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Bridging the past and the present “Rediscovering Prieska's forgotten cultural landscape”

The phrase “place of the lost she-goat,” derived from the Koran and associated with the Khoi people, originally referred to a location where farmers settled after rainstorms. This area, overseen by a village management board since 1882 and granted municipal status in 1892, became known for its semip...

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Main Author: Goeieman, Deidre Danielle
Other Authors: Ewing, Kathryn
Format: Thesis
Language:English
English
Published: School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics 2025
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access_status_str Open Access
author Goeieman, Deidre Danielle
author2 Ewing, Kathryn
author_browse Ewing, Kathryn
Goeieman, Deidre Danielle
author_facet Ewing, Kathryn
Goeieman, Deidre Danielle
author_sort Goeieman, Deidre Danielle
collection Thesis
description The phrase “place of the lost she-goat,” derived from the Koran and associated with the Khoi people, originally referred to a location where farmers settled after rainstorms. This area, overseen by a village management board since 1882 and granted municipal status in 1892, became known for its semiprecious stones and as a vital crossing point for travelers (C K Rumboll & Partners, 2018). Historically, many locals worked at the nearby Koegas mine, which extracted blue asbestos. However, a phenomenon termed the “lost generation” has led to shifts in marginal spaces, with the Korana community noting rural-to-urban migration that diminished daily activity in these neighborhoods. Geospatial analyses suggest that the location of the lost she-goat has the potential to reshape the social geography and character of Prieska, a small town in the Northern Cape, which is the focus of this research. The physical and economic developments along “Loots Boulevard” (Main Road)—the main route to and from Prieska, crossing the Frans Loots Bridge—may serve as an urban spine, aiming to elevate the town's status relative to its surrounding areas. This study seeks to uncover Prieska's forgotten spaces, which are essential to its identity. These “lost spaces” (Trancik, 1999) include undeveloped areas in the town center, neglected pedestrian paths, abandoned railways, riverbanks and unmaintained memorial and aloe gardens. Key factors contributing to the town's fragmentation include outdated zoning policy, institutional neglect of the public urban environment and the abandonment of central industrial and military sites (Trancik, 1999). The research conclude in a design approach for a 2040 Framework, focused on reclaiming everyday spaces for Prieska's residents. Utilizing a family tree spanning four generations, the project emphasizes my personal childhood experiences through a narrative dialogue with family members. This study explores the complex process of reimagining Prieska—rich in cultural heritage yet marred by neglected sites—by transforming underutilized areas into vibrant, functional spaces that reflect and preserve the town's unique identity. The strategy aims to restore the town's physical environment while awakening the shared stories that define it
format Thesis
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language English
eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:33:49.949Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2025
publishDateRange 2025
publishDateSort 2025
publisher School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics
publisherStr School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics
record_format dspace
source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/42023 Bridging the past and the present “Rediscovering Prieska's forgotten cultural landscape” Goeieman, Deidre Danielle Ewing, Kathryn Crooijmans-Lemmer, Hedwig Truter, Georgina Jani Cultural landscape Everyday spaces Abandon Neglected (lost) space Mould Reshape Land tenure The phrase “place of the lost she-goat,” derived from the Koran and associated with the Khoi people, originally referred to a location where farmers settled after rainstorms. This area, overseen by a village management board since 1882 and granted municipal status in 1892, became known for its semiprecious stones and as a vital crossing point for travelers (C K Rumboll & Partners, 2018). Historically, many locals worked at the nearby Koegas mine, which extracted blue asbestos. However, a phenomenon termed the “lost generation” has led to shifts in marginal spaces, with the Korana community noting rural-to-urban migration that diminished daily activity in these neighborhoods. Geospatial analyses suggest that the location of the lost she-goat has the potential to reshape the social geography and character of Prieska, a small town in the Northern Cape, which is the focus of this research. The physical and economic developments along “Loots Boulevard” (Main Road)—the main route to and from Prieska, crossing the Frans Loots Bridge—may serve as an urban spine, aiming to elevate the town's status relative to its surrounding areas. This study seeks to uncover Prieska's forgotten spaces, which are essential to its identity. These “lost spaces” (Trancik, 1999) include undeveloped areas in the town center, neglected pedestrian paths, abandoned railways, riverbanks and unmaintained memorial and aloe gardens. Key factors contributing to the town's fragmentation include outdated zoning policy, institutional neglect of the public urban environment and the abandonment of central industrial and military sites (Trancik, 1999). The research conclude in a design approach for a 2040 Framework, focused on reclaiming everyday spaces for Prieska's residents. Utilizing a family tree spanning four generations, the project emphasizes my personal childhood experiences through a narrative dialogue with family members. This study explores the complex process of reimagining Prieska—rich in cultural heritage yet marred by neglected sites—by transforming underutilized areas into vibrant, functional spaces that reflect and preserve the town's unique identity. The strategy aims to restore the town's physical environment while awakening the shared stories that define it 2025-10-17T11:09:44Z 2025-10-17T11:09:44Z 2025 2025-10-17T11:08:02Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters Masters http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42023 en eng application/pdf School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Cultural landscape
Everyday spaces
Abandon
Neglected (lost) space
Mould
Reshape
Land tenure
Goeieman, Deidre Danielle
Bridging the past and the present “Rediscovering Prieska's forgotten cultural landscape”
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Bridging the past and the present “Rediscovering Prieska's forgotten cultural landscape”
title_full Bridging the past and the present “Rediscovering Prieska's forgotten cultural landscape”
title_fullStr Bridging the past and the present “Rediscovering Prieska's forgotten cultural landscape”
title_full_unstemmed Bridging the past and the present “Rediscovering Prieska's forgotten cultural landscape”
title_short Bridging the past and the present “Rediscovering Prieska's forgotten cultural landscape”
title_sort bridging the past and the present rediscovering prieska s forgotten cultural landscape
topic Cultural landscape
Everyday spaces
Abandon
Neglected (lost) space
Mould
Reshape
Land tenure
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42023
work_keys_str_mv AT goeiemandeidredanielle bridgingthepastandthepresentrediscoveringprieskasforgottenculturallandscape