Love and loathing in Cape Town
Today, the platonic forms of the modernist, Corbusian-inspired Werdmuller Centre, by South African architect and urban designer Roelof Uytenbogaardt, stand against a background of decay in a neglected corner of Claremont, Cape Town. Controversial ever since its construction in the 1970s, the buildin...
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| Publicado no: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/abe, |
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| Autor principal: | |
| Formato: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Idioma: | Anglais |
| Publicado em: |
ABE Journal
2013
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| Assuntos: | |
| Acesso em linha: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| id |
openedition-oai:revues.org:abe_376 |
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| record_format |
openedition |
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OpenEdition Journal |
| language |
Anglais |
| format |
Article ou chapitre numérique |
| building |
0/Bibliothèque numérique/ 1/Bibliothèque numérique/OpenEdition Journals/ |
| topic |
heritage urban design modern architecture apartheid architecture moderne aménagement urbain apartheid patrimoine ordenación urbana arquitectura moderna patrimonio apartheid Moderne Architektur Städtebau Erbe Apartheid design urbano architettura moderna patrimonio apartheid |
| spellingShingle |
heritage urban design modern architecture apartheid architecture moderne aménagement urbain apartheid patrimoine ordenación urbana arquitectura moderna patrimonio apartheid Moderne Architektur Städtebau Erbe Apartheid design urbano architettura moderna patrimonio apartheid Murray, Noëleen Love and loathing in Cape Town |
| description |
Today, the platonic forms of the modernist, Corbusian-inspired Werdmuller Centre, by South African architect and urban designer Roelof Uytenbogaardt, stand against a background of decay in a neglected corner of Claremont, Cape Town. Controversial ever since its construction in the 1970s, the building is again the vortex of a dispute. It has been subject to a process of consideration for “heritage worthiness”, drawing public attention in the post-colonial, post-apartheid present to the contemporary significance of Uytenbogaardt’s work. Cape Town has been nominated World Design Capital in 2014, and the Werdmuller Centre, standing almost in ruins, exemplifies many of the tensions that exist over the presence of modernist design and buildings in the contemporary city. Occupying a site considered to have commercial development potential by its owners, its proposed demolition is opposed by architects who argue that the Werdmuller Centre deserves to be classified as “heritage”. As the building’s future hangs in the balance, the debates that have emerged since the announcement of intentions to demolish have become heightened in 2013, revealing the contested nature of modern architecture in post-apartheid South Africa. |
| author |
Murray, Noëleen |
| author_facet |
Murray, Noëleen |
| author_sort |
Murray, Noëleen |
| title |
Love and loathing in Cape Town |
| title_short |
Love and loathing in Cape Town |
| title_full |
Love and loathing in Cape Town |
| title_fullStr |
Love and loathing in Cape Town |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Love and loathing in Cape Town |
| title_sort |
love and loathing in cape town |
| publisher |
ABE Journal |
| publishDate |
2013 |
| container_title |
URI:https://journals.openedition.org/abe |
| url |
https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://doi.org/10.4000/abe.376 https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://journals.openedition.org/abe/376 |
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1877294532618354688 |
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openedition-oai:revues.org:abe_376 https://doi.org/10.4000/abe.376 urn:doi:10.4000/abe.376 en https://journals.openedition.org/abe/376 2013-03-01T01:00:00Z info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess article info:eu-repo/semantics/article urn:handle:20.500.13089/8iog https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Love and loathing in Cape Town ABE Journal InVisu info:eu-repo/semantics/reference/issn/2275-6639 URI:https://journals.openedition.org/abe Murray, Noëleen heritage urban design modern architecture apartheid Afrique du Sud Le Cap Afrique australe architecture moderne aménagement urbain apartheid patrimoine ordenación urbana arquitectura moderna patrimonio apartheid Moderne Architektur Städtebau Erbe Apartheid design urbano architettura moderna patrimonio apartheid Today, the platonic forms of the modernist, Corbusian-inspired Werdmuller Centre, by South African architect and urban designer Roelof Uytenbogaardt, stand against a background of decay in a neglected corner of Claremont, Cape Town. Controversial ever since its construction in the 1970s, the building is again the vortex of a dispute. It has been subject to a process of consideration for “heritage worthiness”, drawing public attention in the post-colonial, post-apartheid present to the contemporary significance of Uytenbogaardt’s work. Cape Town has been nominated World Design Capital in 2014, and the Werdmuller Centre, standing almost in ruins, exemplifies many of the tensions that exist over the presence of modernist design and buildings in the contemporary city. Occupying a site considered to have commercial development potential by its owners, its proposed demolition is opposed by architects who argue that the Werdmuller Centre deserves to be classified as “heritage”. As the building’s future hangs in the balance, the debates that have emerged since the announcement of intentions to demolish have become heightened in 2013, revealing the contested nature of modern architecture in post-apartheid South Africa. Die platonischen Formen des modernistischen, von Le Corbusier inspirierten Werdmuller Centre des südafrikanischen Architekten und Stadtplaners Roelof Uytenbogaardt heben sich heute von ihrem verfallenen Umfeld einer vernachlässigten Ecke von Claremont, Kapstadt ab. Das seit seiner Erbauung in den 1970er Jahren umstrittene Gebäude ist erneut in den Strudel einer Auseinandersetzung geraten. Als Gegenstand eines Evaluierungsverfahrens seines Denkmalwerts hat es die öffentliche Aufmerksamkeit der postkolonialen Post-Apartheid-Gegenwart auf die zeitgenössische Bedeutung Uytenbogaardts Arbeit gelenkt. Kapstadt ist 2014 zur Welthauptstadt des Designs ernannt worden und das fast zur Ruine verfallene Werdmuller Centre ist ein Beispiel für die Spannungen, die es angesichts von vorhandenem modernistischen Design und Architektur in der gegenwärtigen Stadt gibt. Es steht auf einem Gelände, das aus Sicht der Eigentümer gewerbliches Entwicklungspotenzial besitzt. Der vorgeschlagene Abriss wird von Architekten abgelehnt, die empfehlen, das Werdmuller Centre unter Denkmalschutz zu stellen. Die Zukunft des Gebäudes ist ungewiss, die Diskussion ist seit Bekanntwerden der Abrisspläne 2013 lauter geworden und zeigt den umstrittenen Charakter moderner Architektur im Südafrika nach dem Ende der Apartheid. Hoy en día las formas platónicas del Centro modernista Werdmuller, inspirado en Le Corbusier y obra del arquitecto y urbanista surafricano Roelof Uytenbogaardt, se erigen con un trasfondo de decadencia en una esquina olvidada de Claremont, Ciudad del Cabo. Polémico desde su construcción en la década de los 70, hoy el edificio vuelve a estar en el ojo del huracán. Se ha evaluado si es «digno de ser considerado patrimonio», llamando la atención del público del presente post-colonial y post-apartheid sobre la importancia contemporánea de la obra de Uytenbogaardt. Ciudad del Cabo fue elegida capital mundial del diseño en 2014 y el Centro Werdmuller, prácticamente en ruinas, es un claro ejemplo de muchas de las tensiones existentes sobre la presencia del diseño y los edificios modernistas en la ciudad contemporánea. El Centro Werdmuller ocupa un solar cuyos propietarios revindican su potencial comercial. Los arquitectos se oponen a su demolición, y sostienen que el Centro Werdmuller merece figurar en el patrimonio de la ciudad. Mientras el futuro del edificio pende de un hilo, la polémica surgida desde el anuncio de las intenciones de demoler el edificio se intensificaron en 2013, poniendo de manifiesto hasta qué punto es cuestionada la arquitectura moderna de la Sudáfrica posterior al apartheid. De nos jours, le Centre Werdmuller, œuvre de l’architecte et urbaniste sudafricain Roelof Uytenbogaardt, à la forme platonique et moderniste inspirée par Le Corbusier, tranche avec son environnement, un quartier délaissé et délabré de Claremont au Cap. Ce bâtiment, à l’origine d’une controverse lors de sa construction dans les années 1970, est de nouveau au centre d’un débat. Le processus d’évaluation pour « intérêt patrimonial » dont il a fait l’objet a attiré l’attention publique de notre époque postcoloniale et post-apartheid sur la signification contemporaine du travail d’Uytenbogaardt. La ville du Cap a été nommée Capitale mondiale du design en 2014 et le centre Werdmuller, presqu’en ruine, est emblématique des tensions existantes à l’égard du design et des bâtiments modernistes dans la ville contemporaine. La démolition du Centre Werdmuller, situé sur un emplacement considéré par ses propriétaires comme ayant un potentiel commercial, est contestée par des architectes qui soutiennent le fait que le bâtiment mérite d’être classé. Le futur du bâtiment est encore incertain et le débat en cours depuis l’annonce du projet de destruction s’est intensifié en 2013, révélant le caractère contesté de l’architecture moderne dans l’Afrique du Sud après l’abolition de l’apartheid. Il Centro Werdmuller dell’architetto sudafricano Roelof Uytenbogaardt, dalla forma platonica e modernista ispirata al design architettonico di Le Corbusier, si staglia oggi su uno sfondo di decadenza in un angolo dimenticato di Claremont, a Cape Town. L’edificio, oggetto di controversie fin dalla sua costruzione negli anni Settanta, si trova ancora una volta al centro di un dibattito. Da quando la possibilità di dichiararlo patrimonio culturale è stata presa in considerazione, ciò ha attirato l’attenzione di un pubblico post-coloniale e post-apartheid sul valore contemporaneo dell’opera di Uytenbogaardt. Cape Town è stata nominata Capitale mondiale del design nel 2014, e il Werdmuller Centre, quasi in rovina, riassume in sé molte tensioni che esistono intorno alla presenza di design e edifici modernisti nella città contemporanea. La demolizione del Werdmuller Centre, eretto su un sito che i proprietari ritengono abbia un potenziale di sviluppo commerciale, è osteggiata da alcuni architetti che rivendicano che il centro meriterebbe di essere catalogato come patrimonio culturale. Il futuro dell’edificio è ancora incerto e il dibattito emerso dopo l’annuncio delle intenzioni di demolizione si è intensificato nel 2013, mostrando la natura conflittuale dell’architettura moderna nel Sudafrica post-apartheid. |