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Brigitte Mabandla Justice College
Central Tshwane (Pretoria), Gauteng
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Click to view large map Coordinates: | The Brigitte Mabandla Justice College Building consist of four distinct blocks with a total covered floor area of 20 450m2, including lecture halls, ablution facilities, admin offices and auditoria. Designed by Meiring & Naudé and Brian Sandrock for the Extra- mural Department of the University of Pretoria, it was completed in 1959 and later be- came a training facility for the Department of Justice’s Justice College. In 2005 the user client sought to upgrade and refurbish the facility, but while vacant, the buildings were not maintained, suffered water damage and were occupied by vagrants. Then during 2017 the buildings and terrain were subjected to purposeful and organised vandalism and all materials and items of historical value and significance were removed and carted away within a period of six weeks. In 2018, renovations began with the goal of restoring the buildings to their original, lost grandeur while integrating modern facilities, meeting new requirements and bringing the design and specifications up to code. The architects prioritised maintaining the architectural integrity of the original design and respecting its historical value. The complex played an important role in the development of the Pretoria city centre and highlight a distinct era in South Africa’s architectural history. It is a significant representation of the Second Wave of the Modern Movement in South African architecture, the Brazilian-in- spired Regionalism of the late 1940s, which emulated the exuberant indigenous architecture of Brazil and gained a following in the old Transvaal. The renovation project was successfully completed in 2024, bringing the historic site back to life with a blend of its original charm and modern functionality. The Brigitte Mabandla Justice College Buildings consist of four distinct blocks with a total covered floor area of approximately 20 450m2 and is situated in the Pretoria CBD. Block A: LECTURE HALLS (4-storeys) The building complex, designed by Meiring & Naudé and Brian Sandrock, was originally planned to accommodate the Extramural Department of the University of Pretoria. It was completed in 1959 and since 1960, students attended classes and academic staff occupied the office block. The building complex played an important role in the development of the Pretoria city centre and highlights a distinct era in South Africa’s architectural history. It is a significant representation of the Second Wave of the Modern Movement in South African architecture - the Brazilian-inspired Regionalism of the late 1940s, which emulated the exuberant indigenous architecture of Brazil and gained a following in the old Transvaal. The Justice College serves as a training facility and is a branch of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. Training of Magistrates, Prosecutors, Masters of the High Court, Family Advocates, Court Interpreters, Legislative Drafters, Registrars of the High Court, Clerks of the Court, Court and Area Court Managers, Managers, Admin personnel and other Legal professionals is the main objective of the Justice College. In 2005 the Department of Justice (DOJ) sought to upgrade and refurbish the buildings in order to meet their new requirements and to bring the design and specifications up to code. The buildings had been well maintained and showed no structural problems, and finishes were of high quality and built to last. An Upgrading and Refurbishment project was registered with the Department of Public Works. The scope was to include general maintenance and replacement of a few elements that had degraded over the years. The objective was to upgrade parts of the building without diverting from or changing the original look and feel of the building, because its historical value was en- shrined in the design. The user client, Justice College, moved out so that refurbishment could commence, but there were many challenges and delays, resulting in the occupation of the building by vagrants, the degradation of the facility due to lack of maintenance and water damage as a result of vandalism. Although vagrants had been occupying the Justice College buildings for a few years, the damage caused by them was not severe. It was during 2017 that the buildings and terrain were subjected to extreme vandalism, which severely impacted the physical status of the buildings, and increased the financial requirements of the project. Vandalism was organised and purposeful and all materials and items of historical value and significance were removed and carted away in a period of six weeks. Only the concrete structure and some brick walls remained. All timber doors, steel windows, steel handrails, steel fences, timber wall coverings, timber worktops, built-in chairs, brick walls, copper, wiring, air conditioning units, electrical substations and gear, and fire equipment had been removed. Trenches were dug and steel and concrete pipes were removed. Due to the extent of the damage, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure attempted to declare it an emergency project. The scope of works changed. In 2018, renovations began with the goal of restoring the buildings to their original grandeur while integrating modern facilities. The restoration approach prioritised maintaining the architectural integrity of the original design while incorporating state-of-the- art security, communication systems, and ensuring compliance with regulations. The renovation project was successfully completed in 2024, bringing the historic site back to life with a blend of its original charm and modern functionality. |
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