Pretoria Station Forecourt Restoration

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Pretoria
2010

PUBLISHED: Landscape SA, January 2011

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Landscape upgrade and restoration, at the historic Pretoria station.

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The Pretoria Station with its forecourt and garden, is a landmark building in Pretoria’s CBD, and is of significant heritage value. It was designed by Sir Herbert Baker in 1908. Due to neglect over the years, the forecourt and garden deteriorated considerably. It was decided that the historical forecourt with its slate retaining walls, formal planting and symmetrically planted palm trees were to be restored, replanted and upgraded to provide a safe, friendly and usable outdoor spaces for the FIFA 2010 visitors and the daily users after the tournament. The guiding design philosophy was to rehabilitate degraded areas, without impacting on the current use of the station.

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It was vital to retain the heritage value of the site. This was achieved by implementing the following:

• Original stone walls and other stonework was cleaned and restored.
• When the old asphalt surface was removed, a portion of an original tram track was discovered, which has been retained.
• Several existing Cycad and Conifer species were salvaged and re-planted in new positions.
• One of the city’s first bus shelters, still stood in the forecourt. It was dismantled and rebuilt, with the intention for it to become an information kiosk, SAPS counter and office and ticket sales office.
• Bollards were made from old railway tracks that were cut.
• The existing Old War Memorial was refurbished.

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