Arches in architecture lets winds flow like in a forest
AS FAR back as 1999 when Cape Town was contemplating hosting the 2004 Olympics, I wrote to the Cape Times as well as the City with proposals of reconnecting the City to the sea by including my interpretation of how archways rather than concrete pylons should be incorporated into the elevated freeway, particularly over the Heerengracht and the main entrance to the V&A Waterfront.
Archways create welcoming connections and entry ways, visually attractive compared with the usual industrial concrete “barrier” supports.
As for the article published by the Cape Institute for Architecture of SA (March 9) I disagree with some of the points.
I have for many years been disappointed in the mundane and boring architecture surrounding the beautiful city of Cape Town, such as the CTICC, which has blocked the view of Table Mountain from the elevated freeway replaced by a monolithic ugly roof.
The winning bid indicates tall thin buildings with spaces in between which do not create such barriers disguising the highway, and unlike the monstrous Civic Centre, wind flows more readily around them like giant trees in a forest.
A quarter of a century since the demise of apartheid to still make use of it as Kevin Ghadd (president of CIfA) has, to promote one’s views (rhetoric), amazes me as we can clearly see from our politicians lately that racism and even genocide is continuously advocated and perpetuated, and it’s up to private individuals to create an exiting vibrant city.
As for the need of the elevated freeway completion, already 20 years behind commuting needs, there is nothing more paramount in commencing this project.
Congestion in and out of the city at any time of day is now at a complete frustrating counter productive standstill, despite millions of MyCiTi passenger ticket sales.
For any city to function, public and private transport need to complement rather than compromise each other.