Kingsway Campus Auckland Park
Encyclopedia
Kingsway Campus Auckland Park, also known as APK, is the largest and most populated campus of the University of Johannesburg
. It is also the seat of the administration and governance body of the university. The campus was formerly the only educational campus of the Rand Afrikaans University. The campus gets its name from a major Johannesburg
road, Kingsway Avenue, that runs along the north-east side of the campus. The roads that form the boundary of the campus are (clock-wise) University Road, Ditton Avenue, Ripley Road, Hampton Avenue, Studente Avenue, Akademie Road and Perth Road. Although the official name of the campus implies that it is in Auckland Park, it actually falls just out of that suburb by one street. It is technically in the suburb of Rossmore with the first-year parking lot bordering the suburb of Melville, Gauteng
.
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Regardless of the visual aesthetics, the practicality of the campus is undoubtedly a success. One can walk to any faculty, venue or laboratory within eight minutes. The building is divided into A Ring, B Ring, C Ring and D Ring. Each ring has a LES, which stands for Lesingslokaal (Afrikaans for Lesson Venue) behind it and a further LAB behind each LES. It works its way outward like a 'flower' of sorts. Each part of the building is seven storeys high. In addition there is an E LES foyer and E Ring which houses the Sanlam
Auditorium, Student Media offices (UJFM
and The UJ Observer), Campus Health Services and the university societies. Next to D LAB Kelder (Cellar) is the UJ Aquarium.]
Various buildings surround the main building, added over the years and particularly after the merger, such as the UJ Arts Center, with a gallery, theatre and dance studios as well as B LAB extension for the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment. The UJ Law Clinic moved to the location of the previous RAU art gallery.
Future plans were announced in 2008 that a sky rail is planned to link Kingsway Campus with Bunting Road Campus Auckland Park
. However this was put on hold indefinitely as funds of R800 million were urgently injected into Soweto
Campus, following protests.
University of Johannesburg
The University of Johannesburg came into existence on 1 January 2005 as the result of a merger between the Technikon Witwatersrand and the Rand Afrikaans University . Prior to the merger, the Daveyton and Soweto campuses of the former Vista University had been incorporated into RAU...
. It is also the seat of the administration and governance body of the university. The campus was formerly the only educational campus of the Rand Afrikaans University. The campus gets its name from a major Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
road, Kingsway Avenue, that runs along the north-east side of the campus. The roads that form the boundary of the campus are (clock-wise) University Road, Ditton Avenue, Ripley Road, Hampton Avenue, Studente Avenue, Akademie Road and Perth Road. Although the official name of the campus implies that it is in Auckland Park, it actually falls just out of that suburb by one street. It is technically in the suburb of Rossmore with the first-year parking lot bordering the suburb of Melville, Gauteng
Melville, Gauteng
Melville is a Bohemian suburb of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. It is the location of many restaurants and bars, which are mostly frequented by students from the nearby University of Johannesburg, located in Auckland Park. It is also one of the city's gay villages.The suburb was proclaimed on...
.
Student residences and day houses
Kingsway Campus is also the campus with the most student residences. Unique to the campus is the day house policy not followed by any other campus of the university. Under this policy, day-only students have the option of choosing between two fraternities and two sororities. This has helped build camaraderie and provides a space for students to relax and socialize between classes. Sporting competitions as well as cultural shows are entered into by the various day houses. The day houses are Kanniedood The Kanniedood tree symbol of the house grows in the Cape and holds a lot of importance to house members. The students who run the house are called the Imortali and it is Latin for immortal. The legend goes that if you taste immortality and loose it, you go insane and thus if your ever were Imortali, afterward your know as Phyco. Vorendag (Afrikaans for Before the Day or Genesis) for the men and Annierand (Afrikaans for On the Edge) and Alomdraai (Afrikaans for Full-turn or Revolution) for the women.Ck
Campus grounds
[The layout of the campus's main building is unconventional in that the entire campus is essentially one building. This, in its day, was an architectural feat earning RAU an award from the South African Institute of Architects upon the opening of the campus in 1975, by Dr. Nicolaas Diederichs, first chancellor and State President. Although many architects feel the circular-shaped, concrete and coloured-steel building is a masterpiece, it has just as many critics. The term "Archi-torture" is jokingly used by students and residents of surrounding suburbs alike. The building has a multipurpose design and may be easily converted to accommodate different needs all within a 48-hour conversion period, for example to that of a hospital.Regardless of the visual aesthetics, the practicality of the campus is undoubtedly a success. One can walk to any faculty, venue or laboratory within eight minutes. The building is divided into A Ring, B Ring, C Ring and D Ring. Each ring has a LES, which stands for Lesingslokaal (Afrikaans for Lesson Venue) behind it and a further LAB behind each LES. It works its way outward like a 'flower' of sorts. Each part of the building is seven storeys high. In addition there is an E LES foyer and E Ring which houses the Sanlam
Sanlam
Sanlam Limited is a financial services group in South Africa with its head office in Bellville in the Western Cape. Established in 1918, the Group demutualised in 1998 and Sanlam Limited then listed on the JSE Limited in Johannesburg and the Namibian Stock Exchange. The Sanlam Group conducts its...
Auditorium, Student Media offices (UJFM
UJFM
UJFM 95.4 is a Community Radio Station, based at the University of Johannesburg Bunting Road Campus. Previously known as RAU Radio, the station obtained a four year community broadcasting licence in February 2004 on the frequency 95.4fm broadcasting under a new name. Broadcasting over a 50km radius...
and The UJ Observer), Campus Health Services and the university societies. Next to D LAB Kelder (Cellar) is the UJ Aquarium.]
Student amenities
The campus, when still RAU, was the first to have an on-campus shopping mall, known as the "S.S." which stands for Studente Sentrum (Afrikaans for Student Center), in the Republic of South Africa. RAU also set up Campus Square, a shopping centre serving the suburb of Melville and students living off campus in the nearby neighbourhoods. Campus Square has a large student vibe especially in the evenings, serving students from both Kingsway and Bunting Road Campuses of UJ.Various buildings surround the main building, added over the years and particularly after the merger, such as the UJ Arts Center, with a gallery, theatre and dance studios as well as B LAB extension for the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment. The UJ Law Clinic moved to the location of the previous RAU art gallery.
Further developments
In 2010 construction began on the open property corner University Road and Kingsway Avenue. It is now known that they will house additional residential halls for students.Future plans were announced in 2008 that a sky rail is planned to link Kingsway Campus with Bunting Road Campus Auckland Park
Bunting Road Campus Auckland Park
Bunting Road Campus Auckland Park, also known as APB, is one of the 5 urban campuses of the University of Johannesburg. The ABP was originally a campus of the Technikon Witwatersrand....
. However this was put on hold indefinitely as funds of R800 million were urgently injected into Soweto
Soweto
Soweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
Campus, following protests.