Volker Koch
Project : Nkangala Coat of Arms for New District Municipality
Volker
Koch, a designer and developer at the Mpumalanga Stainless Initiative (MSI)
has clinched a Merit Award in the Project category for his work on the coat
of arms for the Nkangala District Municipality auditorium building in Middelburg,
Mpumalanga.
Mpumalanga
Stainless Waterjet manufactured the coat of arms in grade 304 stainless
steel sheet, with a combination of 2b, number 4 satin and bright-annealed
finishes for a rich, three-dimensional effect. Koch says that ‘out-of-the-box’
thinking was required to render the stately emblem completely in stainless
steel.
The result is a benchmark for connoisseurs of stainless-steel design.“This
project is a proud pioneer in the application of stainless steel in design,
and is an excellent demonstration of the amazingly dramatic effect that
can be achieved by using this remarkable material entirely on its own,”
says Koch. “Extensive time and care was required to draw the individual
components in detail, unlike the usual fused components, and then to cut
and layer those so as to derive the maximum benefit from the various finishes
used.
”The coat
of arms comprises nine elements:It is
topped by a kraal representing a crown, which symbolises the protection
and support offered by the Nkangala District Municipality. The centrepiece
is a traditional shield, with a rising sun containing a power station cooling
tower in the top half.The bottom
half contains a circular design of two pickaxes and four diamond shapes,
which symbolise tourism, agriculture, stainless steel and other industries
and coal mining. Horizontal wavy gold and blue lines in the middle of the
shield symbolise wealth, water and the rolling Highveld.The base
incorporates the logo of the Nkangala District Municipality, ‘Prosperity
through Labour’, which is written in red to symbolise the blood spilt
in the struggle for liberation. A Wattled Crane and a Secretary Bird, which
are both indigenous to the area, support the shield on either side.
