Gerard Moerdijk

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Gerard Leendert Pieter Moerdijk (born 4 March 1890 on the farm Zwaershoek near Nylstroom and died on 29 March 1958 in Nylstroom) was a South African architect most well-known for designing the Voortrekker Monument. He is also known under the Afrikaans version of his name, Gerard Moerdyk.

[edit] Early Life, Education & Career

Both his parents were Dutch immigrants, who moved to South Africa in 1888.

During the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) Gerard Moerdijk (aged 10) was interred in the Standerton concentration camp with his mother, two brothers and two sisters. After the war, the family lived in Pretoria where Gerard was a pupil at the school later to become Pretoria Boys High School. He matriculated with honours in 1909 and qualified as an architect at the Architectural Association in England. He also studied in France for a while and was exposed to classical Roman and Renaissance architecture in Italy.

Moerdijk was the first South African to be an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Gerard Moerdijk returned to South Africa in 1913 and received first prize for the design of a church in Bothaville. He started his own practice and during his time as an architect, received more than 80 commissions for churches. He replaced the traditional crucifix plan with an octagonal formation, incorporated domes, crescent-shaped windows and Cape Dutch gables.

He also designed several bank buildings, hospitals, houses and city halls. Other commissioned works for which he was famous is the Reserve Bank in Bloemfontein and the Merensky Library at the University of Pretoria. This building is now known as the Old Merensky Library since a new library have been built, and today houses the Edoardo Villa Museum. The foundation stone for this building was laid in 1937 by General Jan Smuts, then Prime Minister of South Africa. In 1991 it was declared a National Monument.

[edit] Voortrekker Monument

The Voortrekker Monument on Proclamation Hill on the southern outskirts of Pretoria, however, is considered to be his masterpiece.

The Central “Volks” (People's) Monuments Committee started a “Structure Committee” who approached the public in 1936 for suggestions about the contents and form of a monument. Several sketches from sculptors, architects and others artists were submitted. Gerard Moerdijk’s design was eventually chosen. E.C Pienaar and A.C. Bouman designed the sculptural laager, or ring of ox-wagons, around the monument.

The South African Academy for Arts and Science awarded him an honorary membership in 1936 and in 1950 the University of South Africa awarded him and honorary doctorate.

[edit] Trivia

• A well-known Colonial African restaurant in the Pretoria suburb Arcadia is named Gerard Moerdyk Restaurant, after him. It is situated in a house built by Moerdijk as a wedding gift to his wife, the second cousin to Paul Kruger, in 1920.

• Pretoria also has a quiant little arts district on Gerard Moerdyk Street in the suburb of Sunnyside. It is known as The Overzicht Artists' Village and consists of attractive, old cottages, which were built around the 19th century. The village has theatres, craft shops, restaurants and an even an education museum.