HERITAGE STATEMENT ERF 13536, CONSTANTIA SILLERY
MAY 2016
Prepared by Claire Abrahamse
For Etienne Badenhorst
CLAIRE ABRAHAMSE ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN, HERITAGE HERITAGE STATEMENT REPORT. SILLERY, ERF 13536, CONSTANTIA. MAY 2016. 1
CONTENTS PAGE
1. INTRODUCTION FIGURES:
1.1 Site Description, Location and Use 1. Locality Plan 1.2 Statutory Context 2. Zoning Map 1.3 Development Proposal 3. Images of the historic structure and site 4. 1836 SG Diagram 2. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW 5. 1880 SG Diagram 6. 1902 SG Diagram 3. NATURE OF HERITAGE RESOURCES/ 7. 1944 Aerial Photography STATEMENT OF HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE 8. Constantia Valley Scale Heritage Assessment 9. Sillery Valley Scale Heritage Assessment 3.1 The Constantia Valley Scale 10. Plan of the existing cottage 3.2 The Sillery Sub-Valley Scale 11. Suggested dating of the cottage 3.3 The Site Scale 12. Photographs of the recent damage to the cottage 3.4 Individual Buildings and Landscape Features 13. Council plans for approval 14. Proposed mitigation measures 4. HERITAGE INDICATORS
5. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT APPENDIX:
6. ASSESSMENT OF HERITAGE IMPACT 1. COMMENT FROM THE COCT HERITAGE OFFICIALS 2. COMMENT FROM THE CPOA 7. Analysis of the grading regarding the impact of the proposal 3. CORRESPONDENCE WITH HWC TO DATE (FROM MICHAEL DALL ARCHITECTS)
8. RESPONSE OF CLIENT TO THE PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES
9. RECOMMENDATIONS
10. BIBLIOGRAPHY
CLAIRE ABRAHAMSE ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN, HERITAGE HERITAGE STATEMENT REPORT. SILLERY, ERF 13536, CONSTANTIA. MAY 2016. 2
1. INTRODUCTION 1.2 Statutory Context
1.1 Site Description, Location and Use The owner of erf 13536 Constantia wishes to build a family home upon the subject site. The plans for this new house will involve the refurbishment and integration of the existing, modest domestic cottage, which is older than 60 years. Erf 13536 is located in the Constantia Valley, along Sillery Avenue. It lies between the main streets within the Constantia Valley – the Constantia Main Road and the Spaanschemat River Road. Erf 13536 measures 1465 m2 and is zoned SR1 (Figure 1 & 2). The property forms part of a secure estate that is in the process of being In terms of the National Heritage resources Act (NHR Act No. 25 of 1999), any alterations to structures older than developed. All of the sites were subdivided in 2008, and were the subject of a land restitution claim by the Sadien 60 years require a permit from the provincial heritage authority, HWC. Family, which has now been resolved.1 It has a fairly old house upon the subject property, which indicates that it has been used for residential purposes for quite some time (Figure 3 – photographs of the existing building). The building plans were previously submitted to HWC, and the heritage officials requested a heritage statement in order to assist them in their decision-making. This report seeks to fulfil that request. This Heritage Statement is being undertaken at the request of HWC, who received drawings from the project architect, Mr. Michael Dall, as part of a Section 34 application in terms of the National Heritage Resources Act. On review of the plans, the heritage officials called for a heritage statement to assist them in their assessment of the application. 1.3 Development Proposal
The site is a component of the cultural landscape of the Constantia Valley winelands. Sillery Farm, towards the The development proposal for the site is to construct a large family house upon the erf, which will incorporate and bottom of Sillery Avenue, is the only site in Constantia that is able to add “colour” to the now rather mono-cultural refurbish an existing, historic cottage thereon. landscape of wine farms by exhibiting another agricultural type – the cultivation of flowers and orchards. The networks of water furrows within the broader site are remnants of this, now much diminished, farming activity.
The unique topography and geography of the site, together with the well-established treelines and historic landscape patterns allow it to exhibit the landscape features characteristic of the Constantia Valley, which lend it its particular “sense of place”. These include the embracing mountain range, avenues of trees, public open spaces, wetlands, axial alignments of building and landscape groups, and scenic drives/routes, as well as landmark structures.
The site also has social significance as a site of apartheid forced removals under the Group Areas Act. Other cultural markers of this removed community in the vicinity of the site include the Strawberry Lane Burial Ground, and the Sadien Mosque.
The site thus has considerable historical, social, symbolic, aesthetic, architectural, technological and environmental significance.
A number of heritage themes can thus be identified related to the nature and history of the site. Erf 13536 has heritage significance as a place of: • Scenic beauty. • Social and racial differentiation (history of slavery, forced removals etc.). • Landmark contribution.
1 The Sadien Family were awarded an alternate 8.9h site bordering Rathfelder and Brommesvlei Roads (http://www. iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/constantia-land-claim-settled-1482414). CLAIRE ABRAHAMSE ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN, HERITAGE HERITAGE STATEMENT REPORT. SILLERY, ERF 13536, CONSTANTIA. MAY 2016. 3
FIGURE 2: SITE PLAN, WITH SUBJECT SITE INDICATED IN RED. FIGURE 1: LOCALITY PLAN, WITH SITE INDICATED IN RED.
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FIGURE 3: PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SITE, TAKEN BY MICHAEL DALL ARCHITECTS, SPETEMBER 2013. CLAIRE ABRAHAMSE ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN, HERITAGE HERITAGE STATEMENT REPORT. SILLERY, ERF 13536, CONSTANTIA. MAY 2016. 5
FIGURE 3: PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SITE, TAKEN BY MICHAEL DALL ARCHITECTS, SPETEMBER 2013. CLAIRE ABRAHAMSE ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN, HERITAGE HERITAGE STATEMENT REPORT. SILLERY, ERF 13536, CONSTANTIA. MAY 2016. 6
FIGURE 3: PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SITE, TAKEN BY MICHAEL DALL ARCHITECTS, SPETEMBER 2013. CLAIRE ABRAHAMSE ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN, HERITAGE HERITAGE STATEMENT REPORT. SILLERY, ERF 13536, CONSTANTIA. MAY 2016. 7
FIGURE 3: PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SITE, TAKEN BY MICHAEL DALL ARCHITECTS, SPETEMBER 2013. CLAIRE ABRAHAMSE ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN, HERITAGE HERITAGE STATEMENT REPORT. SILLERY, ERF 13536, CONSTANTIA. MAY 2016. 8
2. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
The history of the Old Sillery Farm has been thoroughly documented by social historian and heritage The subject site, which formed part of erf 2274, was purchased by Dout Sadien. One of the conditions in practitioner, Melanie Attwell. Attwell notes that the Spaanschemat River was formalized into a water furrow the Deed of Sale was that the sluit (furrow) from the spring (to the north-east of the property) should remain during the 18th Century, and is thus the oldest man-made feature on the site (Figure 4 – SG Diagram 127 unchanged and that the owner of Lot K (the portion with the historic Sillery farmhouse and cellar thereon) of 1836 clearly indicates the “watercourse to Bergvliet”). Water furrows enabled the fields in the area to be should have free access to it (TD 13429, 12/12/1902) (Baumann & Winter, 2003). irrigated using a gravity feed system, and were in existence on the site for a considerable length of time before Sillery was consolidated as an estate (Attwell, pg. 3). The Sadien family retained ownership of the farm for almost 60 years, and therefore the subject structure would have been constructed during the period of their ownership (see the 1944 aerial photohraphy for the site – Sillery itself was a 19th Century farm estate, made up of deductions from two of the “great estates”: Bergvliet Figure 7). and Witteboomen. Deductions from these farms were made in the 1860s and 1870s and were purchased by William Brounger, who consolidated them into the farm Sillery in 1880. The 1880 Surveyor General Diagram of the estate clearly indicates the access route from Constantia Main Road (now Sillery Avenue) (Figure 5). The However, the mid-20th Century would see two developments that would significantly and irredeemably change SG Diagram also indicates some of the historic landscape features of the site, namely the two watercourses as the social and physical context of Old Sillery: forced removals under the Group Areas Act, and suburbanisation well as a vineyard. of the Constantia Valley.
Brounger was a railway engineer who, in 1870, joined the government service at the Cape and in 1873 was In the 1960s, the Sadiens were forced to sell their land under the Group Areas Act, and the property was appointed colonial railway engineer. He retired in 1883 and returned to Britain (Dictionary of South African purchased by Jacob Badenhorst, whose family have also retained ownership of the property for a period of Biography). In light of his plans to retire in Britain, Brounger put Sillery up for sale in 1881, and the whole estate close to 60 years. Attwell notes that in the 1960s, when the impact of forced removals in Constantia was at was transferred to Gottwald H. A. Albrecht in that same year. its height, demolition of the cottages and gardens in the area, which was the heart of the Coloured community in Constantia, left few traces of this important history within the valley. Despite this, key cultural, landscape, architectural and agricultural elements associate with this community have been preserved across the site, and It is clear that even before 1880, when Old Sillery was consolidated, a community of Coloured market persist into the present day. Key among these is the mosque, to the north of the site. gardeners, farm labourers, farm owners and tenant farmers had been established in the Constantia Valley. This community had its own identity, and during the course of the 19th Century also established its own institutions within the valley. These were concentrated around Strawberry Lane and Sillery Farm, and included the In addition, the subject site formed part of a protracted land restitution claim, which was resolved in the Land Constantia Mosque and the Strawberry Lane Cemetery. Van der Ross writes in his history of Strawberry Lane, Claims Court in 2013 and granted the Soudien family a similar portion of land along Brommersvlei Road, in that: Constantia.
this part of the Constantia Valley was occupied by Coloured people who had, in the main, emerged from The cottage and the established oak trees (and other mature trees) upon the subject site are remnants from slavery. They were poor but dignified. They conformed to the Western style of living, even though they the early 20th Century history of the farm, under the ownership of the Sadiens. Although the cottage itself does occupied humble rank within the social scale. They were landowners as well as tenants, hardworking, not have particularly strong social symbolism, together with the other modest cottages along Pagasvlei Road proud, law-abiding, religious and self-respecting (p. 25). and Constantia Road which are clear markers of this removed community, it forms one of a cluster of historic, modest buildings that have landmark significance in the valley, and associational significance with the Coloured agricultural workers who would once have occupied them. Albrecht died in 1901, and the SG diagram attached to the 1902 deed of sale shows the Sillery farm in some detail (Figure 6). Notable elements are the spring and water furrow, the vineyard that covered most of the area, as well as three dwellings, each labelled “house”, along the edges of the site. However, it must be noted Therefore, they retain a degree of social, associational and landmark heritage significance. that the subject cottage had clearly not been constructed by this date, and therefore it is clear that is dates from the 20th century.
Many of the purchases of the subdivided lots in 1902 appear to be from members of the Cape Muslim community, who resided in the area. Attwell notes that members of this community acquired approximately 18 of these subdivided properties, as attested by the names of the purchases, which include Abdul, Sadien, Gazant, Tabier and Abdullah (p. 4).
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FIGURE 4: SURVEYOR GENERAL DIAGRAM OF THE SITE, 1836.
FIGURE 6: SURVEYOR GENERAL DIAGRAM OF THE SITE, 1902.
1880 SURVEYOR GENERAL DIAGRAM FIGURE 5: SURVEYOR GENERAL DIAGRAM OF THE SITE, 1880. FIGURE 7: 1944 AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY FOR THE SITE, INDICATES THAT THE CORE HISTORIC HOUSE HAD BEEN CONSTRUCTEDBY THISDATE (IN RED CIRCLE). CLAIRE ABRAHAMSE ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN, HERITAGE HERITAGE STATEMENT REPORT. SILLERY, ERF 13536, CONSTANTIA. MAY 2016. 10
3. NATURE OF HERITAGE RESOURCES/ school up to Standard 4 (now Grade 6). The bluegum trees were planted by Mr CW Pietersen and his schoolmates. STATEMENT OF HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE • The old street names – Spaanschemat River, Schilpadvlei, Pagasvlei, Sillery, Ladies Mile, Kendal – are still in use. But you will have to look very hard to find any signs of the farms, SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT cottages and shops that people were forced to leave behind when they were scattered in their thousands on the Cape Flats.
The wider Sillery site has considerable historical, social, symbolic, aesthetic, natural and envionmental (Source: Making Apartheid History: My Contribution. An Oral History Resource Guide. Institute for Justice and signifiance. The nature of this signifiance is evident at a number of scales, namely the Constantia Valley scale, Reconciliation, 2009: http://ijr.org.za/publications/pdfs/IJR%20Oral%20Histories%20WEB%20incl%20covers. the Sillery sub-valley scale, and the scale of the site itself /the individual building scale. The nature and degree pdf). of significance at these various scales is unpacked below.
The following statements of significance should be read alongside the drawings at each of the different scales. 3.2 The Sillery Sub-Valley Scale
3.1 The Constantia Valley Scale Various heritage resources can be identified at the sub-valley scale (Figure 9):
The site is a significant component of the cultural landscape of the Constantia alleyV in terms of the following Sadien Mosque Lookout Point: This triangular wedge of public land leading off from the Constantia Main Road (Figure 8): provides views across the Sillery Valley and site. It is an important gateway space, being anchored by the - Its location along the Spaanschemat Furrow, and Constantia Main Road. This well-watered and Sadien Mosque, itself a heritage resource. This links the space to the Muslim community within Constantia who accessible setting was key in the establishment of the first private land grants in the Constantia alley.V were forcibly removed under the Group Areas Act. The row of Stone Pines along the street edge that divides The site thus formed part of the establishment of a pattern of agricultural uses in the area, that was the “lookout” area from the street is of landmark and landscape significance. This precinct acts as a kind of later layered by permanent settlement and its cultural markers, including the establishment of the first “urban balcony”, affording views down towards Sillery, but also beyond to the Steenberg and Muizenberg churches and mosques in the Constantia Valley. mountains. It has high local heritage significance as a landmark space. - The site continues to have a symbolic role within the valley, related to its historic connection with Sillery Avenue Precinct: This comprises the old axial approach to the Sillery werf, and still retains its old Oak the Coloured community in the Valley, who were forcibly removed under the Group Areas Act. A few trees. An exercise in extending the axes of several Constantia werfs indicates that several intersection points important landmarks arround the site bear witness to Constantia as it was before forced removals, and occur along the Sillery Axis, lending it impetus within the arrangement of werfs in the valley. The subject site, therefore the site represents a “living link” to this history of the valley. Noted landmarks include: with its historic cottage, are key contributors to the sense of place and character of Sillery Avenue. • The Sillery Mosque (and graveyard) in Sillery Road. Imam Sadien is descended from the first imam of the mosque. 3.3 The Site Scale • The Mosque and the big Muslim cemetery in Spaanschemat River Road are still owned and FIGURE 6: SURVEYOR GENERAL DIAGRAM OF THE SITE, 1902. used by former residents. At the site scale, the following heritage values are evident: • Christchurch, the Anglican Church, has “coloured” former residents in its congregation; in the - The routes adjacent to the site including the tree-lined approach from Sillery Avenue. cemetery the graves of family members go back for generations and some former residents intend to be buried there, whether they return to live in Constantia or not. - The continuing connection to the descendants of the Coloured Community – forcibly removed under the Group Area Act – to the site. • In Constantia Main Road, the ADM Superette – the only one of the old shops that was not demolished – is near the boutiques and delis before the turn-off to Groot Constantia. The house, garden and business have been in the Dawood family since 1917. Their old butchery, café and 3.4 Individual Buildings and Landscape Features general dealer store have now been made into one shop. The Dawoods were the only family not classified white who managed to stay on in Constantia. Mr Ishak Dawood, third generation in the business, explained that the family had to put the property up for sale but managed to make The significance of the individual buildings and landscape elements on the site is outlined below, with a an arrangement with a white friend living overseas so that the property was transferred into summary of suggested gradings. his name. In the mid-70s when the family was told to move out to Elsies River, they consulted two eminent lawyers, Mr Essa Moosa and Mr Dullah Omar, who threatened the Board with a Elements older than 60 years: Supreme Court action. After that, the family was left in peace. - Sillery Avenue with its Oak trees and other established trees planted to both sides. • Near the ADM store is a dilapidated white cottage, which was the old post office and the police - The small cottage/structure on the site was constructed prior to 1944 (historic core), but in its form it station. The latter was closed because as a former resident states, there was “too little crime in still contributes to the rural quality of the site. It has been significantly altered during the 20th Century, the area”. and is in a state of advanced disrepair, and with no original fittings and fixturesFigure ( 10, 11 and 12). • At the corner of Ladies Mile Road is Constantia Primary School where generations went to
CLAIRE ABRAHAMSE ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN, HERITAGE HERITAGE STATEMENT REPORT. SILLERY, ERF 13536, CONSTANTIA. MAY 2016. 11
FIGURE 8: CONSTANTIA VALLEY SCALE
Peaks, Watersheds + Site
The location of the Sillery site in the centre of a key valley can be seen in this map, which identifies the watersheds of the Spaanschemat River System in a dotted red line.
The peaks within the Table Mountain and Constantiaberg Ranges are indicated by means of red stars.
The Old Sillery site, at its largest extent in c1880, is indicated in a light red shade. The subject site is indicated in a red circle.
Social Foci, Landmarks + Places of Significance
The significant places within the Spaanschemat Valley are indicated by means of yellow highlighting.
The yellow blocks identify historic werfs that still retain something of their natural and/or agricultural setting today.
The yellow stars with bold and italicised labelling indicate cultural landmarks, such as churches and mosques.
The yellow stars with simple italicised labelling indicate old homesteads that have lost their agricultural setting, and are now part of the suburban landscape of the Constantia Valley.
CLAIRE ABRAHAMSE ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN, HERITAGE HERITAGE STATEMENT REPORT. SILLERY, ERF 13536, CONSTANTIA. MAY 2016. 12
SILLERY VALLEY SCALE SILLERY VALLEY SCALE
FIGURE 9A: Axes + Intersections FIGURE 9B (RIGHT): Key View- Point B affords the most iconic points + Viewcones views of the site. In contrast to The extension of the historic axes Point A, this view is achieved from within the area reveals that their There are two primary viewpoints a point of slight elevation below intersection tends to occur at key that afford views across the Sillery the Old Sillery site, and as such points within the urban structure of site from elevated areas close to affords views of the flowers being the valley. it. In a sense, these viewpoints cultivated in the foreground, a form thresholds into the Sillery site, middle-ground of the treelines These intersection points often and can be thought of as “urban and banks of the raised spur correlate with junctions between balconies” as they are both located that houses the main Sillery werf two routes, or the sites of religious on public ways adjacent to the site. (beyond), and a backdrop of the structures such as the Kramat on Table Mountain Range, from Summit Way. Point A is adjacent to the Sadien Constantia Corner to Devil’s Peak. Mosque, along Constantia Main Road. It is made up of a wedge of public open space, shaded by a row of established Stone Pines. The land slopes down steeply to the south, affording views over the Sillery Valley, and to the Steenberg VIEWPOINT “A” - FROM SADIEN MOSQUE, ACROSS THE WIDER SITE. Mountains beyond. CLAIRE ABRAHAMSE ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN, HERITAGE HERITAGE STATEMENT REPORT. SILLERY, ERF 13536, CONSTANTIA. MAY 2016. 13
FIGURE 10: MEASURED DRAWINGS OF THE EXISTING COTTAGE, BY MICHAEL DALL ARCHITECTS. CLAIRE ABRAHAMSE ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN, HERITAGE HERITAGE STATEMENT REPORT. SILLERY, ERF 13536, CONSTANTIA. MAY 2016. 14
FIGURE 11:
PROJECTED DATING OF FABRIC OF THE HISTORIC COTTAGE.
IT MUST BE RE-ITERATED THAT THE COTTAGE IS IN AN ADVANCED STATE OF DISREPAIR AND DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY SIGNIFICANT FITTINGS OR FEATURES - ALL OF THEM HAVING BEEN REPLACED IN THE LATE 20TH CENTURY.
FIGURE 12: PHOTOGRAPHS RECENTLY SENT TO HWC BY THE CLIENT, DOCUMENTING THE RECENT DAMAGE TO THE COTTAGE IN THE APRIL 2016 STORM.
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4. HERITAGE INDICATORS
Given the heritage significances identified above, the indicators for the retention and enhancement of the heritage significance and character of the site include:
• the adoption of a strategy of ‘compaction’ in order to minimise the footprint of any new development, to enable the retention of the overall sense of green and the rural landscape quality across the site. This includes the retention of all mature trees;
• the retention of forecourts associated with the graded historic structures to enhance their visual settings and to prevent them being “crowded out” by new development, as well as to enhance visual connections from associated public routes;
• the adaptive re-use and retention of graded structures on the site. However adaptive re-use should not impact negatively on the historic fabric of graded buildings;
• the creation of a clear “gasket” between the historic structure and any new buildings adjoining it. The new , adjoining structures should be sensitive to the historic building in height and materiality;
• The old axial approach along Sillery Avenue, marked by its distincive avenues of Oak trees, must be maintained. The line of Oak trees defining the edge of the avenue should be managed and maintained. New Oak Trees should be planted as required.
5. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
The proposed development is graphically represented in “Local Authority Submission Plans”, by Michael Dall Architects. The proposal is to create an L-shaped extension to the existing cottage, with a garage to the south. See Figure 13.
The approach is to refurbish the existing cottage to serve as the main living area, while the new wing encompasses the three bedrooms and bathroom/dressing areas required by the family. The garage structure includes a guest bedroom, and the new entrance is accomodated within the “gasket” between the new and old.
In elevation, the new structure is lower than the existing, but picks up on the double-pitched roof and masonry character of the original structure.
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FIGURE 13: COUNCIL SUBMISSION PLAN FOR THE SITE, BY MICHAEL DALL ARCHITECTS.
CLAIRE ABRAHAMSE ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN, HERITAGE HERITAGE STATEMENT REPORT. SILLERY, ERF 13536, CONSTANTIA. MAY 2016. 17
FIGURE 13: COUNCIL SUBMISSION PLAN FOR THE SITE, BY MICHAEL DALL ARCHITECTS.
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6. ASSESSMENT OF HERITAGE IMPACT 7. Analysis of the grading regarding the impact of the proposal
The following sketch, Figure 14, graphically assesses the proposal in light of the heritage indicators established It is believed that, should the design amendments be adhered to, the structure would retain its urban/landmark above, and makes suggestions for 9 amendments to the design that all look to retain and reinforce the character significance, which is the primary physical significance of the building. and significance of the existing heritage structure, and heighten the contrast between new and old. Although the structure would undoubtably be altered and incorporate into the new building, the suggested design amendments would ensure better visual independence of the historic structure. The tangible significance of the building is evaluated to be Grade IIIC, and it is evaluated that the proposed design amendments would allow this It should be noted that the existing structure has been considered at a more urban/landmark and grading to be retained. typological scale than in terms of its detail and tectonic, due both to where its heritage significance lies (on the landmark and associational scales) and due to the advanced state of disrepair of the existing house, Of course, the intangible, social significance could be seen to elevate the significance of this structure above a where complete restoration is both impractical and does not serve to heighten the heritage significance Grade IIIC, but this significance would be unchanged by the alterations, as long as the historic building is visually and wider-scale contribution of the structure to the surrounds. The suggested mitigration measures prominent and removed enough to be interpreted as being an older element. therefore seek to heighten the landmark aspects and public visibility of the original cottage, which, it is Therefore, the grading shall not be detrimentally impacted by the proposed alterations, provided the hoped, will simultaneously safeguard the associational and intangible aspects of its significance. design amendments listed in section 6 of this report are adhered to.
The suggested amendments to the design are as follows: 8. RESPONSE OF CLIENT TO THE PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES A. Retain the nib walls between the new kitchen and new living area, as well as between the new living area and new study. This is in order to retain a sense of the old arrangement of rooms in the historic cottage. I would like to add a few facts regarding the history of the house after the Sadiens sold the property on an auction. B. Reinterpret the two projecting bay windows to the north of the cottage. Although the windows appear to be post-1960 additions to the cottage, it has been established that one of the primary heritage significances My father altered the house in the mid 1980’s . He removed some internal walls, built the large fireplace, put a of the cottage is its landmark nature, and these projecting bay windows are notable features in terms new kitchen in and built on two bedrooms. I lived there from the mid 1990’s and around 1998 / 1999 built in those of that significance. However, the projecting sections can be equal to the smaller of the two existing bay windows which came from a demolition job in Claremont , I think. windows, and can modern in their detialing and execution, and can be fully glazed as projecting doors. I would like to make the following points: The roofs should refect the current configuration. A . The bay windows - built in 1990’s - therefore I do not agree that they should be retained/reinterpreted. C. Remove the open pergola element in front of the historic cottage elevation. This is in order to preserve a clear view from Sillery Avenue towards this elevation – an aspect that is a key contributor to the landmark B . I think the people living there would want, and have a right to, privacy, so your idea of the house being visible status of the structure. from Sillery avenue, although being a nice one, may not be very practical. Therefore, I think to remove the pergola from in front of the old portion may look odd as it will tie the house together in a way. The fact that the old portion D. The column for the start of the new pergola element of the new wing must be set back from the historic has a high pitch and next to it is a flat roof will already highlight the old part. cottage edge, to at least behind the adjacent internal bathroom wall, indicated as “X” on the drawing. This is so that a clear gasket between new and old is created. C. To move the drying yard will not work . It will be directly visible from the front door and the kitchen doors, which is on the other side of the old part. It would actually detract from the look of old part. Perhaps as a compromise, E. The yard area indicated to the south-west corner of the cottage must be removed. This is in order to we could shift it down a bit. That portion is already not visible from Sillery Avenue. preserve a clear view from Sillery Avenue towards this elevation – an aspect that is a key contributor to the landmark status of the structure. F. This indicates a possible new location for the yard area, which would not interfere with the reading of the Etienne Badenhorst cottage to as much of a degree as the current location. G. The primary view of the cottage occurs from the stretch of Sillery Avenue to the north-west of the site, as one approaches from Constantia Main Road. This is a much more public viewpoint, enjoyed by many passers-by. The views moving from Sillery Avenue towards Constantia Main Road are secondary, as 9. RECOMMENDATION these are typically only enjoyed by those people who live along Sillery Avenue. H. The suggested stone cladding should not be applied to the historic core of the cottage. This feature is It is recommended that HWC endorse the heritage significance statements, the heritage gradings, the heritage a clearly modern addition to the building, and would therefore confuse the historic record. A plinth level indicators and the suggested mitigation measures contained in this report to enable the approval process to should not be expressed on the historic building at all, but should be limited to the new wings (bedroom continue. and garage). I. Finally, the historic cottage should be painted white, while the modern additions should be in a different but sensitive colour (an off-white, cream or similar allowable in the design guidelines for the estate). Claire Abrahamse May 2016
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FIGURE 14: SUGGESTED MITIGATION MEASURES.
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10. BIBLIOGRAPHY Attwell, M., Historical Background: Old Sillery Farm. Erven 2305 and 2344, Brounger Lane, Constantia. Document prepared for Countryscape Designs and Jonathan Holtmann & Associates. October 2004.
Clift, H. and Mutti, B. Sillery Furrow, Erf 2274 Constantia. Cape Archaeology Survey CC, application to Heritage Western Cape, December 2005.
Dane, P., “The Great Houses of Constantia,” Don Nelson, Cape Town: 1981.
Dictionary of South African Biography. National Council for Social Research, Department of Higher Education, Cape Town: 1968.
Fransen, H., “The Old Buildings of the Cape,” Jonathan Ball Publishers, Cape Town: 2004.
Hermansen, S., Old Sillery: Erf 2305, Brounger Lane, Constantia. Heritage Statement for the Applicant and Michael Dall Architects, requested by Heritage Western Cape. August 2005.
Institute for Justice and Reconciliation. Making Apartheid History: My Contribution. An Oral History Resource Guide. 2009. http://ijr.org.za/publications/pdfs/IJR%20Oral%20Histories%20WEB%20incl%20covers.pdf
Lillie, A., Impact Assessment Report, Addressed to Heritage Western Cape to meet the requirements of Section 38(8) of the National Heritage Resources Act, regarding a proposed development on Erf 13671, Constantia. Report prepared for Country Lodge Marketing (Pty) Ltd, Draft for Purposes of Obtaining Comment from Interested and Affected Parties. April 2012.
McLoughlin, S. P., “Be-longing for Constantia Place: community, identity and the impact of forced removals in the Constantia Valley.” 2010.
Todeschini, F. and Blackenberg, J. Tangible heritage resources in the Constantia-Tokai Valley: Towards a conservation management plan for this portion of the Cape winelands cultural landscape. Phase 1 Report. 2007.
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