Radiant landscapes and ancient mindscapes: Archaeology and Architecture in harmonious counterpoint

The unparalleled depth and range of human history embodied by the southern African landscape offers to all its people points of connexion with place, personhood and history. All people leave fragments of their presence in the form of artefacts, which allow us glimpses into worlds other than our own. It is, however, imperative for a robustly questioning citizenry to acquire the skill of informed observation that they may understand properly and empathetically the meanings of these artefacts, the places they inhabit and the people that left them. This contemplative skill is most adequately guided by Archaeology - a science of absence and intangibles. Architecture is the seemingly opposed science of presence and tangibles that is capable of giving powerful material form to many of archaeology’s insights. An alliance of these two disciplines may produce a critically aware and socially responsible practice that allows us to properly imbibe the spirit of a place and its people and so be agents for innovation, compassion and radiance.