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.
A következő címkéjű bejegyzések mutatása: in english. Összes bejegyzés megjelenítése
A következő címkéjű bejegyzések mutatása: in english. Összes bejegyzés megjelenítése
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.
The AJ Writing Prize 2012
This is an essay made for The AJ Writing Prize organized by The Architects' Journal.
Do architects have a duty beyond satisfying the demands of the client?
In a professional environment which is developed and matured in a balanced way in its social, economical and political context, where actors are fully aware of the profession’s complex mission, interests and boundaries, the main role of the practising architect would be to satisfy the client’s demands and no one would have problem with this. It would not be a question of wider or deeper consideration. It would be a trivia as much as the role of a lawyer is to represent his or her client’s interest. No one is questioning this simple fact but all agree this is not the only duty of a lawyer. Of course in this idealistic professional environment these demands would not be opposed to the countless other aspects of architecture than client’s needs. Further more, as default, these demands would meet the requirements of architecture’s social, technical, mental, urban and all other considerations.
In a professional environment which is developed and matured in a balanced way in its social, economical and political context, where actors are fully aware of the profession’s complex mission, interests and boundaries, the main role of the practising architect would be to satisfy the client’s demands and no one would have problem with this. It would not be a question of wider or deeper consideration. It would be a trivia as much as the role of a lawyer is to represent his or her client’s interest. No one is questioning this simple fact but all agree this is not the only duty of a lawyer. Of course in this idealistic professional environment these demands would not be opposed to the countless other aspects of architecture than client’s needs. Further more, as default, these demands would meet the requirements of architecture’s social, technical, mental, urban and all other considerations.
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2012
image: inhabitat
Ever since the fact hit the news that Ai Weiwei and Herzog & de Meuron are designing this year’s summer pavilion of Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens I was really curious about the result. Not because of the big names but because of this image about them ‘designing the new pavilion for Serpentine’.
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