BARNETT, Robert Alexander

Architect

DipArch 1935 (Witwatersrand)

Was born in Germiston and educated at St John's College in Johannesburg from where he matriculated in 1929. He studied architecture at the University of the Witwatersrand and graduated in March 1935 with a Diploma in Architecture. While a student he received architectural experience in the offices of KR McKENZIE, KEF GARDINER, REID, MARTIN, MURRAY and TELFORD and HANSON, TOMKIN & FINKELSTEIN. In 1934 he joined JS BOWIE of Benoni and became a partner in the same year, styled BOWIE and BARNETT. The partnership was dissolved in November 1944 on Bowie's retirement.

In 1934 a design of Barnett's won the competition for a building now known as Edenvale Hospital, the winning design was changed to meet amended requirements, and in collaboration with CF DRAKE, a colleague in Bowie's office, he won the South African Architectural Record's competition for a kiosk for the British Empire Exhibition to be held in Johannesburg in 1936.

Barnett closed the Benoni office in 1944 but continued to practice in Germiston.

In 1959 he was listed as being in a partnership with HS VILJOEN (cf BARNETT & VILJOEN) at 5-7, Kerk House, President Street, (Box 296), Germiston, Transvaal.

Among the buildings for which he has been responsible were buildings for the Witwatersrand Technical Colleges from Klerksdorp to Witbank (1934 to 1945), branch buildings for Barclays Bank (1950 to 1978), Natal Building Society regional office block (Germiston?) (1973), a number of industrial and commercial buildings and houses. Barnett retired in 1978.

All truncated references not fully cited in 'References' are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon.

List of projects

With photographs
With notes

Edenvale Hospital: 1934. Edenvale, Gauteng - Architect

Germiston Hospital Buildings: 1947. Germiston, Gauteng - Architect

Hostels for Labourers: 1943. Germiston, Gauteng - Architect

Police Flats: 1973. Marlands, Germiston, Gauteng - Architect

Police Headquarters: 1960. Standerton, Mpumalanga - Architect

Witwatersrand Technical College: between 1934 and 1945. Klerksdorp, North West - Architect

Witwatersrand Technical College: between 1934 and 1945. Witbank, Northern Cape - Architect

Books citing BARNETT

Herbert, Gilbert. 1975. Martienssen & the international style: The modern movement in South African architecture. Cape Town - Rotterdam: AA Balkema. pp 81

ISAA. 1959. The Yearbook of the Institute of South African Architects and Chapter of SA Quantity Surveyors 1958-1959 : Die Jaarboek van die Instituut van Suid-Afrikaanse Argitekte en Tak van Suid-Afrikaanse Bourekenaars 1958-1959. Johannesburg: ISAA. pp 87, 181

ISAA. 1969. The Yearbook of the Institute of South African Architects and Chapter of SA Quantity Surveyors 1968-1969 : Die Jaarboek van die Instituut van Suid-Afrikaanse Argitekte en Tak van Suid-Afrikaanse Bourekenaars 1968-1969. Johannesburg: ISAA. pp 88, 111

SAWW & Ken Donaldson (Pty) Ltd. 1958. South African Who's Who 1958 : An illustrated biographical sketch book of South Africans with separate sections for the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, and South West Africa. Johannesburg: Ken Donaldson (Pty) Ltd. pp 108