HERBERT PRINS COLOSSEUM AWARD 2024

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The Herbert Prins Colosseum Memorial Award was first established in 2010. Herbert Prins used a modest financial settlement from a legal battle over the demolition of the Colosseum Theatre to create and endow this heritage award, which includes a trophy designed by the artist Cecil Skotnes. The award aims to honour individuals or projects significantly contributing to heritage conservation.​

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CALL FOR ENTRIES

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One of Johannesburg's great iconic and much-loved Art Deco theatres, the Colosseum was demolished in 1985 despite campaigns by concerned citizens. The Colosseum has become a symbol of the tremendous loss of past heritage that the city has suffered. Many of our significant iconic landmarks have been preserved, restored, and retrofitted by Activists such as Herbert Prins. Their campaigns have ensured that there is now, more than ever, greater awareness of the value of cultural heritage. The Colosseum Award was established by Herbert's efforts to recognise and celebrate initiatives to conserve the cultural heritage of Johannesburg. A floating trophy was created by celebrated artist Cecil Skotnes (1926-2009).

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Herbert Prins (1927-2020) will always be valued for his activist stance, contributions, and ongoing commitment to Johannesburg's heritage and other parts of South Africa. He practised as a Heritage Architect and academic for more than 72 years until just a few months before his death. These Memorial Awards are thus also in memory and recognition of his lifetime of work.

 

 

CRITERIA AND CATEGORIES 2024

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The Awards wish to recognise and celebrate outstanding contributions towards the conservation of heritage in the greater area of the Highveld ( will include the regions covered by PIA, SAIA Mpumalanga and SAIA Limpopo). These would be for projects completed recently and which celebrate:

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1. The conservation, commemoration, or adaptive reuse of buildings, places or spaces completed by the public or private sector or through public-private partnerships

2. Campaigns or other efforts to rescue vulnerable heritage buildings, objects, or sites

3. Research or Publications in the field of the Heritage of the Highveld

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AWARDS

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The Jury may decide upon any number of Merit Awards. The overall winner will be bestowed an Award of Excellence. The winning entries will be announced and exhibited at the GIfA AGM on 28 November 2024 and other venues throughout 2025. GIfA will require the award winners to participate in online discussions, publications and media campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of conserving our cultural heritage.

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The Jury chosen comprises Prof Kathy Munro, Mr Andre Marias,  Arch Brian McKechnie, Arch Janet Saaiman (Convenor) and Ms Bonolo Masango (Candidate Architect). The panel will evaluate nominations, and shortlisted projects will be visited/interviewed to determine winning entries.  

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ELIGIBILITY AND CATEGORIES:

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The Awards will recognise efforts directly aimed at the conservation, commemoration and restoration of heritage buildings, objects, sites, and records

The Awards shall be eligible for consideration in the following categories:

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1. Buildings or Structures: Residential, Commercial, Institutional, Industrial (including Mining), and Religious. Buildings or places need not be graded heritage sites, and there is no age stipulation for buildings with a new use.

2. Public monuments and memorials.

3. Historic settlements.

4. Parks, gardens, and trees.

5. Vernacular architecture.

6. Historical sites of conflict and/or liberation struggles.

7. Archaeological, palaeontological, and geological heritage.

8. Tangible aspects of inherited culture, including the holistic approach to nature, society, and social relationships.

9. Academic or like research that furthers knowledge in the field of heritage studies and conservation.

10. The education of the public and the creation of public awareness of heritage matters, both in written and visual form.

11. Journalism directed to the heritage resources of the Highveld.

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SUBMISSIONS

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Entries can be submitted by any member of the public, architects, academics, property owners /developers or their representatives. The same individual or entity may submit more than one entry. Projects entered for GIfA, PIA, SAIA or other Awards may also be nominated.

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All submissions shall be made electronically using the prescribed entry form. In the case of projects involving conservation, commemoration, adaptive reuse, research, or publication submissions, a letter from the owner giving consent to the nomination and the conditions of entry is required. GIfA is also granted the right to use the submitted material to promote the award and heritage conservation.

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Nominations for projects completed recently must be accompanied by the following:

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Early bird fee (R1000) expires on 17 July at 17h00. The new fee thereafter is R1500 for large projects and R750 for small projects.

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1. A non-refundable entry fee to defray costs of R 1500,00  will be used for larger projects and R750 for small projects.

2. An A4 brochure containing:

       a.         A copy of the submission form.

       b.         A complete list of all professionals/consultants and contractor/s and a brief project description (not to exceed 300 words).

      c.         A brief comment on the project from the user or client (not to exceed 300 words) and their consent to inspect the site/work.

      d.         Sufficient scale drawings, photographs, and a project summary to adequately illustrate and inform the project and its context. These must be represented in A1 poster format (not to exceed 2 posters).

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Entrants may include any materials that will support their nomination in their submission - this may consist of the history, plans, drawings, photographs, articles, videos, letters of support, etc. The Jury may request further details if required.               

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COLOSSEUM AWARDS PROGRAMME 2024

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Call for entries                                                             4 June  to  27 August 2024

Deadline for submissions                                          Tuesday 27 August 2024

Jury convenes for pre-selection                                Tuesday and Wednesday 1 & 5  Sep 2024

In loco inspections/ site visits                                    16 September to 20 September 

Emails to the Finalist to bring the posters               From 22 September to 2  October 2024

The deadline for submissions of Posters                Thursday 31 October 2024 

GIfA AGM and exhibition of the Awards                  Thursday 28 November 2024