Pretoria Central

With the strong initiative of Samuel Pauw and Claus Schutte, his senior partner, we embarked on a dream which could be an example for the rest of the Country. In the early 80’s of the previous century our cities still struggled with the problem of becoming empty and lonely places after hours. City centres were areas where you work and do your shopping. It was aggravated with the dawn of regional shopping malls on the outskirts of the cities. It removed shopping from the mixed-use city centre areas. Residential apartment blocks were positioned mainly next to the city centres. Live, work, shop, play and entertain under one roof was not part of the vocabulary of the authorities. It had only started slowly at that stage in USA and Europe.

We were ahead of our time with the new concept in Pretoria. The focal point of the city’s first phase rejuvenation was the old historical Metro Cycle House and Sammy Marks Building in Church Street. It was built in the time of Paul Kruger. I did a full historical conservation evaluation with the help of the late Hannes Meiring, on the Metro Cycle House and the adjacent Sammy Marks building. It was mainly rented by South Africans of Indian descent. They were all in great favour of our new concept.

The money for the first phase was approved and we were on the brink of launching the project when it was put on hold because of the economic downturn. There were simply too many other priorities, including our new political dispensation.