Adjaye Associates . photos: © Alexi Portokallis . + archinect
The Hugh Ramapolo Masekela memorial pavilion designed by David Adjaye in partnership with the Design Indaba Trust was unveiled by the Masekela family on 1 June 2019. A little over a year since his passing and also marking the beginning of South Africa’s ‘Youth Month’, this is a place to gather, reflect and celebrate the life and legacy of Bra Hugh.
The pavilion and garden, spearheaded by the artists’s family will honor the South African legend’s Pan-African spirit.
The memorial pavilion and garden will be “a place to gather, reflect and celebrate the life and impact of Hugh Ramapolo Masekela,” read a statement from the family.
The unique design is also meant to recognize Pan-Africanist heritage, which Masekela was a major proponent of through his collaborations with fellow African artists across the diaspora. The pavilion will borrow from African burial practices, which often include the building of distinct structures where loved ones can congregate and reflect on those lost.
The pavilion will be inscribed with a message from his family, and will also house various symbolic stones that represent the many places Masekela travelled within the continent while he was in exile, as seen in the design mockups below.
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