Technological design approaches : an overview of the work of South Africa’s first 30 Sophia Gray Laureates

Before discussing the technological aspects of the work of South Africa’s first
30 Sophia Gray laureates1, one should briefly reflect on a few technological considerations that were key to the work of Sophia Wharton Myddleton (Sophy) Gray (1814–1871). Sophia Gray, although never formally trained, is widely regarded as South Africa’s first female architect after whom the Sophia Gray Memorial Lectures and Exhibitions series is named. She has been credited with the design of over 58 completed churches in South Africa over 25 years
(Kotze & Du Preez, 2015:1). She worked mainly in the Gothic Revival style and her work exhibits several trends that can be identified in that of the first 30 Sophia Gray laureates. According to Picton-Seymour (1989:43), when she and her husband, Bishop Gray, came to South Africa in 1847, they are reputed to
have brought with them church drawings and plans that could be adapted for local conditions.