Restoration and re/creation of lacunae : the attitudes and principles of Gabriël Fagan Architects as expressed in the restoration of the Castle of Good Hoop [i.e. Hope]

A lacuna is a disruption in a figurative image and impedes comprehension of the unity of the whole. It is something missing, a void, in material form and, in some cases memory. The urge to eradicate or minimize a disruption to an aesthetic whole has long been a dilemma in conservation, particularly in painting and sculpture, but also in the repair of historical buildings. Any solution must address the issue of authenticity, as repair will be an insertion into an ancient, perhaps layered artefact. The solution requires a theoretically based methodology if the aim of the conservation intervention is to conserve the value and meaning of the building or artefact. The repair of lacunae at the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town has had a distinct aesthetic impact on the complex and has changed the perception of the complex. The extensive three-decade-long intervention undertaken by Gabriël Fagan Architects is a re-establishment of the Castle complex as a VOC/Dutch fortified citadel as envisioned by the Architects and reveals the issues that must be confronted in order to conserve authenticity.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Division of Geomatics

Year dc:date.issued

2010

Author dc:creator

• Büttgens, Peter J

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Townsend, Stephen S

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/11750

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/11750