Mixed Narrative - Eduardo

Working on the KwaThema research project has opened my eyes to all the new possibilities of architecture and its growth.
It has become clear in our research that one cannot separate architecture and narrative. Every built outcome is a result of a story, every change means the possible inclusion of new characters, this is not merely a tree-shaped system, but quickly forms a network that is so intricate that one needs to act like an investigator to try and find the clues that best reveal the network.
Working with Anthonly that the chess park has meant an avalanche h of links, people, history and economy flooding towards us. I hope that we have set the right filters in place in order to make sense of this information.

A Sunday out and about

I took my mum to Kwa Thema and together we went round to most of the houses talking to people. Most people were out and about with it being Sunday. I got most of the groundwork done and people are starting to recognise me. Most people are still asking me to help them in some way and it is quite hard to explain that I can’t be that person that helps them.

But what I have learnt is that what at first appears to be ingenuity and resourcefulness is really the work of a few. There appears to be a few craftsmen and mural artists who do all of the personalisation and decoration and that most people employ others to create these elements of their homes. It was quite disappointing to realise this but I suppose that in reality this is how it works everywhere and there is no reason to believe that Kwa Thema would be any different.

A cold day but warm experience

Tammy and I were looking at similar ideas for our research and we were also focussing on the same area. So on the Tuesday we went with Nadine to Kwa Thema. Tammy and I started off by talking to Tsepo and Anthony in the Chess Park Academy but then moved outside to take photographs. The weather was very extreme, it had tried to rain and it was bitterly cold. We did six blocks of houses and our hands were icy. We sought refuge in the Chess Park building but Anthony had organised for us to meet with Emily who lives at no. 9. She thankfully invited us into her home and showed us how she had extended it in the 55 years she has lived there. Emily was very busy but had welcomed us and made time for us and that soon warmed us up.

A crazy taxi ride!

Tammy, Tom and I were walking along Job Maseko, from the Chess Park towards the civic centre. We were trying to formulate our research topics and to establish the areas we were going to be working in. As we stopped to cross a side road a car pulled up and a well dressed man stepped out of the passenger side. His name was Justice and was concerned for our safety or rather his taxi driver had been concerned and they had stopped to enquire if we were all right. After a discussion about what we were doing in Kwa Thema we learnt that Justice was a local magistrate who had just taken his two rottweiler puppies to have their tails docked. He eventually insisted that we make use of his taxi driver to take us anywhere we please in order to keep us safe. So the three of us shared the backseat with the puppies while we took them and their owner back to their home in White City. Bafana, the taxi driver, then took us to Massimini, to the beer hall where we were going to continue our contemplations and observations.

Bafana was incredibly dutiful and followed as we walked around. When we wanted to return to the Chess Park, Bafana wanted to take us past a car wash that he would like us to support. It turned out that this was just a ruse to take us on a joyride where he could show us off to everyone he knew. We became instant celebrities while Bafana hooted and shouted at all those who passed by and in turn they looked on in disbelief. Apparently it is not everyday that you have three white people in your taxi!

When we were nearing the end of our trip, Bafana pointed out a real local celebrity, Riot, but we took very little notice until he started singing the popular song from Riot’s group. At this point we realised that Riot was from the Gang of Instrumentals and so we turned the car around and went to meet the real celebrity and get his autograph.

I returned to Joburg rather exhilarated from our unique experience in the township. However my family were less than thrilled to hear about my experience and in particular my brother was furious with me for being so ‘reckless’. I t was difficult to explain that you have to show trust in people in order to receive that trust in return. And of course I would never do this in Johannesburg but things are different in Kwa Thema. Something you can only understand by going there.

KwaThema Networks - Eduardo

This is a video showing the beginnings of my research project for honours year architecture.
It is going to deal with representing the connections between people and the space they live in through the medium of film. Thus adding the element of time in quite a graphic way.