Dael Ferguson

The controversies surrounding the demolition of old cemeteries located on prime real estate initiated this research. The project investigates the Rietfontein 61-ir (the vacant land adjacent to the Sizwe Tropical Disease Hospital) to reconsider the relationship between development and conservation of historical and ecological landscapes.

Between 1895-1957 diseased people were displaced from the CBD to Sizwe in an attempt to purify the city. Over the years, Sizwe Hospital treated thousands of patients which contributed to South Africa’s medical knowledge and ground-breaking treatment of various communicable diseases. Whilst most patients recovered, there were those who died from disease. These patients were buried in informal cemeteries on the Rietfontein 61-ir site. These burials were not demarcated appropriately resulting in little evidence & remembrance of their existence. This lack of acknowledgement speaks to the social intolerance towards the diseased. Yet, the knowledge gained from their deaths contributed to ground-breaking research.
Disease does not discriminate; the estimated 6000 graves on the site belong to all groups of people, each group being linked to a specific period in South African history. Once the diversity of the people buried beneath the surface is understood, the site is transformed into a microcosm of Johannesburg - giving the site enormous value as the graves represent a unique archive of historical accuracy. The site, a stretch of neglected overgrown veldt that inhabits multiple plant and animal species, risks erasure as multiple propositions exist to demolish and redevelop the cemetery land.
There is a necessity for an architectural intervention that preserves and creates awareness for the site. The project aims to create a public interface that provides the community with access to medical information as well as recognition of the history. This offers the spaces where people can gather, reflect and share knowledge at the group and individual scale.