I had the privilege this afternoon of going on a tour of the Old Johannesburg general hospital courtesy of the Johannesburg's Photowalkers. Out tourguide was Yael Horowitz a A lecturer at Wits University ,Town-planner and coordinator of the Hillbrow Health Precinct. This being my first photowalk I was nervous at the outset and somewhat intimidated by all the big SLR cameras, but fellow photographers were very much obliging in assisting with some of the more technical functions of my camera and composition of good shots.
Hillbrow Gen
Yael Horowitz
At the beginning of the tour, Yael cordially welcomed us and gave us an overview of the tour and her involvement in the project.
*The Hillbrow Health Precinct’s prime function will be to offer excellent care for the treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/Aids in vulnerable women and children. Bounded by Hospital, Esselen, Klein and Smit streets, the precinct will be located on the site of the defunct Hillbrow Hospital.
the 1897 operating theatre
It will also be a world-class research and training centre for health professionals. The project is unusual in that it combines inner city rejuvenation with poverty alleviation, primary health care and world-class research on HIV/Aids.
The Hillbrow Hospital site has a long history, going back to 1889 when the town’s first hospital was built here. It served the city until 1983, when the new general hospital was built on the Parktown ridge. Interestingly, the hospital served both black and white residents of the city for 35 years, until 1924.*
The hillbrow area boasts some of the best architecture in Johannesburg, notably the Esselen hospital now the Joburg clinic, designed by renowned architect Wilhelm Bernhard Pabst, who I only heard about for the first time today. The Joburg clinic, as we have been told by Yael is an architectural masterpiece admired by many that draws tourists to the area. When the towns hospital moved to Parktown, the Old Hillbrow site couldn't be decommissioned or rezoned because of its a heritage, for the moment, part of the building is illegally occupied and any work done on the building must comply with heritage building regulations.Yael went on to explain that the refurbishment of the building is a very expensive undertaking and that the Heritage building regulations inhibits proper development.
It was a very informative experience from both photo-taking and learning about the historical heritage of our subjective visit. The Joburg Photowalkers regularly arrange these types of meeting on both weekends and weekdays and from my first experience, I can tell you its a real blast especially if you are a hobbyist photographer.
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I had the privilege this afternoon of going on a tour of the Old Johannesburg general hospital courtesy of the Johannesburg's Photowalkers. Out tourguide was Yael Horowitz a A lecturer at Wits University ,Town-planner and coordinator of the Hillbrow Health Precinct. This being my first photowalk I was nervous at the outset and somewhat intimidated by all the big SLR cameras, but fellow photographers were very much obliging in assisting with some of the more technical functions of my camera and composition of good shots.
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