× Like so many derelict industrial sites, the Johannesburg Gas Works buildings have outlived the purpose for which they were constructed. The Gas Works was conceived and designed to meet the ever-growing energy demands of Johannesburg. The site plan of 1927 shows the original plant consisting of 20 buildings, but not all were constructed at that time because of the Great Depression, which hit in 1929. Retorts 1 and 2 are regarded as the most important historical buildings in the complex. These housed the machinery that processed coal into a gas form, which would later be purified, cooled, stored and distributed to consumers. In
5 BUILDING AN ICON
Nov 24, 2023
4 minutes
You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.
Start your free 30 days