City Views: Cape Town as a creative space by Cape Town Partnership

CityViews

September 2012

Photo by One.Dog.Chicken

YOUR FREE CAPE TOWN CENTRAL CITY PAPER

Cape Town as a Making a business case for

public space

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Creating

a sense of place

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Shaping our cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

soundscape >> page 8&9

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CityViews

September 2012

CITYVIEWS

Just

Published by: The Central City Improvement District (CCID)

imagine...

Editor: Judith Browne: 021 419 1881 judith@capetownpartnership.co.za

Contributors: Alma Viviers, Benita Kursan, Ilana Stone

Website: www.capetowncid.co.za www.capetownpartnership.co.za

Design: Infestation www.infestation.co.za 021 461 8601

Putting life back into our cityscape

he concept of “build it and they will come” works nicely in the movies but in the case of public space it is often not the reality. You can design, build and maintain a beautiful space but these actions alone won’t guarantee success. From an operational and urban management point of view it is essential that there is a sense of ownership of the space. So how do we encourage people – residents, businesses, both the public and private sector – to take ownership? There are plenty of wonderful international and local examples of what can be done when people spring into action. The Times Square Alliance in New York City has been working since 1992 to establish and maintain Times Square as a clean, safe and

fun space for citizen and tourists alike – and in July this year, Tim Tompkins (the president of the alliance) paid Cape Town a visit, to talk about how they’ve invigorated their public space. It was truly inspiring to see what is possible and to learn from their efforts. Many of their interventions are really quite simple and didn’t cost a lot of money. Hosting a yoga class or closing off a street and giving people the opportunity to lounge about on deck chairs helps change people’s perception and experience of the city. Tim maintains that, “Small visible victories with community at their core are the only way to achieve any lasting effect.” In Austin, Texas, a public audito-

rium dedicated to open mic-style performances not only creates a platform for up-and-coming artists, but also enhances the city’s ambience and provides free public entertainment.

“Just imagine a thousand artists setting up their easels in the Company’s Garden for a day, or a weekly dance class on the Grand Parade.” Just imagine if we drew on these examples and turned Greenmarket Square into a dedicated live music venue. Every night, once the traders have packed up their wares, restaurants

and hotels could spill out onto the square and music acts could entertain patrons and passers-by. Just imagine a thousand artists setting up their easels in the Company’s Garden for a day or a weekly dance class on the Grand Parade. Pier Place and Church Square are beautifully upgraded but underutilised spaces that are crying out for citizens to stake their claim and animate them in unexpected ways. What can you do, you ask? Support existing initiatives; take the time to stop and look at the potential of the spaces you move through, just imagine what they could be and then do it. Tasso Evangelinos COO of the CCID

The Central City Improvement District is a private-public partnership formed by the property owners of a defined geographical area to provide top-up services over and above what the City of Cape Town provides. The CCID and its managing agent, the Cape Town Partnership, were formed when the City of Cape Town, the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA), the Cape Town Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other stakeholders came together to address issues of urban degeneration, disinvestment in the Central City and related social problems. The Central City’s rapid regeneration process has been built upon the strength and pillars of successful private-public partnerships at both operational and strategic levels, and a shared vision for a clean, safe and caring Cape Town CBD.

SAVE THESE NUMBERS ON YOUR PHONE CCID Security Manager: 082 453 2942 CCID Deputy Security Manager: 082 442 2112

New retailers in the Central City Two new Central City retailers have opened up on Bree Street: Missibaba by local leather aficionado Chloë Townsend, and a jewellery store by international designer Kirsten Goss.

Head down to 229 Bree Street to welcome them both, and find them online: www.kirstengoss.com www.missibaba.com

The great front-page photo of some streetwise lounging happening in the CBD is thanks to local photography and videography studio One.Dog.Chicken. The story? “We had to move a couch from our house to our studio, so we had a bit of a field day and photo shoot with it,” explains co-founder Lesedi Rudolph. Check out more of their work at www.OneDogChicken.com

CCID 24-hour number: 082 415 7127

CARING CITY

SAPS Control Room: 021 467 8002

Gratitude attitude

Social Department: 082 563 4289

Everyday acts of kindness help transform Cape Town into a more liveable, caring city. City Views would like to recognise those individuals who don’t think twice about doing their part.

ravery is not on the job description for parking marshals, but Danny Delore Ilunga didn’t hesitate to act when he encountered a crime in progress in the line of duty. In August, Central City parking service provider, Street Parking Solutions alerted City Views to Danny’s incredibly courageous actions. While getting small change from a local retailer in Parliament Street, he walked straight into an attempted robbery. Not wanting the criminals to escape, Danny sprang into action, not only disarming one of the suspects but also restraining him. Metro police on patrol saw the commotion, stopped to investigate and promptly arrested the suspect. Due to Danny’s quick action a firearm as well as some of the stolen goods were recovered and

an accomplice was arrested later that day. “We’re so proud of Danny,” says Muneeb Hendricks, CCID security manager. “To put his personal safety at risk for the greater good is a truly selfless act.” “We are trained to be aware of everything that is happening around us,” explains Danny, who has been a parking marshal in the Central City for three years. “When I am working I’m always on the lookout.” Danny says he loves Cape Town because it has given him the opportunity to earn a living. He especially

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enjoys interacting with tourists who are experiencing the city for the first time. “The city has a good heart,” he says. “We must all look after it.”

Do you have you had a positive experience with someone in Cape Town? Send your story to judith@capetownpartnership.co.za

Telling your story in City Views City Views does not sell advertising or editorial space at this time. We are, however, always on the look out for city ownership stories: tales of people who love the CBD, who choose to live, work, study, invest, and play here. If you would like to be featured, please send your story to judith@capetownpartnership.co.za for consideration. Please note that submission of a story doesn’t guarantee that it will be included.

Distributing City Views If you’re an eager reader of City Views – and you know others who would enjoy reading it too, consider becoming a distributor. All we need is your contact details, address and how many copies you need each month. Or, if you would just like to track down where you can obtain your FREE copy send an email to Aziza Patandin on aziza@capetownpartnership.co.za.

Reading City Views We love knowing who our readers are and what they think. If you enjoy your copy of City Views, why not mail a picture of you reading it, wherever you love to read it (Your local coffee shop? On a street bench while people-watching?) telling us what you enjoyed most. If we like it, we’ll run it. Get in touch: judith@capetownpartnership.co.za.

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Photo: Bruce Sutherland, City of Cape Town

Photo: Caroline Jordan

September 2012

The business case for public space

Quality public space on St George’s Mall (top right) and in the Company’s Garden (bottom right) in use by Cape Town’s residents

Public space is central to the social and political life of a city. These are the places where we meet both formally and informally, protest, perform, exercise and relax. But is it just another nice-to-have amenity or is there a sound business case to be made for capital investment in public spaces? By Alma Viviers

imes Square in New York is one of the world’s most visited tourist attractions, and, by extension, an incredibly popular public space. Yet it was not always the active, attractive space it is today. In July 2012, Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, visited Cape Town for the first time to share his lessons in placemaking, and how Times Square went from somewhere that was “dirty, dangerous and terrifying” to “safe, clean and fun” and inviting for local residents. Based on the principle that “good activity drives out the bad”, the Alliance has spent two decades turning Times Square into a public space used by over half a million people every day. The return on investment is not only apparent in the number of visitors to the square but also in economic terms: Commercial real estate

“The way a collective of buildings meet the ground along a typical urban street is the most important determinant of urban quality … The common street has the greatest impact on our collective memory of good cities.” Henri Comrie

and occupancy rates in the Times Square vicinity outperform those in midtown and downtown New York on average. Hotel occupancy shows a similar trend, confirming the economic value of investing in public space. Would the same hold true for South African public spaces?

Capitalising on the spill-over effect Alderman Belinda Walker, mayoral committee member for economic, environmental and spatial planning, affirms that a strong business case can be made for establishing public spaces that are well designed and maintained in our city: “Quality, managed public space provides an attractive or enticing entrance, forecourt or gateway to private economic activity on the edges and surrounding area to this space. High-end offices seek locations with quality public space as these offer dignified outdoor areas for employees to retreat to, but they also add to the prestige of the address.” She mentions both Greenmarket Square and St George’s Mall as prime examples of how investment in public space translates into economic benefits for private retailers: “Retail along St George’s Mall commands some of the highest rentals in the Cape Town CBD. By enhancing the value of the public environment in our city and in particular the pedestrian environment – through public space

improvements, green landscaping and facility provision – people, and especially tourists, who are so important to the economy of Cape Town, choose to use these spaces to walk through, rest in, meet in and in so doing they bring customers to these spaces. This is an opportunity which businesses and landowners are well placed to capture.” Public space can be an enabling venue for business activity, by accommodating informal trading and markets, attracting footfall to a space and so creating further income generation opportunities for traders while increasing convenience for pedestrians. “High quality public spaces offer the potential for entrepreneurs to create unique market experiences – particularly in light of Cape Town’s largely favourable climate – as we have seen in the weekly food market in St George’s Mall, for example.”

The importance of investing in streets Henri Comrie, the newly appointed chair of the master’s programme in city planning and urban design at the University of Cape Town, argues that there are economic spin-offs not only in the case of public space investments like parks and squares, but also from investing in something as mundane as streets. “Let’s consider a scenario in which each developer and land owner does not care about the environmental and economic

degradation inflicted on others by poor design of public space,” he says. “Imagine that all effort must, at all times, be geared towards maximising short-term profit within the confines of each urban site. It is a linear equation that leads to complete erosion of the softer inbetween public realm.” He argues that all buildings have relationships with streets, ones from which they can never walk away. But these streets, rather than being profound integrators and welcoming thresholds to buildings – as seen in many of the world’s great streets and in our own Long Street – are often no more than sterile conduits for cars. “Recent case study-based research quantifies the positive economic value of the boardroom compromising on traditional values and turning competing neighbours into effective collaborators, while the public benefits from a softer in-between,” he says. “The way a collective of buildings meet the ground along a typical urban street is the most important determinant of urban quality. The impact of publicly managed public spaces such as squares and parks pale in comparison because the common street has the greatest impact on our collective memory of good cities. If we live and work in cities we have no choice but to use and experience streets on a daily basis, a reality which is greatly magnified for the roaming tourist.” He highlights that, in many

“Quality, maintained public space provides an attractive or enticing entrance, forecourt or gateway to private economic activity on the edges.” Belinda Walker

successful and proud cities, developers, designers and planners have realised the value of converging and considering the exciting opportunities associated with investing time and resources towards collectively designing the in-between. “It has been found that people are drawn towards successful in-betweens, thus creating a critical mass of interest with all its associated economic spin-offs.”

A high-quality public environment – both streets and squares – can have a significant impact on the economic life of our Central City. How do you intend investing in it to create a sustainable and liveable city for future generations?

Photo: Caroline Jordan

Times Square Alliance President Tim Tompkins with (from left to right) Bulelwa Makalima-Ngewana, Anton Groenewald, Liezel Kruger-Fountain and Zayd Minty during his public space visit to Cape Town in July 2012

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September 2012

Accessing the City

An anticipated 800 students and 400 practitioners and academics will be converging on City Hall from 13 to 16 September for the second Architecture ZA Biennial Festival (AZA 2012). How does this affect you?

Photo: Bruce Sutherland, City of Cape Town

2 bus stops

by Ilana Stone

Photo: Supplied

“A

rchitecture is not just about buildings… it’s about people and how they access each other, as well as the buildings and public space around them.” So vital is that accessibility, according to the organisers of AZA 2012, that a biennial highlight will be Accessing the City, a guided tour of Cape Town’s public spaces using virtually every form of transport – except cars. Taking place on Sunday 16 September, the tour starts and ends at City Hall, and goes by way of the station, city cycle routes, the Fan Walk, the stadium precinct and the MyCiTi bus. Here’s a quick taste of what to expect, in the words of key AZA 2012 presenters and tour organisers:

Mokena Makeka

Great strides at the station A natural first stop on the tour, the Cape Town Central Station fulfils a role that cannot be overestimated, says Cape Town architect Mokena Makeka. Mokena was behind the revitalisation of this pivotal central space leading up to the 2010 World Cup, as lead architect in a consortium of four practices – including dhk Architects, Comrie + Wilkinson Architects and Urban Designers, and Jakupa Architects and Urban Designers. “The station is one of the most important buildings in Cape Town and a significant mover of the economy, with approximately 273 000 people passing through every day,” says Mokena. It was Mokena’s job “to unbundle the

apartheid logic of the station” which was “a defensive, utilitarian building designed as an expression of the state without people in mind, that did not engage with the city.” It has been transformed into an open, well-lit and vibrant space that is now part of the city, he says, and is an example of how a robust functional space can also be a welcoming one. New design elements included universal access, freer concourse flow and a forecourt transformed into usable public space for events and informal trading. “Public space is a civic right, and

it is the public realm that makes a country democratic – everything else is secondary. Cape Town has come a long way, but still has a long way to go.” A further mind shift needs to take place, he says, to create change that must include more open, more accessible public space, recognition and support of informal markets as tourist attractions, partnership concessions that maximise the public realm, and public spaces designed by the best in the field, whether they be architects, landscape designers or urban designers.

Where the

Architect and urban designer Alastair Rendall of ARG Designs oversaw the design of the MyCiTi bus stations. He says that his team was committed to “making high-quality public spaces” which, if left strictly to engineers, would have been purely functional. “There is a great need for urban spaces with human qualities. Cities are places of opportunity and the human interface is incredibly important. It elevates

people’s experience of life, as well as creating access to goods, services and economic opportunities, which should be regarded as basic human rights,” says Alastair. The team behind the bus stations also had to take into account the various functional and environmental conditions. For the construction of the Civic Centre station, which is set in an area with the highest wind velocity in the city, structural adjustments had to be made so that buses and pedestrians were not blown over by hurricane force winds. An overhead pedestrian bridge was built above the dual carriageway so that pedestrians crossing the street would not interfere with bus flow when Cape Town Stadium events were being serviced. “We had

to convert a 30-metre wide island that was an absolute wasteland into a fully functional bus station, which was quite an operation,” says Alastair. Both the Civic Centre and the stadium station needed to accommodate 15-20 000 people per hour on event days. Provisions had to be made for people to queue without overcrowding, while creating platforms that still made sense on quiet days, particularly for the stadium. Alastair believes Cape Town now has bus stations that are far more than functional: “The experience of the stadium station is like being part of a park space. Because of the landscaping and other features, you don’t feel like

you’re on a traffic island.” The massive mosaics at the station commissioned by Alastair’s team bring public art into the everyday experience of commuters, as do the unusual curved columns at all stations – inspired by the architects’ view from their desks of wind-swept Table Mountain stone pines. While Alastair is quick to point out that there are criticisms of the emphasis on the City-West Coast route chosen for the initial roll-out of the buses, when other less affluent outlying suburbs are

in great need of better transport, he believes that accessibility to and within the CBD is paramount. “Urban places are tremendously important as they are places of opportunity that everyone must be able to access.”

Photo: Lisa Burnell

One of the most exciting changes in Cape Town has been the introduction of MyCiTi – making bus commuting a reality for many, for the first time.

Alastair Rendall

September 2012

Khalied Jacobs

Photo: Lisa Burnell

Jo Anderson also notes the popularity of the city’s mass rides, like Critical Mass, which is an informal ride-to-work day that is the local extension of an international phenomenon (and takes place in Cape Town the last Friday morning of every month), as well as Moonlight Mass, the ride from Green Point to the CBD that occurs every full moon.

“Besides getting to more places more quickly on foot or on a bike, as you move through public spaces, you find nodes unfolding and you interact with people and the city in a way you wouldn’t otherwise.“ Jo Anderson

Circle of life

Two wheels are also the preferred mode of transport for Andrew Wheeldon, who is the founder and managing director of the Bicycling Empowerment Network (BEN). As head of an NGO that is addressing poverty and mobility through the promotion of cycling, Andrew has no trouble getting his hands on a few bikes, and has organised a fleet of bicycles for the Accessing the City tour, which will give participants a sense of what has been done in terms of cycle support structures, and what still needs to be done. Andrew sees cycling as a means towards achieving economic parity and social inclusion, as well as environmental sustainability. “The philosophy behind BEN is one of overcoming apartheid barriers by integrating different communities,” he says. “We have economic poverty from people not having access to work opportunities, social poverty from people not travelling and connecting with each other, and environmental poverty, from our dependence on cars and oil. Addressing all of these issues, the bicycle is a perfect paradigm shift.”

Co-designer of the raised Green Point traffic circle and convener of the Accessing the City tour, Khalied Jacobs says he wants people to experience firsthand the continuity of the various design components which are showcased on the tour, and become aware of the dedicated planning behind them.

Andrew Makin

Prioritising

Photo: Supplied

public space

Why is public space so important? Architect Andrew Makin of Durban-based firm designworkshop:sa, who will be presenting as well as mentoring a master class at AZA 2012, explains that public space is one of four critical qualities of a city.

“In South Africa, we don’t have a great deal of public space, because we don’t have true cities,” Andrew says. He attributes this to apartheid policies which, in addition to limiting public space, also prevented density, diversity and connectivity, the three other key components of any city. In his view, the post-apartheid government’s promises to deliver a better life for all have and will continue to fail largely because housing, commercial, retail and

Photo: Lisa Burnell

Big on biking

A key organiser of the Accessing the City tour is architect and bike enthusiast Jo Anderson, who has a keen interest in sustainability and city transport. “We wanted to get people to understand what public transport options are available in the city,” she says. Jo is a committed cycling advocate, and says that in any city, you should be able to walk, cycle and take public transport: “Besides getting to more places more quickly on foot or on a bike, as you move through public spaces, you find nodes unfolding and you interact with people and the city in a way you wouldn’t otherwise.“ Jo thinks that Cape Town is doing relatively well in its accessibility compared to other South African cities, and notes rising numbers of commuters from the northern suburbs who are using the MyCiTi bus service to get to work. She

town

Andrew Wheeldon

Photo: xxxxx

Photo courtesy of Stan Engelbrecht and Nic Grobler of Bicycle Portraits

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leisure development has been provided on greenfield sites on the periphery. This has delivered the corporate needs for profit and spurts of employment, but severely limited access to economic, social and cultural opportunities for the majority of citizens – because this model of development “has few, if any, qualities of a city.” Andrews adds: “Without public space, innovation is unlikely to happen, as it is nearly always

“They will see and feel for themselves how recent interventions have made a difference in Cape Town, from the ease and efficiency of these new systems to the resulting economic and social gains. All the components work together to allow the city dweller or visitor to pass through Cape Town’s metropolitan spaces, and feel connected without feeling restricted.” A case in point is the raised Green Point traffic circle designed by Khalied and Henri Comrie. This is no ordinary city subway, he says, but rather an uninterrupted ground plane sweeping beneath a continuously flowing, raised traffic circle, which allows significant volumes of pedestrians to move freely beneath it on both event days and ordinary days. It’s unique

in that its traffic component does not dominate the design, and the possibilities for openings are maximised to allow as much light, natural ventilation and vegetation in as possible, as well as allow for alternative functions, such as retail and the BRT offices to be incorporated into the design. Khalied, who drives the urban design portfolio for Cape Town firm Jakupa Architects and Urban Designers, says that accessibility is about far more than designated bus and cycling lanes. “The importance of public transport infrastructure goes way beyond the simple logistics of getting large numbers of people from A to B. It is pivotal to consider the overall system of components that facilitate accessibility in multiple forms for all types of users – in this way, public transport infrastructure has the potential to stimulate positive urban development along its routes.”

Interested in joining the Accessing the City tour? Date: Sunday 16 September

generated by new conversations and incidental encounters that occur in neutral territory where everyone is equal, rather than in a single mind. Innovation happens through experiencing others, and learning what they feel and how they think.” And without innovation, there cannot be real economic growth.

Time: Meet at 13h30 in the entrance foyer of Cape Town City Hall Duration: 3 hours Cost: R200 per person Tickets: Book on the AZA 2012 website: www.architectureza.org/ aza2012

Things to remember: • Bicycles will be provided • Bring water, comfortable clothes and shoes • Have R10 cash on you for the MyCiTi bus For further information on the AZA 2012 festival programme and registration process, go to www.architectureza.org/ aza2012 or follow @architectureZA on Twitter

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September 2012

LIVEABLE CITY

“I live in the Central City” Activist and Ndifuna Ukwazi director Zackie Achmat takes City Views on a walking tour of some of his favourite Central City haunts. By Alma Viviers

Photo: Lisa Burnell

lack coat flapping in the August wind, Moleskine and Blackberry in hand, Zackie strides down Church Street to meet us at one of his favourite spots in the city, Deluxe Coffeeworks. Along the way people acknowledge him, an acquaintance strikes up an earnest conversation about legislation, and passers-by do a double-take. As founder of the Treatment Action Campaign he is a familiar sight at the head of public protests and has made plenty of headlines. Inside, the barista behind the counter knows his order: Americano with milk, no sugar. We take our coffees to the bench outside. “What I like most about cities are the people. Cape Town must be one of the most culturally diverse cities on the continent. You can hear Farsi, Arabic, French, German, Swahili and all the local languages on the streets. But despite the fact that we share our benches, trains and public spaces, the city remains a city of segregation and inequality.” According to Zackie, the lack of af-

“Remember that we weren’t always allowed to gather in public spaces. It is one of the most important aspects of our democracy. People can use these powerful spaces to create real change.” Zackie Achmat

Zackie Achmat being interviewed by Alma Viviers on the bench outside his favourite coffee haunt, Deluxe Coffeeworks

fordable housing in the city is partly to blame for the fact that the city goes quiet after five and that only a few places like Long Street and bits of Kloof Street have a nightlife. Although he now lives in St Martini Gardens on Queen Victoria Street, he once called Long Street home. Chances are actually pretty good that you’ve partied in his bedroom: The Waiting Room was his apartment from 1980 to 1996. We take a stroll down memory lane. Walking up Long Street, he paraphrases a quotation from a Pieter-Dirk Uys play: “Langstraat; Langstraat! Na middernag, Bangstraat.” “It is from a play titled Karnaval that was banned when it was published in 1976. It’s set on Long Street in the then infamous Carnival Court brothel,” he continues. “For me, cities bring together every vice and every virtue because cities are about freedom. Within two city blocks you can go to the mosque to pray as part of your religious community then walk into a coffee shop and be completely secular.” Zackie knows the Central City intimately. As we walk up Long Street, he points out stores that have stuck out the tides of urban decay and regeneration: “Tommy’s Books has always been here. Mr S Price Tailor has been neighbours with Revelas fish and chips shop for as long as I can remember.” Where the restaurant of Urban Chic Hotel is now he tells of the Penguin copy shop, out of which he had underground political material printed in the 1980s. What were once the apartments of friends have now been converted of-

fices, backpackers and clubs. Poet Stephen Watson and playwright Pieter-Dirk Uys both lived in what is now the popular electro club Fiction above Lola’s. Looking out at a gloomy Table Mountain from the roof deck of The Waiting Room, he tells of a deep sense of privilege that he lives so close to the mountain. “The one thing that you should know about me is that I was never a township kid. My brothers and sisters grew up in Mitchells Plain but I am a stadskind through and through. Children in townships can grow up never experiencing Table Mountain or the sea up close. I grew up in Salt River which was 5 to 10 minutes out of town on the train. I came to town often, even when I didn’t have any money. I used to jump into the whites-only carriages because nobody checked their tickets.” To this day he still gets around with public transport and doesn’t own a car. “It is convenient because my office is in Strand Street and if I need to travel further afield I jump on a train (although I pay for the ticket now) or a taxi. I do a lot of walking; your life really happens at street level. I walk the same route from my apartment in Queen Victoria Street to my office in Strand Street every day and I know the people along the way. Real safety doesn’t come from policing, it comes from other people who know you and look out for you. If you don’t have that sense of community, you end up living in fear of neighbours.” Other city spots that are significant to him include St George’s Cathedral, Greenmarket Square, and

even the statue of General Louis Botha in front of Parliament. “St George’s Cathedral is particularly special because the Treatment Action Campaign was founded on the steps of the cathedral. It also played an important role during apartheid, hosting interfaith services and more recently during the xenophobic attacks.” He believes that public spaces are vital in upholding our democracy: “Remember that we weren’t always allowed to gather in public spaces. It is one of the most important aspects of our democracy. People can use these powerful spaces to create real change.”

Explore Zackie’s Central City for yourself: Deluxe Coffeeworks 25 Church Street T: 072 569 9579 www.deluxecoffeeworks. co.za Lola’s Cafe 228 Long Street T: 021 423 0885 Fiction 227 Long Street T: 021 424 5709 www.fictionbar.com

Find out more about Zackie’s work and the social movements in which he’s involved: Equal Education T: 021 387 0022 www.equaleducation.org.za

Mr S Price Tailor 201 Long Street T: 021 423 8300 Revelas Fisheries 205 Long Street T: 021 423 3522

Ndifuna Ukwazi 47 on Strand T: 021 423 3089 www.nu.org.za

St George’s Cathedral 5 Wale Street T: 021 424 7360 www.stgeorgescathedral. com

Social Justice Coalition T: 021 361 8160 www.sjc.org.za

Tommy’s Book Exchange 130 Long Street T: 021 424 7675

Treatment Action Campaign Westminster House 122 Longmarket Street T: 021 422 1700 www.tac.org.za

The Waiting Room 273 Long Street T: 021 422 4536 www.facebook.com/WaitingRoomCT

September 2012

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CREATIVE WEEK

Time to claim your space

21 September’s

calendar 5-7 Photo: Sydelle

Willow Smith

International Federation of Landscape Architects: Landscapes in Transition City Hall www.ifla2012.com Whirling dervish Ziya Azazi performing above the city skyline as part of the Infecting the City 2012

Did you know that the Central City has more than 120 000m2 of public space? This in effect means that you have 120 000m2 where you can play, perform, protest, people-watch and plug into the surrounding community. September is the month to start claiming this space, using it to show off the richness and depth of creative production and energy that exists in the city.

reative Week 2012 is about you – about you getting out of your rehearsal room, studio, office, bedroom or garage and into the streets, using your music, words and work to animate our city. It’s time to start claiming our pavements, streets and squares as a stage for creative expression. There are multiple creative events happening in the Mother City during the month of September, and Creative Cape Town will be hosting a number of events from 15 to 23 September. Creative Week is not just about connecting with the city but also with each other.

On 18 September you can mingle with fellow creatives at the Tjing Tjing Exchange evening, and on 23 September you can come to the Company’s Garden between 09h30 and 15h00 to experience it filled with music and activity.

This is just a taste of what’s to come, so be sure to go to www.creativeweekct.co.za for an update on all the events that will be taking place in your public space – and to submit your own events.

Public space activation toolkit If you feel inspired to use the city as your stage but don’t know how, here are some helpful hints: Green it up Why not plant some seedlings to brighten up the sidewalk or install some flowerboxes on the exterior of your building? Convert your sidewalk into a communal herb garden for your community.

Take ownership Do you spot a broken light or an overflowing litter bin? Then report it by calling the Central City Improvement District on 021 419 1881 where relevant, or the City of Cape Town on 0860 103 089. We should all act as custodians of the spaces we use and not assume that their upkeep is someone else’s responsibility.

13-16

AZA 2012: Re-scripting Architecture City Hall www.architectureza.org

17-18

AZA 2012 Master Class Tickets cost R1 880 www.architectureza.org

Tjing Tjing Exchange Tjing Tjing Rooftop Bar 165 Longmarket Street www.creativeweekct.co.za

20-24

Open Book Festival The Fugard theatre (and other venues) in The Fringe www.openbookfestival.co.za

Make it temporary Public space interventions don’t need to be permanent. What if you projected light onto one of your favourite buildings or used chalk as a cheap and temporary way to bring interest to forgotten corners of our city. Remember: If it’s not permanent, then it doesn’t need to be perfect – so put your inhibitions aside.

Turn it upside down Don’t be restricted by the perceived function of a space. Make people look at a space differently by highlighting a specific aspect of it. Guerrilla actions like yarn-bombing draw attention to everyday objects that we take for granted.

Support others Initiatives like Moonlight Mass or Infecting the City are great opportunities to show your support. People attract other people and the more frequently people use a space, the more they feel part of a community

Park(ing) Day www.parkingday.org International Loeries Seminar of Creativity City Hall Tickets cost R500 www.theloerieawards.co.za Pendoring Awards CTICC Tickets cost R860 www.pendoring.co.za Pendoring Awards After Party The Assembly Cover charge at the door

22-23

Loerie Awards Ceremony CTICC www.theloerieawards.co.za

Creative Week celebration Company’s Garden www.creativeweekct.co.za

Heritage Day Company’s Garden and all Iziko museums

Cape Town School of Photography student exhibition 62 Roeland Street www.ctsp.co.za

Cape Town Month of Photography begins www.photocentre.org.za/festival

Dig deep into yourself (not your pockets) Public space interventions don’t have to break the bank. Sometimes all that is needed is a dose of innovative thinking and some elbow grease to transform a space from boring and neglected to pretty and purposeful.

Don’t go it alone Get your entire group of friends together and have an urban picnic on Thibault Square. Are you part of a book club? Why not have your next meeting on a square and do a public reading. Team up with neighbours to clean an alley and install better lighting.

Take it outside In China they do tai chi, in Argentina they tango. There is no reason why the activities we usually do in private spaces or indoors can’t happen in public spaces. Just because nobody has as yet hosted yoga classes on the Grand Parade doesn’t mean it can’t be a great open air studio.

on the

town

WHITFORD

PEPPER

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SHORTMARKET LONGMARKET

GREEN

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CHURCH DORP

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LYMIN

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vredehoek EXNE

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E GARD

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facing east, withST250 tealight . JAMES candles laid out around me.”

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PARADE

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CANTERB

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Who: Lucie de Moyencourt (page 15) Where: The unfinished Nelson Mandela Boulevard freeway What: Hey Moon by John Maus Why: “This makes me dream about lying on the unfinished bridge

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the fringe

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T BUI

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MOSTERT BARRACK

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Who: Richard Harris (page 14) Where: Harrington Square A What: I Feel Good by James Brown FLORID Why: “Harrington Square is right in front of our shop, it’s a nice EXNE big R space bustling with activity. It is also an exciting place because it forms part of The Fringe development. The James Brown classic, like the space, makes you feel good.”

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E PP

Who: Ma’or Harris (page 13) Where: Buitenkant Street What: Love Cry by Four Tet Why: “A strong industrial feel with gentle musical nuances – just like this bustling street on the fringe of The Fringe.”

BURG

PARLIAMENT

DO GOR

Who: Duncan PR Ringrose IN CE (page 12) Where: Castle of Good Hope What: Eagleman by Sibot Why: “The Castle is a manifestation of history in our contemporary cityscape. I love this layering and have always wanted to do a music event in the space.”

KEEROM

ANN AND ALE

WARREN

STEPHEN

HOFMEYER RAYDEN

HATFIELD

OU YM

Who: Steve Gordon (page 12) Where: Shortmarket Street What: Weeping by Bright Blue (featuring the saxophone of Basil Manenberg Coetzee) Why: “88 Shortmarket Street was home to The Base and The

LONG E ANG

QUEEN VICTORIA

8oranjezicht

LOOP

RIEBEECK SQ

BREE

24 18

ROSE

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JAMIESON

COMPANY’S GARDEN

Who: Farzanah Badsha (page 12) Where: Thibault Square What: Kick Push by Lupe Fiasco Why: “I chose this track for Thibault Square because, for skaters, it the place that they want to be able to skate in and they’re so passionate about skating there but they GE is about an can’t and this track N RA O unrequited love.” R

N VE DA

Who: Andrew Breitenberg (page 11) Where: Corner Parliament and Longmarket Street What: We Have a Map of the Piano by Múm Why: “It starts with construction sounds and flows into a peaceful eye of the urban storm vibe: a subtle, careful kind of inspiration that comes like a slow motion shot of pigeons taking off and pedestrians blinking, turning their heads to watch.”

NEW CHURCH

gardens

Where: Greenmarket Square What: Too Late for Mama by Brenda Fassie Why: “In February 2004 I worked on a gig in Greenmarket Square ND WELGEMEE which proved to be Brenda’s final performance in the town of her birth, and that’s the song which HOF rings and swings her energy when I visit the space.”

Who: Mokena Makeka (page 4) Where: Cape Town Station What: Homeless by Ladysmith Black Mambazo Why: “It describes the absence of a sense of belonging. The original station was conceived to make people feel uncomfortable, and it’s still a place which has yet to become completely comfortable.” Who: Alastair Rendall (page 4) Where: Civic Centre MyCiTi bus station What: Folkvibe 2 by Tananas from their Unamunacua Album Why: “For its lively, optimistic South African vibe reflecting the busy upbeat place that the central hub station of the MyCiTi system is becoming.”

FAURE

.Q ST

KLOOF STREET

CURTIS

Who: Danny Delore Ilunga (page 2) Where: Long Street TON What: Lengoma by Zahara BUX Why: “Lengoma’s a groovy love song – it’s how I feel about Long Street as I love hanging out there.”

JORDAAN

BUITENGRACHT

ET Steve Gordon (page 12) Who: RE

KLOOF ST

PEACE

NEW CHURCH

WELTEVRE

Who: Tasso Evangelinos (page 2) Where: Greenmarket Square What: Maria Maria by Carlos Santana Why: “I love the older classics and Maria Maria embodies the bustling pace and vibe on Greenmarket Square”

BRYANT

’S GREY

DE LORENT

DERWEN

We asked a few City Views interviewees to pick their favourite public space and the song or track that they associate with it. What does Cape Town sound like to you? TABLE MOUNTAIN

UPPER

SOUNDTRACK

LIT AR Y

UPPER BUITENGRACHT

UNION

LEEUKOP

NICOL

MY CITY

Jazz Den, culturally integrated TO CABLEWAY, CAMPS innovative BAY, HOUT BAY and musically venues KLOOF NEK through successive States of Emergency in the 1980s: the strains of our national-anthem-tobe were affirming and spiritually uplifting, even as apartheid police brutalised patrons visiting those Central City blocks.” E. KLOOF AV

ILL

HASTINGS

ST. MICHAEL’

LION

TAMBOERSKLOO

BRE BELLE OM

VARSITY RY H

UPPER LEEUWEN

LEEUWENVO

tamboerskloof QU AR

DAW

BLOEM

BAY VIEW

DE HOOP

HILLS

CAMDEN

AM BANT

BROWNLOW

E BURNSID

CAMBRIDGE

ARU

B TANA

QUEENS

E WOODSID

GILMOUR

BOND

MIL ITA RY

ALBERT

ROELAND

ERT

ALB

ASTANA

ROEL

PER

T DEVONPOR

ETB

MILNER

e p a C UP

Close your eyes and listen to the soundtrack of the city: the hum of air conditioning and traffic merging with the shouts of construction workers and street vendors, punctuated with bursts of music from shops and bars as you move to the beat of the street.

OF KLO LEE

f o n o i t a r o l p x e c n Soni w To

KENMORE

CHELM Morgan Who: Marco SFORD (page 16) Where: Signal Hill What: Under the Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers Why: “This track sums up my strange love affair with the city.”

LIK

NOORDE

LOVING LIVE

MUSIC A

NN BELLA DO

ALOE

THUS AGAPAN

If listening to the city’s soundtrack is something you’d prefer to do with others, then head to one of the Central City’s live music venues

NHA

14 BAR

&Union Beer Salon is an industrial-chic city spot where craft beer and live music go hand-in-hand. Catch acts like the Dane Taylor Trio, Lookout Kid and Shannon Strange on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 110 Bree Street T: 021 422 2770 www.andunion.com

WESSELS

TO MOUILLE POINT

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& SEA POINT

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EZE

Creative Week celebrations in the Company’s Garden

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LO AD

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ME RS

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PRESTWICH

CAN DUN

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TRAFALGAR

ADDERLEY

Fiction is in the heart of the party district in Long Street. This is where the cool kids head for their fix of underground techno, nu-rave and indie. 227 Long Street www.ﬁctionbar.com

CTICC

JETTY

The Assembly showcases the best in live South African music. You can expect to see local rock talent like Fokofpolisiekar, pop and electro acts like Zebra & Giraffe as well as dance, international DJs and bands on the bill. 61 Harrington Street www.theassembly.co.za

HEERENGRACHT

LOWER PLEIN GRAND PARADE

BARTOLEMEU DIAS

HERTZOG BOULEVARD

VASCO DA GAMA

CAPE TOWN STATION

16 D.F. MALAN

ARTSCAPE

foreshore DUNCAN

entral city

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EVARD BOUL

The Purple Turtle is legendary in Cape Town and has played host (over the years) to almost every possible genre of contemporary music. Currently you can catch some local hip hop and commercial house acts there. 31 Shortmarket Street T: 021 424 7811

K UC

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The Side Show, formerly known as the Fez, is the place to be if you want to bob to the beats of trance or indie electro. 11 Mechau Street T: 082 077 0315

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ON LS NE

ET RS DO

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City Hall has gained prominence in the Central City for hosting diverse music events. Regular features on the bill include City Hall Sessions, and you can enjoy Cape Town Philharmonic performing on most Thursday nights. Darling Street www.cityhallsessions.co.za www.cpo.org.za RT

VIC

IG CRA ENS RAV

DE HY

Artscape is the foremost theatre complex in the city YN LW and stages local and international SE performances including classical music, jazz, opera, musicals and orchestral music. ON RT DF Malan Street BA T: 021RL410 9800 E A SE www.artscape.co.za ON

AC NT PO

G LIN PE AS

Asoka week begins with “Chilled out Mondays” where you can groove away the Monday blues to soulful ambient tunes, Tuesday is jazz night and the rest of the week you have resident DJs the Stoffberg Brothers, Leighton and Cassiem on the decks. 68 Kloof Street T: 021 422 0909

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ACH

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ET SK BA

RSGR

The Loop offers anything and everything, from R&B to commercial, house and progressive beats. Go dancing four nights a week at this colourful venue. 161 Loop Street www.theloopnightclub.co.za

12 LA DE AN M

The Mahogany Room is an intimate venue where you get to experience top local jazz artists performing on stage. Not just background entertainment, this is for the aficionados. 79 Buitenkant Street T: 076 679 2697

OSWALD PIROW

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NOON DAY GUN

Head to the Company’s Garden on 23 September from 09h30 to kickstart your Sunday with a yoga session on the lawns, then stick around for a lazy lunch under the trees, served-up by Cape Town’s mobile food trucks. Entertainment will be provided by buskers and you can also watch the gravity-defying moves of our city’s skating community in the amphitheatre of the Iziko South African Museum. www.creativeweekct.co.za

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town

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The Waiting Room, located above the Royale Eatery in Long Street, plays downtempo, funk, hip hop, dub, jazz, reggae, breaks and soul. Live bands take to the stage on Tuesdays while you can shake it on the dance floor to the tunes of live DJs every Wednesday through to Saturday. 273 Long Street T: 021 422 4536

Zula Soundbar is an innercity hotspot where acts range from obscure progressive rock and reggae,to commercial pop and rock. 98 Long Street www.zulabar.co.za

TUNE IN TO

CAPE TOWN We sometimes forget the airwaves are a great public space to share ideas and information with those who are on the same frequency, so to speak.

Fine Music Radio 101.3 FM T: 021 401 1013 The Voice of Cape Town 100.4 FM T: 021 442 3500 2oceansvibe Radio 2oceansviberadio.com 567mw Cape Talk T: 021 446 0567 Kfm 94.5 FM T: 086 153 6945 Heart Radio 104.9 FM T: 021 406 8900 Good Hope 94.0 FM T: 021 430 8276 The Assembly Radio theassembly.co.za/radio Bush Radio 89.5 FM T: 021 448 5450 Radio 2000 98.7 FM T: 021 442 3500 UCT Radio 104.5 FM T: 021 650 3550 Radio Tygerberg 104.0 FM T: 0861 104 104 Radio 786 100.4 T: 021 699 1786

around

town

CityViews

Art in the open air

Photos

: Lisa B

urnell

Kicking off in Creative Week, The Fringe is becoming an open-air art gallery with a rotating selection of outdoor art â&#x20AC;&#x201C; created by top local and international artists, and curated by Creative Cape Town in collaboration with /A Word of Art. The east city will become home to 6 to 8 permanently permitted walls showing off art to the public 365 days a year. To give you a taste of things to come, here is a selection of some of the incredible work /A Word of Art has facilitated in Woodstock.

September 2012

around

CityViews

town

11 Photo: Lisa Burnell

September 2012

PEOPLE’S ART IN PUBLIC PLACES

“The beautiful discourse of the street”

ART ACTIVISM /A Word of Art is responsible for over 60 murals around Woodstock. The team offers walking mural tours of the area to showcase the works of local and international artists. Tours are R150 per person, with all proceeds being reinvested into Jullard Creations, the brainchild of art activists Willard Kambeva and Juma Mkwela. Jullard Creations is a collective that empowers people from marginalised communities to generate their own income by producing handmade art and craft using traditional African techniques. Explaining the role that art can play in activism, Juma says:

Most street artists take art out of the gallery and into the public sphere, making a canvas of a wall. Woodstock-based street artist Andrew Breitenberg takes words – writing them on walls – to encourage passersby to pause and reﬂect.

“Art is a very powerful way to inspire social change – we all come from different backgrounds but what brings us together is a vision of a better community where we can share, work, love and care about each other. Art inspires people and helps create connections.”

CV How do you decide where to place your words? I scout around for high visibility structures and always obtain permission from owners before I start. I enjoy working in places that have an open attitude towards public art. Street art is generally appreciated more in townships and spaces on the fringe of the city. It appears that a community’s income level influences their attitude to street art and spray cans. I try and connect with NGOs and community groups that are already working in the townships. Recently I painted the words “you will never be alone” on the wall of a house in Blikkiesdorp, as part of community outreach being done there on Mandela Day last month.

For more information, visit Jullard Creations and /A Word of Art online (www.jullardcreations.com and www.a-word-of-art. co.za) or drop by /A Word of Art at 66 Albert Road in Woodstock.

Photo: Lisa Burnell

Willard Kambeva and Juma Mkwela in front of an Andrzej Urbanski artwork in Woodstock

CV Are there any legal implications around where street art is placed? You can get permission from the City of Cape Town but the logistics can be difficult, even if you already have permission from the owner. I painted the words “with you I am well pleased” on a private stretch of wall facing the N2, and after nine months it was painted over by the council even though the owner opposed its removal. Another time I painted “you are always with me” on a house nearby, and the owners volunteered to help me and we dangled upside down from the roof together. This piece is highly visible as you come down to Woodstock from the N1 but it hasn’t been removed. The experience and legal implications differ each time.

CV Why did you choose to settle in Woodstock? My wife and I were drawn to the community from a spiritual perspective. It’s an evolving neighbourhood that’s not completely industrial, not quite city, not quite township. There’s a different set of values and an edge to it as well as a diverse, open-minded vibe. It’s home to a large number of refugees, immigrants, low- and middle-income people and I love the extreme contrasts. It feels like living in the frayed margins of a piece of notebook paper where all the interesting sketches are happening next to the main text.

Your studio and stationery shop – Selah – is also in Woodstock. What’s it like working in the area? My studio at The Foundry is located at street level, and I love watching the different people on Albert Road walk by. It’s stimulating when passersby get involved in the process by CV

“I aim to get the maximum value and meaning from words, and I want people to feel a sense of ‘you too have been seen, you too have been heard.’ The texts I use always come from dialogue with the owners or residents where I’m working. In this way the work is discovered, rather than imposed.” Andrew Breitenberg

Willard Kambeva and Andrew Breitenberg talking on the streets of Woodstock

watching me work and asking questions. In a way I feel as if Selah is a single artwork encompassing not just the street art, but the stationery and quotations and transactions and dialogue between me and the people who wander in. CV Selah means “pause and reflect”. Where in the neighbourhood do you go to relax? There’s a fantastic park right on our doorstep in Woodstock and my wife and I take our son there often. I think Capetonians should make the most of our local parks, rather than driving long distances to shopping cen-

tres or more prominent outdoor spaces. CV What is your vision for Cape Town World Design Capital 2014 initiative? Are you planning to get involved? It’s an opportunity for us to make people aware of how worthy the city is on an international level, and it shows that we take our creativity seriously. I’d like to do a large-scale, council-approved community art project in the Central City – something that adds some serious colour and further unveils the beautiful discourse of the street.

See more of Andrew’s public art online here: www.selahmade.com or catch him in action and browse his collection of artwork, writing implements, books and handmade stationery at Selah: The Foundry 160 Albert Road T: 073 196 6734 Open Tuesday to Saturday from 11h00 until 16h00

Photo: Supplied

CV What inspires you to use text as art? I moved to Africa from Amsterdam and volunteered doing advocacy here and in Zimbabwe. I spent time listening to people’s stories and documenting them, which directly influenced my decision to do something new in public art – something that would give a voice to the voiceless. I use text as a way to encourage people to enter into dialogue with themselves and with others.

One of Andrew Breitenberg’s works, that used to appear on a private wall along the N2

around

town

CityViews

September 2012

Photo by Jonx Pillemer

es u n pe. ve a d c e ect ounds p x une rban s n i ted erse u s o ts h o a div n e ev ians t c i s mu peton e v i of l ect Ca e g n nn A ra ing co lp e h are

Lee Thomson of Silent Revolution on trumpet, with Inge Beckmann and EJ von Lyrik doing a sound check for the City Hall Session in July 2012

Sound sessions at City Hall City Hall has had many incarnations over the years – as City Council offices, a library, a classical and choral performance space. But how can this iconic building begin to play a more central role in the city’s public and cultural life? How can Capetonians themselves feel a sense of ownership over the space? City Hall Sessions – a concert series launched last year by Creative Cape Town – is a sound experiment aimed at doing just that. Steve Gordon, City Hall Sessions project manager, and Farzanah Badsha, Creative Cape Town programme manager, look back at the first year’s achievements and forward to what we can expect in the new year.

Photo by Rowan Pybus of Makhulu

Music man Duncan Ringrose at CTEMF with his wife Isobel and their son, Oliver.

City Hall Sessions is made possible through the support of the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund. For details of upcoming sessions, go to www.cityhallsessions.co.za

Looking back CV Looking back over a year of City Hall Sessions, what do you think you’ve achieved? Steve: We launched in September 2011 and have staged three sessions. We’ve created a platform, built a dedicated production team as well as initiated training and educational activities. It is very fulfilling to see City Hall Sessions becoming a regular and accessible item as part of the city’s cultural and events calendar.

What has the impact been beyond the walls of City Hall? Steve: There’s a cultural and economic impact. Culturally, the message is getting out there that the space can be used creatively, and can welcome ever more diverse audiences, drawn into the city centre from greater Cape Town. The workshop programme during the school holiday in July resulted in knowledge and skills transfer, with learners and musicians. Economically, job creation is key. A typical production with crew, ushers, security, caterers and musicians ranges between 100 CV

and 200. Finally, while marketing has primarily been local, the coverage which we have achieved nationally puts out a powerful message that music and culture are alive and well in Cape Town.

Looking forward CV

Any personal highlights?

Steve: Music aside, I was very hap-

py to see the audience developing. I’m not talking just about the soldout show on Human Rights Day, or the attendance numbers, but the diversity of audience and the resulting shared enjoyment and energy. What can we expect for the next year? Farzanah: There’s an important learning process happening alongside the performances. The acoustics have vastly improved as the sessions have progressed and we are learning to manipulate the acoustics beyond the classical and choral performance, for which the space was designed. We are also learning how to make space warmer and more theatrical using lighting. In the next year we will continue to play with CV

the space a little more. For example, we want to create a more intimate performance space by bringing the stage down to the audience level and having people around it. Building on the successful schools workshop programme hosted in July, we’ll also be expanding the education and training activities. CV When’s the next City Hall Session? Farzanah: We are planning to host another session in November. It will be a single concert and probably a more intimate session. CV As new programme manager of Creative Cape Town, what is your hope for City Hall Sessions? Farzanah: I’m really keen to have a bit more of a youth focus – my dream would be to have someone like Spoek Mathambo perform. Also, creating a cultural public space centre for the city, a platform for creativity, is really important. Well-programmed public spaces are essential in a liveable city – you only have to look at places like the Southbank in London to know that it can be done.

Electronic experiments in a parking lot Cape Town – said to be the epicentre of South African electronica – played host to the first local electronic music festival early this year, a celebration held on the rooftop of a local parking lot. Duncan Ringrose, owner of sSHADOWORKSs – organiser of Cape Town Electronic Music Festival (CTEMF) – and co-owner of nightclubs The Assembly and The Waiting Room, talks about what to expect for 2013. CV The inaugural CTEMF took place in March this year. What was your personal highlight? Just the fact that it actually happened was a highlight for me. It was quite a big undertaking; it felt a little like jumping

off a cliff. We’ve been trying to do it since 2005 and last year, finally, the stars aligned. Why have you dedicated so much time to hosting this kind of festival? The underlying premise of CV

the festival is that it is not just a music festival but that it is kind of a summary of what is going on in the electronic music scene at the moment. People still think that electronic music is just pumping doef-doef music that is easy to

around

CityViews

Photo: Supplied

September 2012

town

“Cape Town people are so diverse it takes something universal – like music – to connect us. Music cuts through social and political problems, breaks rules, brings us together and gives us the opportunity to discover new things.” Ma’or Harris

Ma’or on the set of one of his more unconventional – but incredibly popular – parties

World music on the eastern edge

Music aficionado Ma’or Harris settled in Cape Town ten years ago. Since then, he’s thrown some of the city’s most talked-about parties, coined the term Balkanology, and is busy planning a World Music Festival to be held this November in The Fringe, Cape Town’s east city and up-and-coming innovation district.

put together. We’re really trying to get across that there is more width and depth to it. The South African scene has now reached a level of maturity and recognition that we can represent in a comprehensive, multi-dimensional way. CV CTEMF was conceived of as an urban festival and you’re very adamant that the festival should be rooted in the heart of the city. Why? This is where we are. Although I like going to parties on wine

CV You were born and raised in Israel. What made you relocate to Cape Town? My parents are South African and I grew up spending holidays here. I’ve always loved Cape Town. I spent a year in New York before I decided to move here to study sound engineering. When I was studying I did a stint as a waiter at the original Madame Zingara and I learnt a lot about the city’s party scene there. CV What exactly is Balkanology, and what inspired you to create the concept? I threw the first Balkanology party in 2006. I wanted to create a new platform to introduce people to a new sound. The concept is based on music that has its roots in the Balkan countries and traditional Eastern European Hassidic Jewish music, or klezmer. It’s also influenced by Indian and gypsy music because in the Jewish shtetls they’d often have gypsy bands performing at their weddings. Each Balkanology party has a different theme and the set-

farms, you get a specific experience when you leave your environment; people tend to behave differently. There’s something unique to partying in your daily environment especially when it’s not in a club. From the start I also wanted Table Mountain to be the backdrop to the festival. If you stand on the roof of the Breakwater parking garage and you look towards the sea, you can be anywhere but if you turn around there is no doubt about where in the world you are. People love Cape Town and are

ting is always distinctive and experiential – we fly out unconventional musicians from all over the world and there’s hay, chickens, gypsy caravans – and somehow it all makes sense and fits together. CV What are some of the other projects you’ve been involved in? In 2010 I partnered with Alain Ferrier and our production company – Beanstalk – produces live music events for major brands, like the Converse Block Parties, Design Indaba’s Sonar party and the Adidas Live Music Series. We also have stages at Oppikoppi and Rocking the Daisies. Our next major project is a World Music Festival, scheduled to take place in The Fringe in November. CV Can you fill us in on your plans for the World Music Festival? We’re still in the planning stages but it’s going to be our flagship project. We want to expose a broader audience to different types of music that take inspiration from global cultural tradi-

generally super-proud of the city – we wanted the music, the art, the city and the people to set the identity of the festival.

“From the start I wanted Table Mountain to be the backdrop to the festival… We wanted the music, the art, the city and the people to set the identity of the festival.” Duncan Ringrose

tions. It’ll take place in venues across The Fringe, including the parking lot on Harrington Street and the Fugard Theatre. There’ll be free access to an outdoor stage, and we’re hoping to curate a local craft market. If the concept takes off, World Design Capital 2014 will mark the third year of the festival and we’re planning something titanic to coincide with the initiative, but I’m not able to elaborate on our ideas just yet … CV What is it about Cape Town that draws creative types, and how does the creative scene here differ from other cities you’ve lived in? I think it’s the growing amount of foot traffic, relatively fast internet, and an increasing number of decent coffee spots – and rather than set us apart, these factors put us on a par with other great cities. What makes the city unique and wonderful is the diver-city (pun intended) of the CBD. Our controversial heritage, the massive range of characters on the streets, the

CV What can people expect from the 2013 festival? Dates have been fixed for 5 to 10 February 2013, and we are heading back to the V&A Waterfront. For the first festival we had an all-South African line-up and we debated whether that should be a trademark of the festival. This year though, we have decided to include an international contingent alongside local acts.

different ways in which the African and European diasporas have integrated – it’s crazy! What is your vision for Cape Town in 2040, and what does the city have to do to achieve it? I’d like to see Cape Town exporting as much music as it’s importing, with local DJs and bands touring internationally. The city has to keep exploring what’s out there and creating more events like Design Indaba and the Cape Town International Jazz Festival. CV

Keen to experience one of Ma’or’s famous parties? Keep up to speed on where and when other Beanstalk events are happening next online at www.thebeanstalk.co.za, www.capetownworldmusicfestival.com or by calling 021 447 5174.

For updates on the 2013 Cape Town Electronic Music Festival check out www.ctemf.co.za. Alternatively, head to The Assembly and The Waiting Room to see what else Duncan is up to: The Assembly 61 Harrington Street www.theassembly.co.za The Waiting Room 273 Long Street T: 021 422 4536

from

the fringe

CityViews

September 2012

HARRINGTON HOTSPOTS

Harrington Photo: Lisa Burnell

An unexpected hotbed of activity

Harrington Street is starting to happen in an entirely new way. Here are three new initiatives that are helping animate this precinct.

Leather Lane: Where you can learn the tools of the trade Celebrating their 145th anniversary with a new enterprise, leather merchants Woodhead’s opens an exciting new service in The Fringe – giving the public access to leather crafting tools and technology. Third generation owner Richard Harris talks about Leather Lane, recently established just off Harrington Square. Why did you decide to start Leather Lane?

Photo: Lisa Burnell

Harrington Square: For drive-through dining every Thursday

CV Who will make use of your services?

It is really to help small business – designers, crafters and artisans. We are basically opening up the private resources that we have to the public by offering those services that they might not have the tools for or the skill to do. For example, someone might be making leather cushions but does not have the means to do button coverings or fit handles to handbags. I’ve always felt very strongly that supporting small businesses is an important part of our business – if they do well, we do well.

Food trucks lend a brand new twist to drive-through dining. Trucking from venue to venue, the mobile restaurants bring a dining experience to unexpected spaces, animating pavements and parks; streets and squares with the convivial atmosphere of a shared meal.

Follow Cape Town Food Trucks on Facebook or Twitter (@CTFoodTrucks) to see when they will be making a pit stop near you. Alternatively, head to The Fringe every Thursday.

CV Tell us about the space.

The little corridor between the shop and showroom used to house baskets with offcuts that we sell per kilogram. It is a way of keeping our wastage low and it’s a cheap option for customers who don’t need or can’t afford a whole skin. We’ve shifted that to the back and have enclosed the street front and fitted it with a service counter and shelves.

CV Who will be manning the service bar?

The service bar is fitted with

A young leather artisan, Carlo Spannenberg, will be the man

What services will be on offer?

behind the counter. His mother worked for Woodhead’s for almost 22 years and recently retired. Carlo did a six-month apprenticeship in the factory learning the leather trade. We really want to establish him as an entrepreneur within the Woodhead’s structure.

Do you see this as contributing to the development of The Fringe? CV

I’ve been promoting this area for 20 years and I have been waiting for this (the rejuvenation of the area) to happen. What we’ve found is that we’ve grown from being a merchant to a service centre. With the opening of the service bar we now offer design support and value-adding services to the creative community and the students in the area.

Learn more about the tools of the trade at Leather Lane: Woodhead’s 29 Caledon Street T: 021 461 7185 www.woodheads.co.za

East City Alley: A place to create and congregate It began in an isolated alleyway on Harrington Street in The Fringe – an unlikely place for creativity.

Photo: Lisa Burnell

Now you can be part of a real intown truck experience on Harrington Square, every Thursday for the foreseeable future. The Limoncello Food Truck, which already has a loyal following, will be serving their topnotch Italian fare in The Fringe. Some of their pavement specials include calzones, pizza, pasta and risotto.

It was a natural evolution. People were asking for help making a belt or fixing a buckle or doing some riempie work. One of the guys on the shop floor started assisting customers with their requests. I realised that there was a need and decided it was time to open the service bar.

hand tools like punches and mallets for finishing and hand embossing as well as inserting eyelids and press studs. We sell most of the tools used in the shop, so people can learn how to use it themselves. That way we’re imparting skills, not just providing a service. I am also installing the latest technology like a laser cutting and embossing machine and maybe even a 3D prototyping and modelling machine.

But with a little imagination from Heath Nash and Lyall Sprong (from ThingKing) during Creative Week 2011, it became an interesting art installation, a thing

of beauty. This Creative Week, our forgotten alleyway is becoming a place not just to create, but to congregate – decked out with seating, greenery, tables and bunting.

If you’d like to host an event there or see what’s happening go to: www.facebook.co.za/ EastCityAlley

September 2012

from

CityViews

Opening up the city through

Connecting

to Cape Town’s public life

stories

Artist, avid cyclist and nominee for the Cergy 2012 Paris Ateliers competition, Lucie de Moyencourt has been working on ways to activate Harrington Square in her capacity at local architecture firm DesignSpaceAfrica. City Views put her in the hot seat about public space and what in Cape Town’s public life made her move back home.

What made you return to Cape Town? CV

I decided to come home after seeing a World Design Capital 2014 promotional video. It made me cry. Cape Town, you are my obsession! I wanted to feel connected to public life and contribute to urban transformation by building inclusive popular public spaces here. After living in Paris and London I realised that I could not live without a bicycle. I moved to Sea Point and it’s a dream! Palm trees, glamorous grannies with tri-colour hair, and every type of international restaurant. I wake up to the enchanting sound of seagulls crowing at each other in screechy voices and spy on people in neighbouring flats. CV Is the Central City generally bike-friendly?

Cape Town is so small – in 15 minutes you can be anywhere – and I am always elated by night cycles. It’s so beautiful! CV What sort of work are you doing at the moment?

I’m currently working at DesignSpaceAfrica, under the visionary architect Luyanda Mpahlwa. For World Design Capital 2014 we’re cooking up a storm for the design park precinct in The Fringe, and we’re exploring temporary and long-term interventions to activate Harrington Square into a great public space. I’m drawing and painting and selling my work on the side, which I’ve been doing for years – and I’m about to jet off to Paris for two months to join a team of interesting thinkers from opposite ends of the world at the Cergy 2012 Paris Ateliers workshop …

CV Can you tell us a little about the application that meant you’ll be participating in the Cergy 2012 Paris Ateliers competition?

The topic – Revealing and Staging the Metropolitan Landscape – was broad so I developed a concept in which Table Mountain is portrayed as a famous metropolitan actor, and the city as two theatres – the city centre, and the Cape Flats fringe – from which the mountain is viewed. The basis for the entry is an interview with Table Mountain on his illustrious career, in which he recounts the history of how the city developed and its aspirations for the future.

Photo: Jacques Marais

What is your background?

A little mobile reading in the Company’s Garden

Stories, whether written down or handed down from generation to generation, help us make sense of our world and our city. They can help us travel without setting foot outside our door, help us connect to people we’ve never met, help us see the world around us with new eyes.

CV Is there anywhere in particular in the CBD that always makes you want to whip out your sketchbook?

The Company’s Garden, the Grand Parade and Artscape. I also have an infatuation with The Fringe precinct with its grunginess and loads of uncapped potential. I also find great inspiration in the pasteis de nata served at 07h30 at Giovanni’s deli, and Haute Antiques – my dad’s shop on Albert Road – is a constant delight. CV What is your vision for Cape Town in 2040, and what does the city have to do in order to achieve it?

Bike, bike, bike! Also, by 2040, I look forward to hanging out in townships that have been transformed into commercial centres.

f you need new eyes for the world around you, or a sense of connection to a place or a people far away, then make sure you’re at Open Book Cape Town, an urban literary festival from 20 to 24 September promising over 100 events in five days. Programme details have yet to be released (watch the Cape Times and www.openbookfestival.co.za for details) but here are a few of the international (and internationally known) storytellers who will be sharing their lore on local shores.

Want to see more of Lucie’s work? Find out more about her in a personal capacity at www.luciedemoyencourt. com, her professional capacity at www.designspaceafrica.com and then look for the stage version of her Cergy Paris Ateliers 2012 entry – Table Mountain Confidential – on YouTube.

Njabulo Ndebele (interviewed in the August edition of City Views) is an established and influential author and a key figure in South African higher education. His books include Fine Lines from the Box, The Cry of Winnie Mandela and Fools and Other Stories.

Antjie Krog is a poet, academic and writer, perhaps most famously known for reporting on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings in the mid 1990s. Her books include The Stars Say Tsau and Country of My Skull.

Esi Edugyan is a Canadian novelist of Ghanaian descent whose novel Half-Blood Blues was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2011 and has been shortlisted for the Orange Prize.

now living in the US whose book, The Inheritance of Loss – about migration and multiculturalism – won the Man Booker Prize in 2006.

Noo Saro-Wiwa, daughter of

Rotimi Babatunde, a Nigerian

late activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, was born in Nigeria and raised in England. Her travel memoir, Looking for Transwonderland, is about her return to Nigeria after a long time away.

author, is the winner of the 2012 Caine Prize for African Writing for his short story, Bombay’s Republic.

Jacques de Loustal is a French comic artist and illustrator whose work has appeared in several magazines and newspapers, including the New Yorker. Yanick Lahens is an awardLucie de Moyencourt in one of her favourite public spaces – the Sea Point Promenade

Daniel Rondeau is an awardwinning author, journalist and diplomat who has published several books on Mediterranean cities as well as novels and essays. He is also the French ambassador to Unesco.

Michela Wrong spent several years as a foreign correspondent covering events across the African continent for Reuters, the BBC and the Financial Times. She is the author of In the Footsteps of Mr Kurtz and It’s Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistle-Blower.

Kiran Desai is an Indian author

Photo: Lisa Burnell

HOT HAPPENINGS

HOT SEAT

I was born in Paris, to a ballet dancer mama and an eclectic antique dealer papa. We moved to Cape Town, where my brother Tommy – aka TommyGun, a financier and famous DJ – joined us, and where we all still live happily today. Tommy and I grew up in a Victorian house on Buitenkant Street and we used to walk to the French School on Hope Street holding hands. After studying architecture at the University of Cape Town, I went to Paris to paint, and spent time living in London, and I returned to SA in November last year.

the fringe

winning Haitian author and a champion of the struggle against illiteracy in Haiti. She is a founding member of the Haitian Writers’ Union which organises readings in schools throughout the country.

Open Book’s headquarters will be at the Fugard, with satellite events happening at the Book Lounge, the new Truth HQ on Buitenkant Street and the Central Library – all in The Fringe. Tickets typically cost R30 to R40, although some events are free, so be sure you don’t miss out. www.openbookfestival.co.za

town

My Cape Town: Marco Morgan

Marco Morgan is a planner within the strategic and integrated planning directorate at the department of transport and public works. He’s also an avid longboarder who skates to work most days, and is a founding member of the National Skate Collective – an organisation helping to promote and advance the culture of skateboarding in the Central City.

CityViews

CV Marco, what’s the connection between your professional life – working for the department of transport and public works – and your personal life? There’s really no difference, as skateboarding is a mode of transport: It’s designed to allow people the freedom to move about quickly. In my experience, longboarding seems to be the top choice of skateboarders in getting from A to B. If it’s done safely, skating can be a great way to navigate around a city without using fuel. It’s eco-friendly, affordable, healthy and easily integrated into public transport networks. CV Does that mean it is it legal and safe to skate in and around the Central City? The by-law relating to streets, public places and the prevention of nuisance does not per-

“Skateboarding is designed to allow people the freedom to move about quickly … If it’s done safely, skating can be a great way to navigate around a city without using fuel. It’s ecofriendly, affordable, healthy and easily integrated into public transport networks.” Marco Morgan

mit skating on public roads, except for places where permission is specifically granted. That said, we are allowed to skate on all nonmotorised transport lanes in and around the Central City, like the Fan Walk, or on Bree Street. Both the Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town advocate for more non-motorised transport (NMT) lanes, but the process from policy to action is a long one. Most skaters use the safest and most accessible option available – the NMT lanes – but these lanes do not accommodate the needs of a skateboarder entirely, and when this facility is not available, we use public roads. Despite the dangers associated with skateboarding, particularly downhill skating, most skateboarders take precautions to skate safely, making use of helmets and spotters when practicing for sporting events.

CV Are there any moves to recognise and include skateboarders in city design and planning? The World Design Capital 2014 bid book highlighted the need to create inclusive public spaces, and to recognise skateboarding as a form of transport. Skateboarding and creativity go hand in hand, and as a skater you are constantly creating, allowing your board and your environment to determine your movement. It’s good to know that initiatives like World Design Capital 2014 are considering the skateboarding community as they look at introducing innovative ways to attract people to the city and ignite public spaces.

CV What can Cape Town do to make the city more inclusive of skateboarders? The National Skate Collective believes that creating inclusive and integrated spaces for skaters will prevent the friction between motorists and skaters, and increase safety. By-laws or prohibitions on skating in public spaces criminalise an activity that is harmless to the public and the infrastructure. Perceptions are changing, but without by-law or policy changes, the battle between authorities and skateboarders will continue. The lack of skate parks or skate plazas also propels skateboarders into an unsafe environment. It would be awesome if the City

CV Who makes up the skateboarding community in Cape Town? There are two aspects to skateboarding: there’s the activity, and there’s the culture attached to it. There is a negative stigma attached to skateboarding and skateboarders, and we are often thought of as deviants, or as nuisances. It’s a culture that is often misunderstood and misinterpreted in the public eye, and as the National Skate Collective, we’re trying to diminish this negative stigma, create awareness and promote skateboarding. Once you get beyond the stereotypes, you see that our community is not only rapidly growing, but also increas-

recognised skateboarders as opposed to marginalising and isolating them.

September 2012

ingly diverse: As far as skateboarders are concerned, there are no lines of race, gender or social status – if you skate, you skate. Where in the city do skateboarders hang out? We skate everywhere in the city. I tend to gravitate to the slopes of District Six and Signal Hill. Every Sunday afternoon a bunch of skaters of all levels of experience from across the city get together for Lazy Alpha Sundays in District Six. As far as I know, the only designated skate spot is the Salesian Institute on Somerset Road, and if you want to find skateboarders and skate stuff, Baseline Studios and Revolution are the places to go. CV

Keen to connect with the city’s skateboarding community? Follow the National Skate Collective on Facebook and check out these skateboarding hotspots: Baseline 162 Long Street T: 021 422 0465 www.baselinestudio.co.za Lazy Alpha Sundays Keizersgracht Street District Six Sundays from 15h00 to 19h00 Revolution 223 Long Street T: 021 423 3482 www.revolutiononline.co.za Salesian Institute 2 Somerset Road T: 021 425 1424 www.salesians.org.za

Photo: Lisa Burnell

The Haven’s vision is to get the homeless home. 021 425 4700 The Homestead provides residential care and family integration for boys. 021 461 7470 Straatwerk has job rehabilitation projects for men and women. 021 425 0140 Salesian Institute Youth Projects provide education, skills training and rehabilitation to vulnerable youth. 021 425 1450

Ons Plek provides residential care while undertaking reunification process for girls. 021 465 4829 The Carpenters Shop provides rehabilitation services and skills training for adults. 021 461 5508

Many children and young adults living on the streets have severe drug addiction problems. More often than not, the money they receive from begging is used to buy their next “fix”. The CCID therefore requests that members of the public do not give money or handouts directly. If you would like to help, please contact one of the listed organisations mentioned. Contact the Central City Improvement District’s (CCID’s) Social Development Department for further information or assistance.

Pat 021 419 1881 | Dean 082 928 3862 Headman Sirala-Rala 082 262 0113 Mark Williams 082 262 0112