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Following the Ancestors: Six Moments in a Genealogy of Urban Design and Heritage in the City of Cape Town

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Abstract

In 2014, Cape Town is celebrating its design in all its forms, having been voted the World Design Capital (WDC). The hopeful rhetoric of the city as ultimate holiday destination, African creative metropolis, prime global-events location or city of freedom indicates powerful cultural discourses at work. In this paper, I will give a series of insights into the links between colonial modernity, on the one hand, and the origins of contemporary discourses of urban design and heritage in Cape Town, on the other. I intend to discuss the function of official discourse concerning the design of the city as well as the sudden eruptions that disturb these constructs. I point to the recurrent patterns and moments in which design is made plain and unspoken. I will trace the genealogy of official or top-down design and heritage discourses as well as the moments or movements that are at odds with or embarrass this official discourse.

Résumé

Le Cap célèbre, en 2014, son design sous toutes ses formes après avoir été désignée Capitale mondiale du design (WDC). La rhétorique pleine d’espoir de la ville en tant que destination de vacances par excellence, métropole créative d’Afrique, emplacement de choix pour les événements internationaux et ville de liberté indique l’effet de discours culturels éloquents. Dans cet article, je vais vous livrer un certain nombre d’observations sur les liens entre la modernité coloniale, d’une part, et les origines des discours contemporains du design urbain et du patrimoine au Cap, d’autre part. J’entends aborder la fonction du discours officiel sur le design de la ville ainsi que les éruptions soudaines qui perturbent ces constructions. Je signale les tendances récurrentes et les moments où le design est clair et implicite. Je retracerai l’histoire du design officiel ou imposé d’en haut, les discours sur le patrimoine ainsi que les moments ou les mouvements en contradiction avec ce discours officiel ou qui l’embarrassent.

Resumen

Durante 2014, Cape Town está celebrando su diseño en todas sus formas, al haber sido votada la Capital del Diseño Mundial (WDC, del inglés World Design Cup). La prometedora retórica de la ciudad como máximo destino vacacional, metrópolis creativa africana, supremo lugar de eventos mundiales o ciudad de la libertad indica potentes discursos culturales en marcha. En el presente documento, ofreceré una serie de ideas sobre los vínculos entre la modernidad colonial, por un lado, y los orígenes de los discursos contemporáneos de diseño urbano y patrimonio en Cape Town, por otro. Mi intención es analizar la función del discurso oficial relativo al diseño de la ciudad, así como también las súbitas erupciones que perturban estos constructos. Señalo los patrones y momentos recurrentes en los que el diseño se hace puro y tácito. Seguiré el rastro de la genealogía del diseño oficial o de arriba a abajo y de los discursos patrimoniales así como también de los momentos o movimientos que están en desacuerdo con este discurso oficial o que le ponen en evidencia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Christian Ernsten

  2. Balistraat 140D, 1094 JW, Amsterdam, Netherlands

    Christian Ernsten

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  1. Christian Ernsten
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Correspondence to Christian Ernsten.

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Ernsten, C. Following the Ancestors: Six Moments in a Genealogy of Urban Design and Heritage in the City of Cape Town. Arch 10, 108–131 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11759-014-9254-7

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