Sir Herbert Baker is renowned for leaving behind an elegant architectural legacy throughout South Africa. He was born in Kent in England in 1862 and studied at the Royal Academy School of Architecture. Already from an early age, he started showing an interest in the stone construction used for Norman cathedrals, Anglo Saxon churches and Renaissance buildings. Traditional construction methods that made use of bricks, plaster and wood as building materials caught his attention. During his work at the office of Sir Ernest George in England, he became particularly involved in the maintenance and restoration of old buildings.
A visit to his cousin who lived in South Africa, led to Sir Herbert Baker also moving here in 1892. Shortly after his arrival he met the then prime minister, Cecil Rhodes, who asked him to restore his Cape Dutch mansion, Groote Schuur. Initially restoring old buildings and Cape Dutch homes, Sir Herbert Baker used his own specially trained artisans. He developed an interest in using indigenous materials to ensure sturdy and permanent buildings in line with his own standards. In 1900 Rhodes sponsored Sir Herbert Baker to undertake a study tour to Greece, Italy and Egypt.
Baker returned to South Africa and designed several buildings that remind of the early Cape Dutch style. In 1896 one of his projects included a total re-design of Grootte Schuur after it was destroyed by fire. Grootte Schuur was later renamed to Genadendal and now forms the permanent residence of the president of South Africa.
After Rhodes’ death, Sir Herbert Baker built the Rhodes Memorial in Cape Town (between 1910 and 1912) in memory of Rhodes. His design for the Memorial was similar to the Greek Temple at Segesta. Rhodes’ death and the end of the Boer War in 1902 marked a time of rebuilding the Transvaal and Orange River Colony. In 1902 Baker moved to Johannesburg where Lord Milner now commissioned him with several architectural projects, including Government buildings, churches, houses and agricultural and mining settlements.
A visit to his cousin who lived in South Africa, led to Sir Herbert Baker also moving here in 1892. Shortly after his arrival he met the then prime minister, Cecil Rhodes, who asked him to restore his Cape Dutch mansion, Groote Schuur. Initially restoring old buildings and Cape Dutch homes, Sir Herbert Baker used his own specially trained artisans. He developed an interest in using indigenous materials to ensure sturdy and permanent buildings in line with his own standards. In 1900 Rhodes sponsored Sir Herbert Baker to undertake a study tour to Greece, Italy and Egypt.
Baker returned to South Africa and designed several buildings that remind of the early Cape Dutch style. In 1896 one of his projects included a total re-design of Grootte Schuur after it was destroyed by fire. Grootte Schuur was later renamed to Genadendal and now forms the permanent residence of the president of South Africa.
After Rhodes’ death, Sir Herbert Baker built the Rhodes Memorial in Cape Town (between 1910 and 1912) in memory of Rhodes. His design for the Memorial was similar to the Greek Temple at Segesta. Rhodes’ death and the end of the Boer War in 1902 marked a time of rebuilding the Transvaal and Orange River Colony. In 1902 Baker moved to Johannesburg where Lord Milner now commissioned him with several architectural projects, including Government buildings, churches, houses and agricultural and mining settlements.
Some of the residences designed for the British colonials can be seen today particularly in the suburbs like Parktown and Westcliff in Johannesburg. Pretoria also shows off several examples of residences designed by Sir Herbert Baker. Residential houses designed by Sir Herbert Baker are known for their sturdy construction, simple finishes, absence of frills, and impressively large gardens. These gardens were personally designed by the architect himself to match the buildings. When visiting Pretoria, you will easily vind accommodation in Pretoria for your overnight stay.
Sir Herbert Baker is especially known for his design of the majestic Union Buildings in Pretoria in 1908. The construction began in 1909 and was completed in 1913. His use of stone in this project was unique. He extracted the stone from the hills of Pretoria. Other prominent buildings in Pretoria designed by Sir Herbert Baker include the Pretoria Railway Station, the Old Reserve Bank on Church Square, and the Engelenburg House Museum, near the Union Buildings.
In Johannesburg, the first house built by Sir Herbert Baker was Stonehouse (his own house) in Rockridge Road, Parktown. Other examples, amongst others, in Johannesburg include Pilrig House and St Margaret’s, also on Rockridge Road, Parktown; Northwards; the South African Institute for Medical Research; St Andrew’s School for Girls; the Roedean School, and St John’s College.
Some of the buildings designed by Sir Herbert Baker in Cape Town include: Groot Constantia; the McClean telescope building at the Royal Observatory; Rhodes Memorial; St George's Anglican Cathedral, and Wynberg Boys’ High School. In the Northern Cape (Kimberley) he designed the Honoured Dead Memorial.
Other examples in other parts of South Africa include Michael House, (Balgowan, KwaZulu-Natal); St Anne's College Chapel (Pietermaritzburg); Grey College (Bloemfontein); Dale College (King William’s Town); Rhodes University (Grahamstown); Bishop's Lea (George); St John's Anglican Church (Mafiking); the Post Office, City Hall and Standard Bank Building (Kroonstad). In Salisbury, known today as Zimbabwe, he designed the Anglican Cathedral.
In his designs, Sir Herbert always carefully considered the region’s climate. For example, in the Cape he found it necessary to use bigger windows than in the Transvaal, where sharp light and heat necessitated darker and cooler residences.
After twenty years in South Africa, Sir Herbert Baker left for India where he was influential in his design of New Delhi together with Edwin Luytens. Thereafter he went back to England, where he worked until his death in 1946. Sir Herbert’s tomb is in Westminster Abbey. Sir Herbert Baker’s work in South Africa is considered the best of his career.
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