MPILETSO MOTUMI
DWAYNE Saldanha wants to build a cultural centre in Soweto. One that encapsulates the essence of the township’s lifestyle.
“I’m calling it the Soweto Dance Academy. There’s so much dance there, but no formalised studio. People dance in community halls and makeshift spaces,” said the 27-year-old Saldanha.
He chose Soweto as his focus area for his thesis, “Choreography of Space”, after researching the history of Joburg.
“I researched how the town came into being, then how black, coloured and Indian people were segregated, and how people used music halls for dance. Soweto had a vibrant lifestyle in the shebeens and streets,” he said.
Saldanha’s proposed building would have a dance studio and a multipurpose room, offices and teaching rooms, restaurants and retail facilities, a skate park and bike shop, a library and media centre.
His design was up against six others at the 25th National Corobrik Architectural Student of the Year Competition last night.