Cover page Auret publication 2018
Sophia gray Vol 1

Research Focus Areas

The research focus areas in the Department of Architecture include architectural history, theory, and themes within construction science. Researchers focus on the development of settlements in Southern Africa, the history of dwellings in the Free State, the history of Bloemfontein and surrounding areas, as well as conservation of heritage buildings.

Additionally, we focus on technical aspects surrounding vernacular building methods, sustainability, and the education of architecture students relating to several aspects of higher-education pedagogy. Further focus areas include architectural theory, namely phenomenology and the work of Heidegger, Norberg-Schulz, and Casey. Staff members are actively investigating the links between architecture, art history, and philosophy, especially as it pertains to the ethics in the built environment.

Research articles

2025

  • Van Der Merwe, D (2025) Heidedal and the industrial buffer: Metaphoric engagements with the tropes of apartheid planning. South African Journal of Art History: Creative intersections between art and architecture. 40,3. pp144-165

  • Boseman, G (2025) Rural-urban lived experiences: Cross-cultural space and place teaching and learning. South African Journal of Art History: Creative intersections between art and architecture. 40, 3. pp23-40
  • Hollt, K, Haarhof, E, Peters W. (2025) Enhancing sensory experiences: the architecture of Hans Heyerdahl Hallen. South African Journal of Art History: Creative intersections between art and architecture. 40, 3 pp49-67 

2024

  • Auret, HA. (2024) Poiese en poietiese denke in Die swye van Mario Salviati: 'n Gereedmaak vir simpoiese. (Poiesis and poietic thinking in the long silence of Mario Salviati:Making ready for sympoie. Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe 64 (4) pp646-664
  • Noble, JA. (2024) Practice-based research in architecture at the University of the Free State. Image & text. pp 22-45
  • Auret, H.A. & Du Preez, J.L. 2024. Rescripting contested monuments amid shifting regionings of concern: the case of the President M.T. Steyn statue. Built Heritage 8(53): 1-12.

2023

  • Mosidi, N (2023). NERVOUS Conditions: missionary myths and misconceptions, religion and the sacredness of space. South African Journal of Art History: Myth, religion and the sacred. 17, 1 (Jun 2023).
  • Mabe, P. (2023). Transposed African myths in the works of Mphethi Morojele. South African Journal of Art History: Myth, religion and the sacred. 17, 1 (Jun 2023).
  • Bosman, G., Venter, A. and Mabe, P. (2023). Litema artivism: Community engaged scholarship with international online learning. Acta Structilia. 30, 1 (Jun. 2023), 185-211

2022

  • Bosman, G. (2022). Art and landscape: a rural letsema celebration. South African Journal of Art History. 37 (1) 31-47.

2021

  • Noble, J.A. (2021). Reimaginings at the Temple of Light, Venice Biennale 2018. South African Journal of Art History, vol. 36, no. 1, 2021, pp 1 – 23.
  • Hardman, T. (2021). Understanding Creative Intuition. Journal of Creativity, 13.

2020

  • Auret, H.A. 2020. Care, Place and the Sophia Gray Laureates: pursuing architecture as a focal practice. Architecture SA 98: 28-33.

  • Auret, H.A. 2020. Drawing on “interfinities”: a reflection on Jonathan Jacobson’s book and Sophia Gray Exhibition. Architecture SA 98: 8-11.

  • Auret, H.A. 2020. The responsibility of architecture: beauty, justice and the call of care. Acta Theologica 40(29): 152-175.

  • Noble, J.A. 2020. Mediation and materiality at the South African embassy in Ethiopia. South African Journal of Art History. Vol 35 (2): 1-18. 

2019
  • Auret, HA.  2019. Care, place and the Sophia Gray laureates - part 1: Architecture as an art of care. ArchitectureSA. Vol 96. pp 37-46
  • Auret, HA.  2019. Care, place and the Sophia Gray laureates - part 2: Architecture as an art of life. ArchitectureSA. Vol 97. pp 31-48
  • Peters, WH and Raubenheimer, H. 2019. Rooted in purpose, time and place: The architecture of Henk de Bie & Van Wijngaarden in Bloemfontein of the 1960s. ArchitectureSA. Vol 95. pp 39-48 

2018

  • Noble, JA. 2018. Assimilation, Ambiguity and Artefacts: renovating the home of architect Peter Rich. South African Journal of Art History. Vol 33 n 3.pp74-87
  • Verster, W, Janse van Vuuren, A. 2018. From rural naïveté to urban discontent: Framing post-Apartheid South African Film identities. Journal of African Cinemas Vol 10 (1&2) pp111-126

 2017

  • Bosman, G. 2017. Ownership and care in culturally significant architecture: three case studies. Acta Structilia. 24 (1) pp. 1-27
  • Du Preez, JL. 2017. To have a roof over one's head. South African Journal of Art History. 32 (2) pp.26-37
  • Peters, WH. 2017. Competitions, politics and the production of modern architecture: Jack Barnett's Free State oeuvre. South African Journal of Art History. 32(1) pp 1-16
  • Noble, JA. 2017. Like a Fish in Water: the smooth hybrids of Jackson Hlungwani. South African Journal of Art History. 32(2) pp 120-131
  • Van der Vyver, Y. 2017. Crafting urban space with Pretoria’s Church Square as an example. South African Journal of Art History. 32(2) pp 190-211
  • Verster, W, Bysell, L and Magnusson, A. 2017. Post-apartheid reconciliation through buildings: A comparison between two South African museums. Tidskrift for ABM: Uppsala University. 2(2) pp39-60. 
2016
  • Auret, H and Du Toit, C. 2016. Welcoming the stranger with intention and architectural edifice: beyond the geopolitical hollowness of crimmigration. International Journal of Public Theology. Vol 10. pp.443-460
  • Auret, H. 2016. Bloemfontein (1848-2015), mapping eight moments in time: measuring and appreciating that which is nearest. New Contree nr 67, November supplement. pp.193-212
  • Pienaar, MY. 2016. There is a there there: femininity, place and phenomenology in the work of Mira Fassler Kamstra. Journal of the South African Institute of Architects. nr 81 September/October. pp.40-53
  • Peters, WH and Du Preez, JL. 2016. The idealism of architectural competitions: The case of the Free State Province. New Contree. December number 77. pp.1-24
  • Van der Vyver, Y. 2016. Temporality in the [re]shaping of the landscape of Pretoria’s Church Square. South African Journal of Art History. 31 (2). pp166-186
  • Verster, W. 2016. Domestic space in the contemporary art gallery: Sven-Harrys Art Museum,
    Stockholm and Circa on Jellicoe Gallery, Johannesburg. South African Journal of Art History. 31 (2). pp49-62
Creative Research Submission.
  • Mathews, P. and Auret, H.A. Social Works: The Braak Pavilion as an expression of Actor-Network Theory. (2021)

Conference contributions

  • Bosman, G, & Riep, D. (2023). International Student Collaboration: Transformation for Vernacular Art and Architecture Teaching and Learning, Free State Province, South Africa. The UIA World Congress of Architects Copenhagen 2023. Copenhagen 2-6 July 2023.

  • Bosman, G., Mabe, P. & Venter, A. (2023). Litema rural art and architecture: global acts of care. 5th National Global Change Conference, Bloemfontein, South Africa, 30 Jan. – 2 Feb

  • Bosman, G. (2022). Basotho litema home decoration: a rural celebration for culturally significant architecture in the Free State. National Congress of the South African Society for Cultural History, Riebeek -Kasteel, South Africa, 16-17Sept.

  • Bosman, G. (2022). Relevant service-learning for transformation in architecture learning and teaching. Conference on Sustainable Built Environments (SBE2022), Grabouw, South Africa, 28-30 March.

  • Olivier, J. & Nel, J.H. “Life Narratives as Sites of Architectural Learning and Teaching: Reflecting on Meaningful Characters and Places in Uncertain Times”.  Transformative Teaching Focus on Pedagogy 2022. 15-17 November 2022 Amps, University of Dundee, Florida State University, Zayed University

  • Bosman, G. (2022). Art and landscape: a rural letsema celebration. Sixteenth annual conference of the South African Journal of Art History - Landscape, Cityscape, Seascape. Bloemfontein. 10-11June.

  • Bosman, G. 2021. A new approach to Architecture of care and engagement. UFS Teaching and Learning Conference 2021(online), Bloemfontein, South Africa, 13-15 Sept.
  • Bosman, G. 2021. Service learning and COIL for Architecture. UFS Teaching and Learning Conference 2021(online), Bloemfontein, South Africa, 13-15 Sept.
  • Van der Merwe, D. & Auret, H.A. 2021. Architecture as an art of care in historically marginalised communities: the case of Heidedal, South Africa. XXVII International Union of Architects World Congress of Architecture, Rio de Janeiro (online), 8 July 2021.

  • Auret, H.A. 2020. The responsibility of architecture: beauty, justice and the call of care. Acta Theologica, Supp 29, pp. 152-175.

  • Bosman, G. 2020. Change for contemporary earth construction: a second paradigm shift. Archtheo ‘20 / xiv.  International theory and history of architecture conference. Conference Coordination: DAKAM (Eastern Mediterranean Academic Research Centre), Istanbul, Turkey. November 2020. 

  • Bosman, G. 2019. New perspective towards social acceptability of earth-constructed buildings , IV International City Planning and Urban Design Conference CPUD’19 Conference Proceedings DAKAM (Eastern Mediterranean Academic Research Center), 14 June, 2019
  • Bosman, G. 2017. Planning for acceptable contemporary earth construction in SA. Proceedings of SOSTIERRA RESTAPIA 3rD Versus September 2017, Valencia Spain
  • Peters, WH. 2016. Planned towns in the 'conquered territory' between Basutoland (Lesotho) and the Boer Republic of the Orange Free State (Free State Province of South Africa), 1867: balancing security with inherited cultural traditions and townscapes. ISUF Seminar on Urban Form, Brisbane Australia. Queensland Univeristy of Technology
  • Bosman, G and Salzmann-McDonald, K. 2015. Contemporary soil-cement and rammed earth in South Africa. Rammed Earth Construction - Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Rammed Earth Construction, ICREC 2015
  • Olivier, J. 2015. Towards an Ethos of Dwelling with Pre-democratic Things. ArchTheo'15, Istanbul, Turkey October 2015 [under review]
  • Peters, WH and Olivier, A. 2015. Urban morphology & academic writing: A pedagogical experiment. REUSO, 3rd International Conference on Documentation and Restoration of Architectural Heritage and Landscape Protection, Valencia
  • Verster, W. 2014. Framing the museum: Urban thresholds and embodied experience. In CONTEMPART '15: Urban Identity, Space studies and contemporary arts. Istanbul, Turkey.8-9 June 2015
  • Auret, H. 2014. Architecture as the art of care: a Heideggarian augmentation of Christian Norberg-Schulz's art of place. XXV World Congress of Architecture, UIA otherwhere. Durban 3-7 August 2014. pp.425-432
  • Bosman, G. and Steyn, JJ. 2014. Affordable housing opportunities for Southern Africa: Rethinking contemporary earth construction for housing. SAHF. Cape Town, South Africa, 28 Sept-1Okt
  • Nel, JH and Bosman, G. 2014. Exposing architecture students to vernacular concepts. CIAV 2013 Vernacular heritage and earthen architecture: Contributors for sustainable architecture. Vila nova de cerveira, Portugal. 16-20 October 2013. pp.767-772 (Award for best contribution)
  • Peters, WH. 2014. Sasolburg, A South African New Town, 1951. The 'Sasolburg pattern' at a crossroads. 20th century New Towns: Archetypes and uncertainties, Porto, Portugal 22-24 May. pp.318-333
  • Verster, W. 2014. Depicting Trauma: museums as narrative devices. In Not ever absent: Storytelling in art culture and identity formation. Story 6: 6th global conference on storytelling. Lisbon, Portugal.
  • Wagener, A. 2014. An architecture for marginalised South Africans: the role of education. XXV World Congress of Architecture, UIA otherwhere. Durban 3-7 August 2014. pp.1425-1432
  • Wessels, ZG and Bosman, G. 2014. The city vernacular in South Africa. CIAV 2013 Vernacular heritage and earthen architecture: Contributors for sustainable architecture. Vila nova de cerveira, Portugal. 16-20 October 2013 proceedings. pp. 227-231
  • Bosman, G. 2012. “Local Building Cultures and Perceptions of Wall Building Materials: Influences on Vernacular Architecture in Rural Areas of Central South Africa Attendance to the CEAA/ Centro de Estudos Arnaldo Araujo at the Escola Superior Artistica do Porto (ESAP) in Oporto, Portugal. presented: 17-19 May 2012
  • Olivier, J. 2012. Interpreting Fictional Spaces as a Model for South African Institutional Architecture: The House in André Brink’s Imaginings of Sand and Zakes Mda’s Ways of Dying. Presented at Archtheo’12: Theory of Architecture conference. Istanbul, Turkey 31 Oct-3 Nov. 2012
  • Peters, WH. 2012. The Women at Winburg’s Voortrekker monument. Presented at the 6th national conference of SA Journal of Art History with theme ‘The human body’, TUT, Pretoria, 25-26 May
  • Peters, WH. 2012. Communicating Neglect: The Women in the Voortrekker Monument at Winburg. Conference of the International Association for Media and Communication Research, 'South-North Conversations', UKZN, Durban, 15-19 July 2012
  • Peters, WH and Du Preez, JL. 2012.Die Vrystaatse Oosgrens en die Strukture van Verdediging. Presented at National Congress of the SA Society for Cultural History, Pretoria, 20-21 July

Other contributions

 

  • Peters, W. 2020. Hans Hallen’s 1960s medium-rise apartment buildings on Durban’s Berea. In: Hans Hallen. Selected 1960s projects in Durban. S. Bodei (Ed). Melfi (Italy), Casa editione Libria. pp 67-108.

  • Auret, HA. 2019. Christian Norberg-Schulz's interpretation of heidegger's Philosophy: Care place and architecture. 1st edition. London: Routledge
  • Ras, J. 2018. Hello, and the power of joy! Architecture SA. Issue 92, July/August 2018. p52
  • Verster, W. 2015. Depicting the Traumatic Past: museums as narrative devices. In Moenandar, S and Miller, N. 2015. Not Ever Absent:Storytelling in arts, culture and identity formation. Oxford: Inter-Disciplinary Press
  • Du Preez, JL. 2014. Introduction to Free State and Northern Cape and Department of public works building President Brand Street. In Heroldt, A. 2014 (editor) Architectural Conservation in South Africa since 1994:100+ projects. Port Elizabeth: Dot Matrix
  • Peters, WH. 2014. Introduction to KwaZulu-Natal and Court of Appeal extension, President Brand Street, Bloemfontein. In Heroldt, A. 2014 (editor) Architectural Conservation in South Africa since 1994:100+ projects. Port Elizabeth: Dot Matrix
  • Stoffberg, M. 2014.Three Churches, Adamshoop, Thaba Nchu and Bloemfontein and House van Rensburg, Philippolis. In Heroldt, A. 2014 (editor) Architectural Conservation in South Africa since 1994:100+ projects. Port Elizabeth: Dot Matrix


BLOEMFONTEIN CAMPUS FACULTY CONTACT

Elfrieda van den Berg (Marketing Manager)
T: +27 51 401 2531
E:vdberge@ufs.ac.za

QWAQWA CAMPUS FACULTY CONTACT

Dilahlwane Mohono (Faculty Officer)
T: +27 58 718 5284
E:naturalscienceqq@ufs.ac.za

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