Delhi choosing high-rise over consultative planning despite national consensus on slums
Going against the national government’s own best practices and the consensus of urban planners worldwide, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) continues to shift thriving urban communities into lifeless high-rise residential towers, ignorant of the economic base the existing neighbouroods provide to their residents, as Greg Randolph shows in Govindpuri.
Cities for Everybody: Walking the Jane Jacobs Effect in Buenos Aires
In the urban planning circles of the United States, no historical figure embodies both the historical mythos and current trends that have become so important to the new urbanist movement more than Jane Jacobs. Today her thinking is credited with eventually pulling New York City out of its Taxi Driver slump in the 60s and 70s and making it the dream city of all 20 somethings fresh out of college nationwide, and her book The Death and Life of American Cities is considered a classic. But how does her ideology apply to other regions with their radically different cultures, federal policies, and urban fabric?
Media Release: Future Cape Town Urban Design Policy Workshop Proceedings
On the 11th of May 2013, Future Cape Town co-hosted a discussion along with the Cape Town Institute for Architecture on the newly released for commentary Cape Town Urban Design Policy. This afternoon session took place at the offices for the Cape Town Institute for Architecture and included urban design and architecture professionals from local government, planning, development and architecture organizations, as well as researchers from Future Cape Town.
Media Release: Future Cape Town urges a firm stand and leadership against urban sprawl
On the 2nd of May 2013, Future Cape Town hosted its first Summit on the topic of Urban Sprawl in Cape Town. This mid-morning session took place at the at the Protea Breakwater Lodge Hotel, and hosted a small gathering of local government officials, urban developers and planners, as well as academics. The aim of the Summit, in light of recent developments in the city, was to create a forum to discuss the contentious issue of urban sprawl, and formulate a way to facilitate sustainable spatial urban growth in the City.
Press Release: Close to 50% vote to ‘demolish’ the Foreshore Freeways
On Friday 17 May, curious onlookers and pedestrians were drawn to a bright yellow modular box structure in the centre of Church Square in the Cape Town CBD. The structure known as the Your City Idea Project is a ballot box installation that was created to breakaway from the traditional techniques of gathering information from the public while at the same time facilitating meaningful public engagement on social and urban issues.
Insights from the African Urban Summit
The Urban Intelligence Unit of Future Cape Town recently attended the Africa Urban Infrastructure Summit held in Cape Town on April 22-23. Our researchers report back on their insights on the conference presentations and the ideas discussed during the summit.
City Development Update: Touchstone House
Portside and 22 Bree seems to have been a catalyst for new developments in Cape Town’s growing foreshore. Work has started on Touchstone House, a newly launched sectional title office development in lower Bree Street, diagonally across the road from both Portside and 22 Bree. The scheme incorporates the old Touchstone warehouse facade, built in 1895. The warehouse occupied the site until it was gutted in a fire a few years ago. The estimated cost of the development is around R200 million.
Media Statement: Wescape and the future of Cape Town
Future Cape Town was party to a packed meeting hosted by the African Centre for Cities (ACC) at the Cape Institute for Architecture (CIA) on Wednesday night at which Wescape’s defenders were able to take questions from professionals of the built environment.
Media Alert: Vote with ‘Your City Idea’ on Church Square
[ May 17, 2013; 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. ] After another satisfactory run at Cape Town International Airport, the bright yellow ballot box will return to the CBD area where citizens can come and take a minute or two of their time to vote on two urban issues. On Friday 17 May, members of the public can make their way to Church Square ,situated at Spin Street and Parliament Street between 9am and 3pm .
In Photos: Green Point Athletics Stadium
In Photos: Green Point Athletics Stadium with its blue track is almost complete.
