Positioned at the heart of the North-West University’s Vaal Triangle Campus, the new Lecture Hall Complex is intended to address the shortage of lecture facilities across the campus. It will provide the university with upgraded facilities to meet current as well as future needs. The construction of the lecture halls forms part of a bigger endeavour – to create a cohesive campus identity that improves circulation and optimises land usage with an eye to future developments.

Nestled amongst other buildings, the complex represents an intentional effort to increase the density of the university fabric. The Lecture Hall Complex will contain four lecture halls: three 200-seaters and one 360-seater, with two additional 100-seat lecture halls planned for the future.

The buildings are arranged around an open internal courtyard or lekgotla. Large apiesdoring (monkey thorn) trees provide a cool outside meeting area. This space serves as an entrance ‘foyer’ to the halls, but also creates a social space where students can gather between lectures. The curvilinear shapes of the halls serve an acoustic purpose, but also add a sculptural quality to the campus. The rounded corners reveal several vistas as one moves through the complex.

Practical considerations and the materiality of the existing context informed the architectural language of the complex. The design concurrently draws on South Africa’s rich tradition of masonry construction and the skills of local craftsmen. Although strong reference is made to the surrounding buildings, the design seeks to establish a new architectural approach that will firmly communicate the ambitions of the NWU.