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BArch 1982 (Pretoria) - Final design title: A Private School TL EVANS was invited to participate in the 50 year Anniversary of the University of Pretoria School of Architecture Alumni Exhibition held at the Pretoria Art Gallery on 7-25 July 1993. The following is a short biography which was published in the catalogue at the time. I graduated in 1982 and soon after served two years of compulsory National Service working as an architect in the Department of Military Estates and Works. I was fortunate to be involved in non-combat type projects including the design of nursery schools, retirement facilities and a physical rehabilitation centre. In 1985 I joined the Department of Public Works where I was comissioned to paint a large mural for the Department of Internal Affairs and designed some presidential furniture for use in the BAKER designed Government House. In 1987 I left to establish my own practice just at a time when the country plunged into what was to become - and remains - the deepest and longest recession ever. I have lectured and been examiner at Pretoria University, the University of the Witwatersrand, Alexander Art Centre, Y-Design in Mamelodi and Boston House College. My teaching experiences, particularly those with Ora JOUBERT, have encouraged me to continually analyse the shifting emphases in Architecture and the relevance of Architecture in a changing world. My practice has remained small. I relied heavily on student assistance - particularly that of Frits THOMASHOFF who graduated in 1992. In 1991 I was joined by Abraham THYSE - a Port Elizabeth graduee. We have primarily been involved with domestic end educational buildings. We have received the ISAA Merit Award for the project "Two houses" in 1989. I find that my emphathic support of Pre-Raphaelite socialist ideology and architectural philosophy is continually on the increase. The stubborn fixation that many Architects still have with Modernism tends to drive me to champion the cause of pre-Modern Revivalism. This often results in me being lumped together with the likes of Prince Charles whose feverish determinism is rivaled only by John Ruskin's bias. The above have probably done more harm than good in the pursuit of a humanist architecture. I do agree with most of what Ruskin and Violet le Due have to say and believe that together with the Industrial type revolution here, material and labour resources in South Africa make good argument for an Arts and Crafts architecture. This is further supported by the appropriateness and thermal performance of Arts and Crafts type buildings in the Highveld. There is good precedent for Arts and Craftsish architecture in Pretoria with MOERDYK, EATON and HORTSMANSHOFF (an architect by Pancho GUEDIAN/Gus GERNEKE decree) having endowed us with the finest examples. The Pretoria disinterest in - and disregard for - our heritage drives me to fight the conservation battle which has now become a purpose in life for me. Abraham THYSE has in the meantime awakened me to the mystery of deconstruction and the flexibility/rationale of the Neo-Modern and I hope that some aspects of contemporary space manipulation are creeping into my work. Our daily discussions seem to echo the Eisenman/Krier debate but this is hopefully as profitable as it is exhausting. All truncated references not fully cited in 'References' are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon. References
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