KMH Architects - The concept revolves around a central gathering space that serves as the heart of design as is the meeting ground for the Market Theatre Laboratory and Market Photo Workshop identities. The KMH conceptual response is based on the theatrics of movement, experience of journey and allowing the existing infrastructure and history of the site to provide a strong narrative for the architecture. The development promotes a regionalist approach to the design and embraces multi-functionality and adaptive re-use principles to evolve with the artistic performances of the theatre and photographic schools thus providing a development that rejuvenates a derelict part of JHB and provides a focal point of theatre and the associated institutions of theatre.

The development tackles issues of Apartheid Colonial heritage in the form of the single storey “Schlom House” which is the only remaining example of migrant eating house in South Africa. This Apartheid structure was a 150m² architecturally insignificant structure that housed all the area migrant labourers when they were being fed as the Apartheid laws of the time forbid any person of colour being seen or served for meal times. Even though the building is architecturally insignificant, it remains with a rich history and “dark” past that was retained within the new development and redeveloped into a theatre and photographic archive and library. The development commemorates the old Apartheid era infrastructure that was on the site, and is seen as a shadow in height and form within the new development.