TOPIC: The history of Goede Hoop farm in Drakenstein
SPEAKER: Stuart Hermansen
Stuart Hermansen will give a broad overview of the history of the farm Goede Hoop, that was first settled in 1688 by Pierre Jacob from Calais, in the larger context, but will then focus on the buildings on the werf [homestead, wine cellar, so-called ‘slave lodge’, stables and small cottage assumed to be the original mill-house].
He will be looking at the building fabric and compare that to the current historical narrative of the farm. There is a noticeable discrepancy between building construction date timelines by the various specialists who have investigated various aspects of the farm buildings. His approach will be to raise questions rather than make statements about the buildings, which will hopefully spark debate!
Stuart Hermansen is the principal architect and the founding member of HB Architects which was founded in 2003.He gained considerable experience in architectural conservation and restoration during his formative years when working for Rennie & Goddard Architects from 1985 – 1990.
The promulgation of the National Heritage Resources Act in 1999 – and an appointment by Stellenbosch Municipality to determine their duties and responsibilities in terms of the Act – gave him the opportunity to gain a fuller understanding of heritage legislation and its practical application, and he has consulted with many clients and construction professionals since then with regard to all aspects of architectural and spatial conservation either as principal agent or consultant.
As a practicing architect, he enjoys working on historic Cape farms and heritage buildings of all periods, but works across a broad spectrum of projects from major refurbishments at the Faculty of Engineering at Stellenbosch University to the very contemporary Studio Lionel Smit on the historic precinct at Paardevlei.