Africa Desk - V&A Waterfront : case of alternative planning and development from South Africa
Written by Ming Cheng Linkedin
The history of Cape town waterfront
Having arrived at Cape town, South Africa after a long transit flight from Singapore through Abu Dhabi, followed by a night Coach from Johannesburg to Cape town. One cannot stop being amazed by the natural assets this place poses. Blessed with a temperate climate that produces some of the best wine and agricultural products in the world. The city attracts tourists year-round. Some immediately bought into the city as a place for their holiday retreat, at times even retirement home.
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| Cape town and Table mountain |
Cape town, also known as the mother city in South Africa, is sitting at the southern tip of the African continent. With table mountain as its backdrop, the city naturally developed along the spaces available between the sea and its mountains backdrop, also known as the city bowl. The history of cape town’s waterfront could be broken up into the following historical stages:
● Pre-colonial
● Colonial
● 20th century
● Today
In the pre-colonial era, with its abundance of natural resources, the Khoekhoe tribes have long been grazing their cattle in this area of table bay and its surrounding land. Up until the European discovery of this strategic location, The Europeans soon set up informal settlements and trading posts in and around the coastal spaces.
In the 1650s, The Dutch East India Company “VOC”, formally established this location as a halfway refueling station, known as the Cape of Good Hope. In the years thereafter, the location became ever more fortified, following a competition between the Dutch and British; the British and French. The fortification of this location and its strategic importance continued to grow throughout its colonial development history.
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| Defensive posts locations, protecting the city |
In the 20th century, The union government between the British and the Dutch at the time-shifted their focus toward industrialization and commerce. The majority of the city's waterfront development happened in the 1930s and 1940s, which saw 230 ha of reclamation extended. Along with its associated city transport and harbour’s infrastructure development, we see today.
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| waterfront and sea reclamation in the 1940’s |
In 1988, The Victoria and Albert Waterfront company was established, In order to develop the historical dockland basin into a mixed-use district, while retaining its operation as a working harbour with the newly reclaimed modern harbour right next to it.
Today, the waterfront company has master planned the whole waterfront into different districts; each district with its own distinctive identities anchored around development done at different stages. The waterfront boundaries extend up to 123Ha, working harmoniously with the port authority Transnet. With current development success, it has plans to further increase its developable area both on land and into the seas around its current boundaries.
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| Different districts and key buildings within V&A waterfront |
The waterfront company and its hard and soft development
My trip to South Africa came out of an involvement with an ex-schoolmate who currently works as an NGO in the upcycle space. Partnership with the likes of tertiary institutions, art museums, and different communities. His project was part of V&A’s sustainable drive in repurposing V&A’s existing heritage structures while reusing salvaged building materials towards the creation of a new prototype food pavilion with alternative design and building methodologies. Showcasing more than 90% of its building materials being reused from the demolished buildings within the waterfront that would otherwise go into landfill at the city fringe.
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| Location of demolished and repurposed projects within the waterfront |
From my initial involvement and basic understanding of the waterfront area. I then took the opportunity to speak to others who are in the planning and running of the waterfront and its various initiatives. Through our conversation, I came to note the following points of potential interest. One, is the heritage and development of authentic Identities. Two, addressing city issues within its capability. Three, the need to bridge the communities through inclusive programs.
Simply by walking through any part of the waterfront district, one can immediately notice many of the repurposed buildings and spaces built at different times throughout the district. Partly due to laws in South Africa governing buildings older than 60 years of age with the status of heritage importance. Partly derived from the care and sensitivity of the custodians who worked within the waterfront planning team. The result is authenticity at its best. By highlighting the waterfront district as a place of historical importance. Safeguarding these collective architectural heritages. Tourists and different communities alike are able to connect, exchange and appreciate.
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| Waterfront heritage buildings |
Secondly, in addressing the larger national issues within its jurisdiction and capability. The waterfront company is jointly owned by public pension funds and a publicly listed property company.
acting as the master developer in addressing various difficulties experienced by everyday South Africans. From water and power rationing. To safety concerns, and the need for job creation. Using limited spaces and resources available, the company is in pursuit of gaining greater self-sufficiency from abrupt city utilities and city service provision.
One success story is about the security provision at the waterfront. The company has managed to denounce road closure in the earlier days, during the time when South Africa’s security was worsening. It avoided becoming an isolated enclave, by maintaining a fluid connection with the city’s public and private transport network. At the same time, thanks to its well-trained security staff, these securities working in the background aim to not intimidate the general public. Avoided creating a sense of fear within the waterfront environment by showing off heavy weaponry, creating imagery of heightened security. Achieving safety and security for its residents and tenants has helped the waterfront to attract a large number of MNCs to locate its HQ within.
Lastly, the Waterfront has acknowledged its location and development within has brought about different criticism and controversies. from the opening of the first African art museum, being inaccessible to the wider poorer community. Job opportunities are mostly only available to the highly skilled population of the upper middle-income classes; such as accounting, law and tech professionals. Out of such acknowledgment. Various initiatives have come out targeting the above-mentioned concerns with a heightened sense of inclusivity.
By addressing the skills divide, and creating more opportunities for the SMME. Waterfront has created different platforms for entrepreneurs to tap into. Focusing on the industries with lower access thresholds. Such as agriculture through the “OZCF organic market”. Food and beverage industry, through “V&A food market” to art and craft, through “Watershed”. Providing spaces and common sharing facilities at lower leasing costs. But with a profit-sharing model, aiming for co-success, tieing tenants with the owners. While adding synergy with the likes of “workshop 17”, Where co-work space gives tech startups the platform to help local small businesses to align with the wider global market. And should it prove successful at the waterfront, businesses can scale up at a much lower cost through “Makers landing” with common industrial-scale kitchen, and cooking class facilities as business accelerators for the food and beverage entrepreneurs.
One other initiative is the creation of a creative testing platform called “solve”, with the support of the waterfront. It aims to work with the waterfront as a "safe lab" to test ideas, innovate, refine and prototype to be ready for the market. Addressing issues of a greater social environmental impact otherwise would not have been addressed within the immediate business cycles.
Outside the immediate boundaries of the waterfront, I see many other initiatives from the annual street art events and partnerships with “Baz Art” and “Free walk tour” for district regeneration. To private design efforts in creating memorable experiences at food markets, cafes, and hotels
In 2014, Cape town won the bi-annual award of world design capital. As the first African cities to have gained such acknowledgment. Selected from the original 56 cities in the list, shortlisted with the likes of Dublin and Bilbao. Winning such an honor gives Capetown a boost of confidence and aligns itself with the rest of global knowledge economies. This award acknowledges the city's effort in providing design solutions that address its social, economic, and cultural concerns with deep understanding and user sensitivity
Reflection on efficiency, inclusivity, and identity
Coming back to Singapore. With the latest LTPR (long-term planning review) currently underway for public engagement. I find this to be the perfect timing for us to relook into our ultra-efficient development methodologies. I believe there are many new opportunities that exist within the inclusive spaces, from the ageing population to new migrants and younger generations of Singaporeans who grew up with different aspirations.
With Singapore now closing to 60 years of its independent history, many buildings and spaces are beginning to age with potential for heritage consideration. Our job as planners is to identify these spaces and places with the possibility as memory markers, and authentic district anchors.
Places such as the greater southern waterfront may serve as our next great opportunities.
Perhaps in our next stages of development, we can re-examine alternative development methods. Not just about nostalgia for our ageing communities, but without a sense of loss and demise from our very own efficiently developed planning and development methodologies. With the potential for the tourists to venture beyond our CBD, Santosa or Mandai in search of authenticity and that human touch with great stories to tell, coming from our future communities.
Given the chances for our next LTPR, I would strongly suggest we planners should step beyond our physical and spatial realm. In preparation for our next stage of planning which will be flexible for engagement, involving:
1. Identify socially impactful, long-term non-profit initiatives.
2. Inclusive skills development, with tech only as a facilitator.
3. Formulating identity through art, heritage, and history curation
I started off with the aim of understanding the current state of social economic development and potential planning opportunities that exist in South Africa. Overtime through deeper interaction with the people on the ground. I come to realize that planning and design in its physical and spatial sense are no longer adequate. Especially for many developing nations in the global south, and southeast Asia countries alike. If we planners can manage our next planning reviews with the aim of being the development exemplar for our neighbours. With greater flexibility and sensibility in our understanding of the communities and their social and economic concerns. I believe Singapore’s next stage of planning can gain much greater traction for our region during these uncertain times.
Ref: V&A
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