University of the Free State Economic Sciences

A new building was proposed to fulfill the long standing need for lecture hall facilities on the campus of the University of the Free State to cater for the growing number of students, as well as to create a new image for the Department of Economic and Management Sciences. The site is located on the northern side of campus. On the western edge the site is curved with the main circular vehicle campus route coming from the Thakaneng Student centre. On the north it is confronted with the Wynand Mouton Theatre. This Theatre functions as an important public building on Campus and also in the Bloemfontein community. The new building was proposed to be a solution to the unresolved interventions of parking areas, pedestrian flow, vehicle routes, and public areas. The program includes two separate buildings. Firstly, a New Lecture Hall Building, including an auditorium for 800 students, six 64 seat and two 25 seat Lecture Halls. Secondly, a new wing for the Economic and Management Sciences Building, including public areas, lecture halls, a computer lab and offices. The pedestrian and student flow, along with the public space was designed to become part of the building, visually and physically, creating new pedestrian possibilities, in and through, the building. The building does not only reach out to its users, but reaches out to the campus as a whole.The design of the building was to define public space as opposed to creating an object. Roof terraces and grass embankments with landscaping on the northern front were used to create a public plain area between the new building and the existing Wynand Mouton Theatre. A view from the working space to the northern parts of Bloemfontein creates a creative and stimulating working environment. The new buildings` are to contribute to the Kovsies` Master plan as a campus where students can gather and interact, not only with each other but also with their surroundings.