Dikeledi Pitse

Increasingly, architects are moving away from designing for the real users of space and moving towards aesthetics. I am fascinated with the phenomenon that space can influence and transform its users.
The idea of an African architecture is somehow still trapped in the misconception that Africanness is only represented by one being in the dessert or in the hut. African spirituality within space is a difficult concept to tackle, given how intangible it is.

We have to draw inspiration from us forefathers - the San, African Nomads, and traditional healer.
Essentially, I propose a return to us.

Traditional healers are still to be revered today due to their supernatural healing practices. About 60% of the population in South Africa, still consult with these healers. They not only fulfil an important role in our communities, but in other spheres such as politics, healing, and knowledge.

There are different kind of healers in the traditional healing space. Some use bones, candles, herbs, and some are clairvoyants. To achieve harmony between the liminal, sangoma’s believe in the acknowledgement of our ancestors through rituals and sacrifices.

With that, I will be looking at how space and spirit can co-exist in relation to secular South African ritual practices and beliefs. What I propose is for us to return to spirit in architecture. An ideal which our contemporary environment of mass-production has done away with. The key to under¬stand this phenomenon lies in understanding the relationship which lies between what is, as well as what isn’t.