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MenuHomeUpfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon | BOSMAN, RoccoBorn: 1956 01 10Died: 2012 02 12 Architect | ||||
BArch 1978 Thesis cum laude (Freestate) Was a heritage specialist and partner in the firm RBA AND H - ARCHITECTS AND HERITAGE CONSULTANTS. Click here to see a full CV in PDF. Eulogy by Dr Kaneen Tam Discours pour Rocco Good morning to each of you and welcome to Satyagraha House... First of all, I would like to thank Elizabeth, her sons Nicholas and Alexander about leaving me saying some words about the man we are all here for, Rocco Bosman. I have the huge responsibility to talk on behalf of many people who can't be here today, but who care a lot about Rocco and his family; Christine Puech, our decorator, who Rocco understood better than any one else even if they didn't speak the same language; Amit, our antiques buyer and decorator, Rocco managed to talk to her in spite of the too many words she can say in a minute; but most of all, I am here on behalf of Jean François Rial, CEO of Voyageurs du Monde. I'd like to talk about truth; in such time, when someone you care passes away, people always ask questions about themselves. Am I sick, Am I happy enough? Am I right with the people I love, Am I a good father, a good mother. Am I a good husband or wife? Am I loved as I dreamt to be? Am I realizing the dreams I had when I was a kid? Am I a good person to the people I work for or the people who work for me? These are personal moment of truth; when we face our destiny and look at our success and lies. It is hard to lie to ourselves for long. Truth is too powerful, it wins all the times. We can delay its victory but at the very end, Truth is victorious, always. This is the unavoidable and invincible force of Truth, Satyagraha. Satyagraha House changed our lives, it changes Rocco's life, there is no doubt about it but this adventure is a lesson of how truth is obvious. At the very beginning, 2 and a half years ago, when I came with Jean François to complete the purchase of the house, we exactly knew what it would become, in any and each detail of what you see today. Then we met one architect, not 2 or 3, only one, Rocco. When we met, Jean François and I didn't have a piece of doubt; it was him and no one else. He was clever and nice, sensitive and strong, inspired and serious as well. Together, we enjoyed long meetings, soccer matches, and good food in Paris as well. I shared with Rocco the same taste for good things. I think, without denying our taste for good living, Rocco and I changed the most during this project; at the end, when the house was completed, Rocco invited an old architect, a model to him. He then asked me to be with him during the visit. It was touching. This old man was just saying with his small voice, powerful voice, and the voice of a man who is sure of himself and also still able to admire: "dear Rocco, this is your masterpiece". Rocco was red, quite embarrassed by such a compliment. I was so happy for him, because during 2 years, it was a huge work to make this, satisfy his very difficult clients (us), and always going beyond our expectations. Most of all, Rocco embodied the project by being good and fair to his partners, the great partners, as Louis Estoril, he chose. Rocco is gone now but his masterpiece remains and our work from today as from the beginning, for any one involved in it, is to make it live for ever. __________________________________ A letter from Jean François Dear Elizabeth, dear friends, I would have loved to be here with you, but in spite of all efforts, I couldn't and I am sad about it. Fabrice told me at what time you will be all together strongly and nicely thinking of Rocco. I decided to go at the same time in Paris with my wife in a nice place, quiet, peaceful... I don't know yet a church or any other spiritual place; it is not decided at the moment I wrote this letter. Please be informed in all our offices in France, candles will be enlightened at the mean time, we are all with you today, truly with you. I loved Rocco, his sensitivity, his clever sense of everything we wanted to accomplish with him, right there, in Johannesburg. His role was of a massive importance to Satyagraha House and I will always be grateful to him for all he accomplished. His contribution was key and without him, Satyagraha House would not have been the same, actually it would not have been at all. This is why I decided to make a plaque reminding there was Gandhi, There was Kallenbach, but there was Rocco Bosman as well. Rocco had the most beautiful quality for a human being, he was a good man. I kiss you all, especially Elizabeth and the kids, and him of course, wherever he is, I am sure he is well now and he will look after all of us. Jean François Submitted by Alan Mason via William MARTINSON. List of projects With photographs With notes
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