Unseen City (Cape Town/Amsterdam)
“A unique project aimed at restoring the torn halves of two cities that have been both pulled apart, and conjoined by a shared history. Situated in the digital domain (intranet, web streaming, electronic and orthodox publication), Unseen City will evolve into a multi-author, multi-language publication – grounded in history and yet mindful of the propensity of youth to refigure issues of urbanity, culture, heritage and social inclusion…
So, what are the ‘unseen’ elements of Cape Town and Amsterdam? On one level, Cape Town is Amsterdam’s little sister in a geographic and urban planning sense. The 17th Century canals may have been filled in, but the macadamised streets still bear the trace of their Dutch heritage with names such as Buitengraacht, and Heerengraacht. Of all South African cities, Cape Town was the most resolutely tolerant, perhaps not unlike the reputation, more-or-less consistently enjoyed by Amsterdam. Both are important port cities, and, following the demise of apartheid, both are important tourist destinations.
On the other hand both cities throw up political questions around land and around housing. Cape Town especially is a city marked by spatial segregation. Themed urbanism jostles with make shift housing and new urbanites who lack even basic accommodation. Writing in respect of squatters (kraakpond), Nile Smith believes that future generations might well regard today’s squatters as having an enlightened vision about urban frontiers (Gill Doran, 2000 Archis # 5, 68).”
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