Journey with Namibian Architect Erhard Roxin, by Erhard Roxin

Journey with Namibian Architect Erhard Roxin, by Erhard Roxin. Swakopmund, Namibia 2021. ISBN 9789994552368 / ISBN 978-9-99-455236-8

Collage of impressions from Journey with Namibian Architect Erhard Roxin.

Journey with Namibian Architect Erhard Roxin, by Erhard Roxin. Foreword by Professor Jaco Wasserfall, Department of Architecture and Spatial Planning, NUST (Namibia University of Science & Technology).

I first met Erhard Roxin in 1977 as an impressionable first year architecture student at the University of Pretoria where he was in his third year of study. The students from Namibia shared a special bond, not only within the department but also on campus as a whole; the customary flicking-of-headlight greeting when passing a car with a Namibian registration is an endearing recollection. My most abiding memory of Erhard Roxin from those days is a three-day long excursion back home one blisteringly hot December in his red VW Beetle with an American hitchhiker by the name of Kurt, a journey punctuated by one roadside reservoir skinny-dip after the other, countless pints of beer, and a memorable detour to Helmeringhausen. Erhard Roxin's love for his native Namibia is the singular thread that binds together his lifetime's work. His love affair with Swakopmund and the Namib desert started in his student days, as is reflected in his choice of final year thesis topic. After settling here in 1986, his one-man practice soon became the vehicle for exploring, articulating, and refining his highly individualistic architectural style. The foundations of his deep appreciation for architectural heritage were laid in an earlier three-year apprenticeship with the legendary Gawie Fagan, where he worked on the restoration of the historically significant Cape Town Castle and a number of Cape Dutch farmsteads. Inspired by the picturesque Swakopmund, his early work displays his inimitable stylistic and hands-on approach to architecture — vibrant, playful, tongue-in-cheek yet resourceful, innovative in the use of material and form, colourful and always underpinned by the necessary research. Unlike the cardboard tower-and-gable architecture that characterises much of Swakopmund today, Erhard's interpretative designs always went far beyond the mere pastiche. His later work became more contemplative in expression, displaying an increasing measure of restraint. Having earned him no less than twelve Awards of Merit from the Namibia Institute of Architects, Erhard's exceptional body of work has left an indelible mark on the Swakopmund townscape. The highlight of acknowledgement — and springboard for his distinctive signatory style — was the Award of Excellence of the Highest Degree bestowed on his own home in Swakopmund in 1995. Here every nook and cranny bear the recognisable mark of his creative hand. This versatility and skill as designer are showcased in his work in the interior of Namibia too, most notably the Swabou Headquarters in Windhoek (later the FNB headquarters), the winning entry in an architectural competition in 1992, and the completion in 2008 of the High Court of Namibia, in Oshakati. Creative conceptual exploration, sensitive response to context and scale, and a keen eye for proportioning and detailing contributed to designs that have stood the test of time. Also of interest is the Mental Health Care Centre in Windhoek, completed in 1999, where he caringly translated the complexities of an institutional programme into a humane, village-like facility. Finally, Erhard Roxin's book is not just about his achievements as designer and an abiding enthusiasm for the profession of architecture, but is a personal account of his exuberant attitude to life, his many creative interests, pursuits, and hobbies. It is also an honest self-critique not only of his life's work, but also of his intimate take on an all-embracing Gesamtbild.

This is an excerpt from Journey with Namibian Architect Erhard Roxin, by Erhard Roxin.

Title: Journey with Namibian Architect Erhard Roxin
Subtitle: Celebrating architectural achievements and embracing a sustainable future
Author: Erhard Roxin
Self-published
Swakopmund, Namibia 2021
ISBN 9789994552368 / ISBN 978-9-99-455236-8
Softcover, 30 x 21 cm, 180 pages, throughout colour photographs, scetches and images