University of Johannesburg student, Harold Johnson, is Corobrik’s 28^th Architectural Student of the Year.

He collected his award at the prestigious annual Corobrik Architectural Student of the Year Awards ceremony that was held on Wednesday evening in Johannesburg.

Apart from the accolade of being recognised as one of South Africa’s best up and coming professionals in his field, Johnson took home a prize of R50 000.

This is in addition to the R8 000 prize that he earned when he won the regional final last year.

Corobrik Managing Director Dirk Meyer, who congratulated Johnson on winning the award, said that the Corobrik Architectural Student of the Year Award was created to promote design excellence, to acknowledge and reward talent among graduating architectural students.

The ‘Dark’ City: Critical Interventions in Urban Despair

This year’s awarding winning thesis was entitled The ‘Dark’ City: Critical Interventions in Urban Despair, presented as a good example, he said.

When asked what inspired his thesis, Johnson replied that he was bored with polite, predictable student projects! “I wanted to set my own brief where I could explore the limits of architects’ skills and their training.

“From this, I was driven to challenge the normative student project convention of: ‘Problem-then-a-Solution’ (the building usually being the solution) and the tendency to design finite, jewel-like end-products.

“I asked myself: What if a project could potentially have multiple manifestations/outcomes? And presented a detailed process of thinking, making, seeing and inventing that accrues over time?”

Accepting the challenge provided by the city

He said that he wanted to do a project in the inner-city as typical architectural projects were usually within/on an open or clear site and are therefore safer and less challenging.

“I was aware that inner-city development, in Johannesburg, was largely outsourced (by the City) to the private sector – so I wanted to know what happens when the city abandons its buildings and people.”

Johnson said he believed that his project demonstrated the ability of architects to re-frame and redefine any scenario/structure/environment.

Giving back

“Winning this award, in terms of the cash prize, means I can now contribute to continuing our research in ‘Dark City’ and the other buildings we are working in.

“When I won the (regional) first place for R8000 (from Corobrik) at the University of Johannesburg last year, I put 40 percent of that amount towards our work into this research.

“In continuing this pattern, 40 percent of this Corobrik (national) award will also be put towards the continuation and amplification of this research and design,” he added.