Woodstock, Cape Town - urban rejuvenation - the South African way

Once (1884) the third largest town in South-Africa, by now one of the oldest neighborhoods of Cape Town, Woodstock is a vibrant example of creative urban rejuvenation in the region. Woodstock used to be a fashionable seaside resort until the massive industrialization of the 1950s. From 1859 the first South-African railway connected Woodstock (probably at that time still called New Brighton) to Cape Town. Hence it became an even more popular seaside destination and also a new center of light industry, attracting a new population of workers and artisans to settle down on the eastern slope of Devil’s Peak.

photo by leschick flickr cape town. live it. love it.

It was one of the few areas in the city which escaped apartheid’s Group Areas Act and stayed multiracial along the years. By the end of the 20th century it completely lost its former charm: it has been completely cut off from the shore by the railway, the enormous industrial port and the newly developed highway. While the other inner neighborhoods of the city have been all declared ‘whites only’ areas (in some cases completely demolished, like the adjacent District 6) Woodstock gave the chance to many colored and black people to stay close to the center and for all of its residents to live in an unsegregated environment. Despite the racial and cultural diversity, for the beginning of 21st century, it was a neglected area of town, with the remnants of Victorian cottages and untended warehouses, flourishing crime and drug trafficking.

Courtyard in The Old Biscuit Mill

The changes in Woodstock in the last decade are in many ways very similar to other gentrification examples of industrial slum areas in big cities. The potential of the district with its good location, diverse historical assets and low real estate prices naturally first draw the attention of artists, upcoming galleries and creative enterprises.

The Old Biscuit Mill (photo: smartcapetownebook.wordpress.com)

Nevertheless the similarities, the story of Woodstock did not become a cliché like urban revival. By now the urban fabric seems to be intact, most of the residents stayed ‘on site’ but what definitely has happened is: many former warehouses or industrial buildings were transformed into studios, a few prestigious art galleries relocated (Whatiftheworld, Goodman Gallery, Stevenson) to Woodstock, The Old Biscuit Mill, former biscuit factory – actually the starting point of the rejuvenation process with its gourmet outdoor market founded by the owners of Whatiftheworld – has been completely renovated. Now it is housing several design stores, studios and most probably the best restaurant in Cape Town, The Test Kitchen run by renowned chef Luke Dale-Roberts. Woodstock became a No.1 destination for food enthusiast in the Cape. Not only because of the exceptional Neighbourgoods Market and fine restaurants but more because of places like The Kitchen – just opposite the Stevenson Gallery - the café of Karen Dudley, another fine chef, who also lives in Woodstock This café literally grew out of Dudley’s kitchen, where earlier she operated her small catering company and became the most informative and appealing place for fine dining with really excellent food.

The Kitchen - interior (photo: food-blog.co.za)

Furthermore what makes Woodstock a special place is the astonishing harmony of contradictions. Beyond the dingy, faded facades of Sir Lowry Road it is hard to recognize the difference between the spots of high culture and well maintained scrap yards; it is even more difficult if we are looking at vintage furniture or mysterious framing workshops.

Paris Pictus by Robin Rhode in Stevenson Gallery (photo:stevenson.info)

There is an atmosphere all around where you can never know which door hides secret treasures of culture or else, so it compels you to knock on every door. Meanwhile the community is getting slowly stronger, newer and newer initiatives appear (like the redevelopment of the local, run down Trafalgar Park). The participants of the urban development even if having unbelievably different backgrounds - are more than aware of each other (question if it might be a common South African phenomenon more than 20 years after the end of the apartheid era).

Interior The Old Biscuit Mill (photo: futurecapetown.com IndigoProperties)

It seems they understand and accept each other and perhaps this is what makes the transformation credible. It validates the advertisement of the trendy Woodstock Lounge next to a petition about the importance of operating only legitimate scrap yards, in the local newspaper. It makes the vibrant weekend market and cool works of Robin Rhode (South African artist, based in Berlin, exhibited right now in Stevenson gallery) just natural next to the dusty side roads, honking minivan taxis and ramshackle residential buildings.

Street view Albert Road

Links:
ILOVEWOODSTOCK
Black hat and Nimbus
Why Cape Town's Woodstock Rocks - TIME Travel
Woodstock
A Woodstock revival in Cape Town - BBC Travel