction for Ionesco as hard-nosed as anyone about scientific Exuberant in trouncing sun control, adequate daylight and good Roualt, Perret, Rousseau acoustics. Boxes of rolling waves, twisting Pancho And turning into corners, catching Daring, fearless, informed, Concavities and crevices of Smiling Lions adventurous Who hold out their paws, digits Ranging, laughing, crying, boisterous extended Wide-awake. Always watching…… A lion for love and work Cavernous, curvaceous, fluid ceilings For Malangatana’s painted heedings. Churches turn into crosses at entrances And extremities - cubical compartments With gondolas terraces roofing Ironic, erotic architecture Always architectonic. Periscopes watching over seas of trees In manner metronomic Hide and seek games for old men in the sun Surrounded By children wearing strange hats for fun Consuming fascinations With structural systems and geometrics Axonometrics And mathematical projections Hard to emulate Impossible to equal Explosive motorcars, burning fuel Everywhere humour, love tanks, Life lived to the full. Wild riding with cameras and hydroplane Ronald Lewcock, a graduate of UCT, Rickshaws and taxi ranks practiced and taught architecture Dhows, punts and champagne. in Durban in the 50s & 60s. He has taught at the Cambridge, AA and Boudoirs and earth closets MIT. He is currently professor in the Concrete and rough bricks Doctoral Program in Architecture, Flying paths and thatch ricks Georgia Institute of Technology, USA. Flying roof and stone whats-its Taking licence for humour in creativity Like Jarry in Ubu Roi, Eric Satie in Three Pieces in the form of a Pear 3 Revel Fox combination of home, workshop and office worthy of note, and he continues to under the capable control of his wife, photograph, measure, record and collect mancio d’Alpoim Miranda Guedes, or Dori. One would encounter three children with an unmatched zeal.