Location: Robben Island
Robben Island is was the prison that many Freedom Fighters/Apartheid Activists such as Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki (father of former President Thabo Mbeki), Ahmed Mohamed Kathrada and others served time. Nelson Mandela spent 18 of the 27 years he served behind bars here as “Prisoner 46664”. The island is now a historical museum where tourists can get a glimpse into some of the experiences of these prisoners.
The water on site changes colour almost every year and is always at different depth due to evaporation (which also tends to increase the concentration of salt in the water), rain and drought. The experience in the site changes seasonally (where in the years 2004 and 2011 the water was at it’s lowest and so the marks of the prisoners were more visible versus 2016, 2018 and 2019 where the water colour becomes the focal point). The water is currently pink (possibly due to eutrophication or the presence of algal bloom) and penguins from around the island can be found on the site which makes the site very unique and picturesque setting.
The Blue Stone Quarry holds a lot of dark memories for the ex-prisoners. Abuse from the warders, the labour/quarrying of the site and preparation of the stone for building and the building and layering of the wall. To keep the water out. The other layer now is what is currently and naturally occurring on the site, with the water hiding the labour marks of the prisoner and the birds which have started to breed in and around the area. The ex-prisoners feel as though the natural layer is allowing for history to be forgotten and would like to drain the quarry and reinstate the fallen wall. While ecologists believe that nature should be left as is thus creating angst between the two parties. This intervention aims to find a balance in the two. A lot of the history in this quarry is intangible and so I would like to tap into some of these other historical layers in order to recreate and respect some of the experiences and emotions felt by the prisoners while embracing the natural elements present on the site.
Section through the quarry and new jetty showing the interaction with the water.
Section showing interaction with the wall.
Interaction with the wall built by the prisoners, leading to the final resting place where they can reflect and speak about their journey and experiences. (Historical Layer)
The wall was built and maintained by the prisoners on the island. During high tide and storms the quarry would flood with water and this would delay productivity in the quarry (mining of blue rock). The warders could have built a more permanent wall but this was seen as form of punishment as prisoners would have to rebuild the wall when it fell apart. A lot of the mined stone was used to clad the buildings on the island (mostly largely recognised is the Maximum Security Prison) as well as parts of the castle on the mainland (Cape Town, South Africa).
Perspective through “tunnel”
The walls of the tunnels are angled so that users cannot see the next space and so the tunnel disorientates the visitors and they don’t which direction they are going in or where they are going, just like the prisoners, leaving them feeling a bit helpless and at the mercy of the guards guiding them. (Historical Layer)
Perspective of jetty walkway.
First view of water. This is the calming part of the space where user can see the unusual colour of the water and the penguins and birds who use the space. (Ecological Layer)
Handmade model
