20/20 Visions: 5 Year Retrospective of the Graduate School of Architecture.

FADA Gallery in association with the Graduate School of Architecture

invite you to view the following Exhibition:

20/20 Visions: 5 Year Retrospective of the Graduate School of Architecture.

In this exhibition, we reflect on the visionaries that have crafted the flagship Graduate School of Architecture at the University of Johannesburg; including its staff, its supporters, but also most importantly, its student visionaries.

Steffen Fischer, Métro:
Le ministère de l'Intérieur
Réunionnais

We celebrate the stellar work that has grown, emerged and extrapolated deeply complex, transcontinental issues in spatial practice; and use it as a gaze toward a continued, and ever-expanding horizon that strives for excellence, imagination and criticality. Hindsight may certainly be 20/20, but from here we look forward into a newly created courageous space of architectural pedagogical pursuit, ever further to be imagined and fought for, ever more deeply.

Chris Rojas, The Zerzura Terrarium

Venue:          FADA Gallery             

Exhibition run: Monday 17 February – Friday 13 March 2020

About the Graduate School of Architecture Programme:

The Graduate School of Architecture (GSA) was founded in 2015 as a separate, autonomous school within the Department of Architecture at UJ. It is the youngest and arguably the most dynamic school of architecture on the African continent. In five years, it has quadrupled its intake of Master’s students, making it now one of the largest postgraduate schools in the country.

Gugulethu Methembu, The Port of Sihr

We run the world-famous Unit System method of teaching, first pioneered by the Architectural Association in London in 1971. In 2015, we began with three Units; in 2020 there are seven. We plan to continue this growth, expanding by at least two new Units per year. It’s a competitive, innovative and challenging system and we think it’s the best way to get the best out of both staff and students.

The choice we offer in terms of interests, research agendas, contexts and perspectives is unparalleled and most of our teaching staff are part-time practitioners with national and international reputations and links. In our endeavour for excellence, we continue building on the strength, ambitions and transformative agenda of previous years. After a successful SACAP validation visit in April 2018, we’ve made some substantial changes to the curriculum, including a brand new History & Theory Programme for both Honours (M1) and Masters (M2) and a formative Design Realisation Course. We also offer a vibrant line-up of Core Modules and Extras this year. 

Tonia Murray, The Book of Skins

Jiaxin Yan Gong,
The Liminal Archive:
Indexing of (non)Articles

In addition to our studios at the Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture (FADA), we have an inner-city ‘base’, GSA Metro, located in the heart of Braamfontien. Metro, which houses our review space, cinema and academic offices was officially opened by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg, Prof Tshilidzi Marwala and the ex-Dean of FADA, Prof Federico Freschi, on 02 August 2019. 

The GSA runs a host of public programmes, including the GSA International Lecture Series, which will continue to offer international and local architects a platform for sharing their work with a new generation of up-and-coming architects. Throughout the year we host exhibitions that feature student and staff work and our end-of- year show, the GSA Summer Show in November is now a fixture on the Johannesburg architectural calendar.

Steven Moore, Digi-Tech: The architecture between the physical and the digital

Mark Raymond, Architect and academic
Image courtesy of NGC Bocas Lit Fest

2019 was marked by significant change with the exit of School Director, Prof Lesley Lokko, in November 2019. The incoming GSA Director, Mr Mark Raymond, a practising architect and educator currently based in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, will succeed Prof Lokko in Semester 02 in 2020. Ms Anna Abengowe, currently based in the US, who has accepted the role of Deputy Director, is also scheduled to arrive in Semester 02. In the interim, Dr Finzi Saidi was named Acting Head and will lead the School until the new leadership team is able to formally begin.  2020 promises to be an exciting year for the GSA as it embarks on its next cycle of growth.

Exhibition viewing hours:

Gallery Hours

Tuesday to Friday 09:00 – 16:00

Saturday 09:00 – 13:00

Closed Mondays, public and university holidays

For more information contact

Eugene Hön 

Gallery Hours

Tuesday to Friday 09:00 – 16:00

Saturday 09:00 – 13:00

Closed Mondays, public and university holidays

For more information contact

Eugene Hön
0115591386