Merensky Library, University of Pretoria
Encyclopedia
Historical background
In 1933 it was decided by the UniversityUniversity of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria is a multi campus public research university located in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa...
to construct a separate building for the library which was then still located in the Old Arts building. With a contribution of £10 000 from mining geologist Dr Hans Merensky
Hans Merensky
Hans Merensky was a German South African geologist, prospector, scientist, conservationist and philanthropist...
, construction started in 1937. General Jan Smuts
Jan Smuts
Jan Christiaan Smuts, OM, CH, ED, KC, FRS, PC was a prominent South African and British Commonwealth statesman, military leader and philosopher. In addition to holding various cabinet posts, he served as Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa from 1919 until 1924 and from 1939 until 1948...
laid the cornerstone on 11 October 1937 and on 15 April 1938 the building was officially opened.
In designing the building, architect Gerard Moerdijk
“This country has given me so much that I am only
too happy to be allowed to help it to develop and to be
able to give back to it a fraction of what it
has given to me...”
- Hans Merensky, at the opening of the Merensky Library.
Gerard Moerdijk
Gerard Leendert Pieter Moerdijk , also known as Gerard Moerdyk, was a South African architect best-known for designing the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria....
was influenced by various styles, including Art Deco, Neo-Classicism, Arts and Crafts, as well as local styles such as Cape Dutch
Cape Dutch architecture
-Introduction:Cape Dutch architecture is an architectural style found in the Western Cape of South Africa. The style was prominent in the early days of the Cape Colony, and the name derives from the fact that the initial settlers of the Cape were primarily Dutch...
and Regency
Regency architecture
The Regency style of architecture refers primarily to buildings built in Britain during the period in the early 19th century when George IV was Prince Regent, and also to later buildings following the same style...
. Moerdijk himself described the building as a study in Persian style, with influences from Africa including the Zimbabwe and ancient Egyptian ruins. He used local materials and incorporated symbols of African origin. The prominent zigzag pattern, for example, is taken from the Zimbabwe ruins and represents water and fertility, the crocodile as a water figure and the bird as a symbol of space, symbolizing the freedom and creativity of the author. The curving of the walls symbolises an open book. The green bevelled glass windows were imported from Italy and helped to minimise heat from the sun and also protected paper against ultraviolet light. The design of the building is a source of controversy and speculation with some claiming that Moerdijk used it as a practice run for the design of the Voortrekker Monument
Voortrekker Monument
The Voortrekker Monument is a monument in the city of Pretoria, South Africa. The massive granite structure, built to honour the Voortrekkers who left the Cape Colony between 1835 and 1854, was designed by the architect Gerard Moerdijk who had the idea to design a "monument that would stand a...
, as there are many similarities between the two buildings. Today this national monument serves as the Edoardo Villa Museum. The Edoardo Villa Museum currently houses the leading collection of sculptures by the Italian artist Eduardo Villa
Eduardo Villa
Edoardo Villa'Birth nameEdoardo Daniele VillaBorn31 May, 1915Bergamo, ItalyDied1 May, 2011Johannesburg, South AfricaNationalitySouth AfricanFieldSculptureTrainingAndrea Fontini Art SchoolMovementAbstract artcubismWorksThe Knot, Cape TownConfrontation, JohannesburgThrust, University of Pretoria...
and one South Africa's most renowned sculptors, who was mentored by Minotti
Minotti
Minotti was a Governor of Corinth, then under the power of the Doge. In 1715 the city was stormed by the Turks, and during the siege one of the magazines in the Turkish camp blew up, killing 600 men...
at the Scuola D’Arte Andrea Fontoniby.
It also houses amongst others, a Mimi Coertse
Mimi Coertse
Mimi Coertse , is a South African soprano.-Early life:Coertse, born in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, matriculated at the Helpmekaar Girls High School in Johannesburg. She began vocal studies in South Africa in 1949. In July 1953 she married the broadcaster and composer Dawid Engela. She left South Africa...
, Marita Napier and the largest South African sheet music collections.
Merensky II Library
Consisting of six levels, this building houses the UP Library Services Head Office; the Learning Centre; Technical Services and the faculty libraries for Humanities; Theology; Natural and Agricultural Sciences; Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology; and, Economics and Management Sciences. It forms a focal point of the University's Hatfield Campus. The original library was initially housed in the Old Arts building before being relocated to the Old Merensky Library. Despite expansions to the Old Merensky Library in 1957, it soon became too small and the firm Lou, Marais, Marquard and Kuhn was appointed in 1969 to design a new library. Construction started in November 1971 and in August 1975 the building was completed. In the construction process the southern wing of the Old Chemistry building was demolished. Adjacent to the library there is a study centre that accommodates up to 1,230 students and is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day.Centenary Tapestry
An interesting feature of the library is the spacious feel of the ground floor due to the three-level high ceiling in the central area. The wall of the mezzanine level is now adorned by an eye-catching panelled tapestry which was commissioned by the University in commemoration of its centenary celebrations in 2008. The idea was to create a work of art that would portray the University and which could be left as a legacy for future generations.This tapestry was designed and embroidered by rural community members of the Kaross embroidery initiative in the Limpopo province. This embroidery initiative was established in 1989 by Irma van Rooyen, a BA Fine Arts graduate of the University and a recipient of the TuksAlumni Laureate Award. The conceptualisation of the tapestry and the execution of the design was done by Irma van Rooyen in collaboration with designer Calvin Mahlaule. Once the design was finalised, 15 embroiderers were employed to create the 15 x 1.2 meter tapestry. The work was executed on separate pieces of material using approximately 10 kg of yarn. The individual pieces of material were later appliqued and combined in a continuous process of layering the embroidered images and reworking them until the full length artwork was created.
This work of art reflects the culture, creative spirit and 'voice' of its makers and is a joyous manifestation of colour and craftsmanship!