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Department of Architecture celebrates international recognition

22 December 2023 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

3D-Printed Sculptural Artefact — The 3D-printed sculptural artefact entered by a group of third-years from the UFS.

A group of third-year students from the UFS Department of Architecture exhibited their work at the 2023 Venice Biennale, an international architecture exhibition showcasing ground-breaking architectural work from various countries around the world.

The contributions of world-class architects, researchers, and institutions in architecture are exhibited at this exhibition. “To be featured in this exhibition means that we are recognised by the international community as one of the leading architectural learning sites in South Africa and the work being produced at the institution deserves international acclaim,” says Phadi Mabe, Lecturer in the department.

The students representing the university with Mabe and participating in this event are Anya Strydom, Yamkelwa Simelane, Jan Truter, and Khalipha Radebe.

Mabe says the artefact produced from this project is a 3D-printed sculptural device that shows the translation between sound and object and illustrates the sound data through 3D-printed forms. “The sound structures of South Africa’s languages are mapped three-dimensionally to create a visual and spatial record of language. This unique artefact demonstrates that there are uncharted terrains in architecture, suggesting alternative dimensions that can be extrapolated to show that architecture can represent the intangible” he explains.

The UFS artefact was one of six design artefacts selected for the 18th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, which opened to the public in May and closes on 26 November 2023.

Hosted by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the competition involved an emphasis on students incorporating African traditional architecture into their design models.

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Motho ke motho ka batho. A person is a person through others.

2016-04-26

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Student Bursary Fund Campaign booklet (pdf)
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Student Bursary Fund Campaign launched: #FundAFuture and make a difference

“I never imagined that I would have the opportunity to study further. For that to happen, the heavens had to forge a way.” Mixed feelings dapple Jean-Pierré van der Walt's face as he recounts the miracles - and hardships - of his journey.

Motho ke motho ka batho. A person is a person through others.

Jean-Pierré is one of ambassadors of the Student Bursary Fund Campaign, launched by the University of the Free State (UFS). The project aims to raise R100 m to fund talented, deserving students who do not have the financial means to obtain a university degree. This financial support will change the future irrevocably for many young people in our country, young people who are similar to Jean-Pierré.

Description: Jean-Pierré van der Walt Tags: Jean-Pierré van der Walt

Jean-Pierré van der Walt
Photo: Sonia Small

“When I was in matric, going to university was never an option.” Surmounting his financial circumstances seemed impossible. “It made me feel despondent, and I thought to myself: after school, what would my life be like, where am I going?” It was at this juncture in his life that a funding opportunity enabled him to pursue his dream of making a difference in the world through education. He embarked on a BEd degree in Senior and FET (Further Education and Training) Teaching, which he completed in 2015.

“Varsity taught me to stand up for myself, to make my voice heard,” Jean-Pierré says. “If I did not have the opportunity to attend university, I would have missed my calling in life: to show the world that, despite your physical restrictions, you can still make a difference.” Jean-Pierré is differently-abled as a result of cerebral palsy.

Looking to be placed as an English and Sesotho teacher, Jean-Pierré is eager to teach children that anything is possible, regardless of heritage, family life, or circumstances. “Motho ke motho ka batho. A person is a person through others,” he says is the philosophy he lives by. “One cannot survive in solitude; one needs others to go further in life.”

In the same way, the UFS needs your support and generosity. Each contribution will bring us closer to our goal of R100 m, and to changing the landscape of our youth’s future.

Visit our Giving page for ways to donate.

For enquiries or further information:
T: +27(0)51 401 3966 | E: FundAFuture@ufs.ac.za | www.ufs.ac.za

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