The architect who oversaw the construction of the National Assembly was close to tears this week when he saw it reduced to a blackened shell.
Jack van der Lecq was commissioned by the public works department for the project to accommodate the tricameral parliament in 1984.
The 82-year-old was overcome with emotion on Wednesday as he watched firefighters milling around the soot-covered structure.
WATCH | Parliament architect offers to help rebuild after fire guts National Assembly
“The houses of parliament are a crown jewel of my practice because of the very nature of the commission,” said Van der Lecq, asking for a moment to reflect on the devastation in front of him.
“It is the most enjoyable project I have dealt with and I also feel that it almost became part of my grain. It’s imprinted in my whole being because we spent four years on that site and I enjoyed every moment of it.
“It was very challenging but the satisfaction, the interaction, setting the whole building and bringing it to its conclusion was such a wonderful experience for me.
“The houses of parliament are permanent. You visualise this structure to be standing there for many, many decades — even centuries.”
Van der Lecq said when the building was in its initial stages he had a mental picture of people debating. “Houses of parliament, in my mind, give you a sense of solidity, of permanence, of hope, of togetherness, ubuntu,” he said.
“You have this picture, it’s like a stronghold in the mind. I had a very wonderful design team, and of course I oversaw the whole project including the disciplines of engineering, mechanical, structural, electrical, firefighting — everything.
“You normally assemble a team of specialist consultants who design and build the building, each one with its own particular vocation and strength and expertise and you put all this together to eventually put together a building, which is done with such integrity and love that we could hand it over to the public works department.”
Van der Lecq said construction of the National Assembly started in 1984 and it was handed over at the end of 1987 after expenditure of R31.9m.
In 1994, then-speaker Frene Ginwala asked him to increase the number of seats in the National Assembly from 308 to 400.
This building is ingrained into my fabric. It is like children that I have raised
— Jack van der Lecq
He said he was devastated when he heard that the building was on fire. “I was sitting in my house in Mossel Bay and I got a message from a friend in Cape Town which said the houses of parliament are on fire,” he said.
“I was absolutely shocked. This building is ingrained into my fabric. It is like children that I have raised. I know every detail of every floor.
“It was treated with absolute care. We were establishing something of value and permanence. You are dealing with the legislative assembly where the laws of the country are made. You feel connected to it.”
He said he was shocked to hear that a valve in the sprinkler system was closed, hence the extent of the damage.
Van der Lecq said it will cost hundreds of millions of rand to restore the building. “From past experience, fire damage is huge. It penetrates everywhere. Not only the flame, but the heat and the smoke and water damage can be extensive. There were tons of water that were poured into the building. I expect the damage to the internal surfaces to be extensive,” he said.
“It’s going to be hundreds of millions of rand because you have to take off every finishing, wall finishing, floor finishing and ceilings, and clean that building to its original raw state of bricks, mortar and concrete. And the roof is in serious trouble, it might have to come off.”
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