SEVEN CITIES This book concerns itself with 7 cities. It is a look at man-made forests of glass, concrete, metal and exotic materials. These forests are man’s modern natural habitat from which he rises and descends daily from heights with static stairs and mechanical elevators to live, work and play. These are the places where mankind roams over large distances with motorized transports. These ecosystems feed on a mass of electricity both to power them and to cool their sprawling complexes. Since ancient times, cities have been drivers of human collaboration, wealth creation and pride. The nations with the largest cities tend to also be those which generate the most economic activity and power. Cities come alive by allowing people to mix for both work and pleasure in places that are functional, beautiful and safe. The top cities always aim not only to have unique skylines but also to include key experiences and highlights which make them memorable and repeatedly worth visiting. Looking toward the skylines of Paris and New York, we see strong examples of this. These key attractions can be natural or man-made structures which easily serve as shortcuts for identifying a metropolis; think Eiffel Tower in Paris and Table Mountain in Cape Town. Even though challenged by new technologies and pandemics, these forests of activity will continue to evolve and dominate human existence long into the future. These images are mere glimpses at 7 global urban hubs. Each one of them could occupy a volume of equal size on their own but here an attempt is made to give quick snapshots of what these cities look like. I have tried to let the images talk most of the time and coming to a selection of which images to show is always very difficult as you always have the feeling to go back and take more pictures. However, for the sake of getting it done, you have to go with what you have. Hopefully these images will give a little insight into what these 7 cities are like.
Dedicated to L.T. Maruwasa Senior and Dalitso Maruwasa.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 05
SAN FRANCISCO
29
JOHANNESBURG & SANDTON
135 LAS VEGAS 173 LOS ANGELES 257 CAPE TOWN 311 WINDHOEK 359 BRUSSELS
San Franciasco has a population of 881 549 in 2020. It is the 15th most populated city in America. Notably, it is the capital of northern California. It got its beginning in 1776 as a Spanish colonial outpost. Looking out at San Francisco from a distance, it seems a city of two bridges; The Golden Gate Bridge and the much longer Oakland Bay Bridge spanning prominently across its bay. Amongst its sprawl can be found Haight-Ashbury; a former draw for hippies in the 60’s. It is a green city with lots of gardens and spaces to walk, run and picnic. San Fran as some call it is noted for very steep streets plus the architecture and style of some of its houses. It steep inclines make for interesting driving, walking and is home to cable car experiences worthy of standing two hours just for the short ride. And at the bottom of the tallest building in the city; the Sales Force Tower, there is a delightful garden situated on top of a bus station that is free for visitors to stroll through. It features a range of plants from different parts of the planet including another city in this book; Cape Town. The Sales Force Tower is the tallest building in the city, as well as the tallest building west of the Mississippi, ranking it 17th tallest in the US overall. The next most iconic building and formerly the tallest is the Trans-America pyramid. Both add a unique character to the skyline. It is home to several sports teams: The San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants, Golden state warriors and the San Jose sharks amongst many. It is a city stalked by frequent bouts of fog, so if you are there on a sunny day; enjoy it thoroughly.
SAN FRA
ANCISCO
THE SALES FORCE TOWER Tallest building in the city and 15th tallest within the U.S.A.
SALES FORCE TOWER GARDEN Take a trip up and see it for yourself.
ALCATRAZ ISLAND Next to San Quintin, this the most famous American prison and star of multiple movies. It is now merely a tourism attraction seating in the bay basking in the noon day sun.
THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE The most iconic bridge in the city but not as dramatic as the longer Oakland Bay Bridge, especially if driven on to enter the financial district at night.
OAKLAND BAY BRIDGE
Johannesburg is termed the New York of Africa. It represents the centre of opportunity and economic activity for millions of people within South Africa and the nations that orbit it. The city is also known as Mzansi and Egoli. It was founded in 1886 after a discovery of gold which the greater South Africa continues to mine to this day. Johannesburg is a magnificent expanse that covers hills and valleys at an altitude of over 1.7 km above sea level. It features old centres and new centres. It never sleeps and continues to grow in new directions, filling land that it forgot to occupy at earlier points in its development. The cities activity and output rise with each new road, house, factory and office block. It is home to the largest man planted forest consisting of 6 million trees, which together with those that grew by their own efforts creates a total of 10 million trees and counting. It is a city that is scarred and tainted by the consequences, dreams and plans of apartheid and marred by inequality but at the same time it is a centre for progress and change in South Africa and pumps optimism further into Africa. It is home to Africa’s tallest buildings, formerly the 50th floor Carlton Centre, the Ponte apartments and now the Sandton based Leonardo, completed in 2020, which tops out at 55 floors, making it Africa’s tallest building. It is a city that excites some and elicits fear in others. If properly explored it offers many fascinating and joyful discoveries. It is home to an estimated 4.4 million plus population intermingling and busy within an interesting selection of buildings with various architectural styles. Taken together with the sound of the local languages and as well as fashionable people, it offers a city full of vibrant flavour.
JOHANN
NESBURG
PONTE CITY APARTMENTS Is the highest residential building in Africa at 55 floors.
SAN
Founded in 1969, Sandton is the swanky financial and corporate heart of modern Johannesburg. It is where the somebodies want to be seen and the best architecture in the city tries to find space to pop up. It is the modern face of what is possible in South Africa and home to the largest stock exchange on the African continent; the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). It is also where you find a new property which opened in 2020, that now holds the title for the tallest building in Africa; The Leonardo which rises to an impressive 55 floors. Sandton is the home of some of the best shopping spaces in the city, closely followed by Rosebank and The Mall of Africa. It is where all the banks, pension funds, insurance firms, trading and finance houses can be found and also where some of the best looking commercial buildings in the country keep finding a home.
NDTON Johannesburg. SANDTON
In the middle of the desert the brightest of America’s metropolises has risen over the decades to greet visitors with a myriad of offerings including a pyramid. It the world’s most well-known gambling and entertainment destination. Its casino lights have been toned down over the years to save energy but it still glitters into the night sky. Its main strip has casinos and malls of various themes, offering a space for any interest that people may fancy. From drive in marriage chapels to deluxe cinemas. It is home to the stratosphere tower, the tallest structure in the western United States. It has a wide range of architecture styles and even a replica of the Eiffel tower. Time can easily pass by in Las Vegas and one has to keep an eye out not to lose track of night and day. Its main attraction maybe unusual compared to other cities but it remains a standard city like any other with malls, schools, residential areas and other industries. It has a population of 2.6 million.
LAS
S VEGAS
Founded in 1781. California’s largest city is home to a dazzling array of offices, homes and freeways. Fought over in a war with Mexico, America finally bought the territory from Mexico to officially include it into the U.S. .It is the second most populous city in the United States, further it is inside the most populous state in the country. Though mostly seen as the home of Hollywood and blockbuster films, the city is home to a wide range of industries and services that make it one of the most important economic hubs in America. Its metropolitan area has a GDP of U$ 1 trillion, making it larger than the economies of some countries. It has a population of 4 million spread over a large sprawl. Apart from being home to the LA Lakers, the city is soaked in a wide range of offerings that would be expected of a modern metropolis. LA has hidden little nuggets like the world’s shortest train line. In the middle of the financial district you can find a great food market and a stunning book shop aptly named; The last book store. If you approach LA with no preconceived notions, it can be a city full of delights and discoveries.
LOS ANG AN
NGELES GELES
CAPE TO
If Johannesburg is called Africa’s New York then you could say that Cape Town is Africa’s San Francisco. It is a city by the ocean boasting fantastic natural elements and moody weather that can throw fog, rain and wind depending on how it feels. The city is highly progressive in its policies and represents one of the best cities in the world in terms of its lifestyle and natural offerings. It could also be referred to as the African Riviera. At its centre, you find the very active long street offering a wide selection of spaces to socialize and spend the day as well as night out. This is just around the corner from high rises belonging to the usual suspects; namely banks and financial institutions. The population of the Cape Town metropolitan area is estimated at 4.6 million. It is probably the most under-rated city in South Africa itself and around the region due to the large amount of information that focusses on its crime rate. This city arguably boasts a wealth of offerings in terms of entertainment, eateries, living spaces
OWN
and parks that are unrivaled on the entire African continent. South Africa in unique in Africa in that it is home to very strong cities spread throughout its territory, each being so well developed that they can if only certain parts of them are considered, easily match the offerings and quality of life of cities in the US and Europe. This familiarity has made South Africa the focus of most tourists coming to Southern Africa and of investment flowing into Sub-Saharan Africa. Cape town is a city that ranks as amazing on any current global ranking. Its beaches, colorful personalities and oceanic feel make it a city worth visiting and a pleasure to live in.
WINDHO SAN FRANCISCO
If Johannesburg is called Africa’s New York then you could say that Cape Town is Africa’s San Francisco. It is a city by the ocean with fantastic natural elements and moody weather that can throw fog, rain and wind depending on how it feels. The city is highly progressive in its policies and represents one of the best cities in the world in terms it natural offerings. For that it could also be referred to as the African Riviera. At its center the active long street offers a wide selection of spaces to socialize and spend the night out. The population of the Cape Town metropolitan area is estimated at 4.6 million. South in Unique in Africa in that it is home to very strong cities spread through its territory, each being so well developed that they can if only certain parts of them are considered easily match the offerings and quality of life of cities in the US and Europe. This familiarity has made South Africa the focus of most tourists coming to southern Africa and of investment flowing into Sub Saharan Africa. Cape town is a city that ranks as amazing in any current global ranking. Windhoek pronounced VINDHOOK is the capital of a young republic that was born
in 1990 after years of colonial rule by the only African country other than Morocco to have a colony; South Africa. This relationship has impacted the nature of development of this republic together with its former German colonial status before world War One. This gives a good number of the nation’s urban spaces a very German and South African influence in the direction of layout and structure of planning. Though over time the various town councils have made it their mission to incorporate more indigenous elements like replacing some of the German and formerly white rule street names with ones more reflective of the nation’s diversity with additions like Moses Tjitendero and Hidipo Hamutenya Streets. It is one of the few African countries where three generations of African leaders have passed on power with ease and no civil strife. First the founding president being the venerable Sam Nujoma, handing over to Hifikepunye Pohamba who then handed over to the third president Hage Geingob. This city is located in the centre of the country and is at a cross roads of highways leading to all four corners of the compass. This city has grown by a factor of three to four over the last 30 years alone, expanding outwards and developing new neighborhoods, industrial spaces and office parks. It had a population of 431,000 in 2020, up from a population of
OEK
just 139 000 in 1990. It is the most populated metropole and Namibia’s capital city. Though it should the noted that Namibia has a total population of 2.7 million by some estimates and is home to more cows and livestock than people, which coincidentally makes it home to some of the highest quality meat in the world. Next to South African cities, it boasts the most traffic lights, best looking homes and two of the largest hospitals on the African continent in just one city. Starting out with a third world status 30 years ago, the state has moved up to 2nd world status. It is perched at a high altitude of 1.7 km above sea level amongst a ring of mountains, making the property prices rise exponentially and shrinking the available space for dwellings as new developments go up. In some neighborhoods you might easily think that you are in Beverly hills given the sizes and styles of the homes. Like San Francisco some of its hilly streets will give your clutch some work. It stands as a city in flux and rapidly growing. Namibia has a large number of sunny days and rain is rare, this makes the country’s share of solar radiation and sunlight extreme in comparison to many places in Europe and America. With that solar radiation comes very high summer temperatures especially as one moves closer to the north and to the desert regions of the country. Windhoek is the least known city here but definitely one worth getting to know.
Brussels is the capital of the small country of Belgium, it is right in the heart of Western Europe ne Germany in the east and France in the west. It has been known to have been settled since the point it has a population estimated at 1.2 million. It is the head quarters of the European Union a Parliament which it shares with Strasbourg. Though an administrative city, it escapes the pitfalls of capitals in that it has a personality and is very livable. Belgium is the origin of many famous cartoo ists. Amongst them are the Smurfs, Tin Tin and the famous surrealist Magritte. Some of these chara buildings throughout Brussels.
It offers a large number of museums covering everything from exhibits of art to cars. The city has a port system that employs buses, trains and cycle lanes plus various Apps for electric scooters that Brussel’s super power is its charming balance of old European architecture and modern comme forms. Pleasantly art nouveau homes still dot the cityscape. Its residents make use of every sunny Brussels has lots of rainy days that trap them in doors. It has amazing parks for recreational activit are perfect for a walk or for having a picnic with friends and family. The city offers one of the large amongst global cities. It has the same European outside café scene that is a trait of many Western official languages are French, Flemish and Dutch but enough people speak English on various level survive.
BRUSSEL
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