Transwerke: Artists Bring a Crumbling Building to Life
In Hillbrow, at the corner of Joubert and Sam Hancock Streets, is a striking Art Deco building with a strange, ominous-sounding name: Transwerke.
Transwerke, and the many buildings like it in Joburg, are a perfect illustration of this city’s strange, fascinating, maddening contradictions.
Outside the building appears dilapidated and forlorn. It smells like pee.
But Transwerke is also majestic, unlike any building I’ve seen before. It has graceful, oval-shaped balconies jutting out in all directions.
Transwerke was designed in 1939 by acclaimed architect Gordon Leith. Back then it was the Queen Victoria Maternity Hospital – a place where women gave birth and also a residence for midwives. The hospital sits just below the Old Fort Prison, now Constitution Hill.
Under apartheid, the midwives living at Transwerke were sent to deliver babies in the women’s prison.
The building closed in 1983 and Transwerke sat vacant.
In September 2017, Transwerke received a “black plaque” from the Gauteng Heritage Action Group. Black plaques are meant to shame heritage building owners into stopping rampant decay in buildings that should be treasured as historical landmarks.
Transwerke is part of Constitution Hill. The owner is the Gauteng Provincial Government itself.
At some point between the black plaque dishonor and now, Transwerke’s ground floor was converted into artists’ studios. There are at least ten artists in there, making beautiful paintings and prints and photographs in the old doctors’ offices and midwives’ flats.
Read more about Transwerke in this Mail & Guardian article.
My Visit to Transwerke
I went to Transwerke last Thursday as part of an artists’ open studio night. Very few people knew about the open studio as it was not widely advertised. I’m lucky to be friends with some artists in the know.
When I tried to park my car in front of Transwerke I was shooed away by security guards who told me it was dangerous to leave my car there. This was confusing because: 1) There were several cars, all much fancier than mine, parked there already; and 2) Isn’t that what security guards are for? But I digress.
The vibe inside Transwerke that night was the opposite of dangerous. It was filled with art and music and wine and laughter and fun. I took portraits of some of the artists.
I’ve been feeling a bit jaded about life in Johannesburg lately but visiting Transwerke restored my faith. Thanks to all the artists and to the beautiful building for improving my attitude.
An update on the history of Transwerke, via the Heritage Portal: “Queen Victoria Maternity Home closed when the maternity section was incorporated into the new Johannesburg Hospital, now Charlotte Maxeke. The Transvaal province then converted it into flats for their staff – hence Transwerke – Transvaal works.”
Comments
Transwerke was Transnet’s engineering department now called Transnet Rail Engineering. A direct translation from the Afrikaans would be Trans Works.
Ahhhhhhh, that makes sense! Now I know why every time I googled it I got results for Transnet and not Transwerke ???? But now I want to know why the building was named that if it was actually a maternity hospital.
It was originally named the Queen Victoria and only after Transnet took it over was the name changed.
Forgot to mention when Transnet took it over it was changed into apartments for their workers. We have some information in the archives and will try and find you an original photograph of the building.
Oh thank you! That would be so interesting.
I assume the Trans is for Transvaal, no idea where the werke came from. I would guess that when they renamed it they had a plan for what they were going to use it for, but that never happened.
This is, of course, pure supposition.
Someone else just commented that Transwerke is the Transnet engineering department. I’m going to update the post :)
That was my other theory :-)
More comments coming in - no consensus yet!
In those days Transnet did not exist yet. It was then still the South African Railways and Harbours. The fact that the building belongs to Gauteng Provincial Government makes me think that the “Trans” rather refers to Transvaal. Insidently, The Discoverer’s Memorial Hospital in Hamberg, Roodepoort was build at the same time and is also a fabulous art deco building. It is still functioning as clinic run by provincial health services. maybe that is what the Transvaal government did at the time - build hopsitals! There was a massive population boom in the 1930s as technological advancements and leaving “the gold standard” made gold mines profitable again. Apologies for the history lesson - I cant help myself.
Hahaha, no thank you! I’m enjoying this discussion. Hope all is well at the museum :)
I agree Carolina. Transnet only came into being in 1990 after the name change of SA Railways and Harbours. The Trans part must come from Transvaal.
Speaking of art deco. Heather you should do a story on the masses of art deco buildings in Springs. http://www.theheritageportal.co.za/article/springs-art-decos-love-child
https://430779ae203f.xneelosites.com/2015/08/13/art-deco-hunting-on-the-wild-wacky-east-rand/ :)
Ah thanks!! I missed this article!!
Hi Carolina did you know that across the road from the Queen Vic. the children’s hospital was also named a memorial hospital if I not mistaken it was the Transvaal Memorial hospital before that it was the fever hospital.
TMH was nrver the Fever Hospital, I worked there and Fevers was up the hill.
LOL, to me the word sounds like a sinister combination of vampires and nazis, but that is just my imagination running wild. You always dig up the most interesting historical gems in Joburg, well done!
I also thought it sounded vampire-ish!
How interesting….I was born there lol! I never knew anything about the hospital - thanks????
It’s amazing how many of my readers were born there!
How the name Transwerke came about was that it was the Transvaal Works Department that maintained the all the government hospitals and it’s nurses homes,doctors quarters etc. I worked there I should know.
Thank you Norman!
When it was no more a maternity hospital it was turned into flats for the TWD European staff that was in around 1978. When the ANC government took over from the Nats. the TWD was dismantled that’s when all the government hospitals in the Transvaal went to ruins.
Hi there. I stayed in that building. My mum and 4 siblings from 1986 till 1994. Went to school across the road. I have the most amazing memories of growing up there. Not to mention that place is super haunted. So many times I’ve experienced doors opening with no one around. Shadows in empty hallways.
Wow, that’s so cool Norman. Thanks for telling us about it!
Your pics were so very photogenic! And the building structures, wow! Loves this post!
Thanks!
The CEO of Constitution Hill is the brain behind the project and it is through her vision that she transformed Transwerke into creative studios, providing artists and creatives across the spectrum with work spaces. This is part of Constitution Hill’s initiative to contribute valuably to the economic development of the creative industry in Gauteng. I kindly advise that you speak to the head of communications of Constitution Hill for more information and approval.
I have just discovered this post and find it fascinating - 66 years after I was born there! Thank you.
Thank you! I’m glad you found it. Where did you discover the post (just out of curiosity)?
Tampa Florida USA I was a student midwife here in the 1971/ 1972 time frame & following graduation worked in the outpatient clinic. Many memories of this building & our dorm rooms at/near the back.
That’s fascinating! Thank you Leigh.
wow, this post has sparked a new motivation for me to be involved in this space. I have been having great chats with conhill and it looks like there is always a way to breath new life into spaces. There is hope !
Hi Devon, I am so pleased to hear that!
My name is Tshona(20) i live in South Africa and i am student at UJ.I am into art and create characters designs and animations, my Instagram account is @ewimammoth.I am looking to break into the animations markets and I believe I can create doll designs and animations,I need connections to break out in the animation industries please check out my instargram
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