DEUTSCHE BANK URBAN AGE AWARD ENTRY

CITIES WILL NO LONGER BE SIMPLY LINEAR AND CAUSAL...

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SENTINEL INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL CAPE TOWN PARTNERSHIP CAPE TOWN TOURISM WESTERN CAPE PREMIER CITY OF CAPE TOWN RICKY LEE ROCK GIRL
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ACCELERATE CAPE TOWN

FUTURE CAPE TOWN

CAPE TOWN PARTNERSHIP

BRIAN WILLIAMS (MEDIATOR)

HANGBERG COMMUNITY

CITIZEN

PROPOSED PARTNERSHIP MODEL -

The city will no longer be simply linear and causal, but will have a communicative structure shaped by differences, individualities and irrationalities. The city will change from within rather than from a plan imposed from above. The form may very well appear to be a distortion, wrenching and twisting away from what is already there. - Daniel Libeskind, Architect Cape Town is no ordinary city. In a post-conflict South Africa, it has endured growing pains in its attempts to progress from one of the most spatially, socially and economically divided cities, to a city of prosperous unity. Without a partnership model that actively engages all the citys stakeholders, Cape Towns progress has, and will continue, to stagnate the successful implementation of urban innovations that improve our citys liveability. However, the building of such partnerships- with multiple tiers of government in the public sector; various economic agents of the private sector; and ultimately, every citizen- has become more complex in a rapidly changing environment. This requires a dynamic model of partnerships- one that adapts, moulds and sustains. These partnerships, as purported in Liebeskinds statement, must consolidate the strengths of all stakeholders; from the artist and the policy-maker to the tourism-body, and the local school. Who we are? Future Cape Town is a diverse collection of minds that are driven by sustainable and innovative ways to address modern urban design challenges. United by a shared interest in urban projects that show potential to inspire a more liveable city, a group of professionally diverse, yet generationalyl connected young citizens have been encouraging public conversation under the banner, Future Cape Town on social media (@futurecapetown) and at our website http://www.futurecapetow.com. Our team consists of a group of 8 professionally diverse individuals from fields which include architecture, engineering, finance, strategy, branding and communications.

1. A dynamic partnership for urban Liveability

Our entry into the Deutsche Bank Urban Age Award is the Future Cape Town model of dynamic partnerships, to accelerate liveability across the metropolitan region of Cape Town. Our aim is to achieve this by fostering cooperation and collaboration between; an inspired and active citizenry, a reliable and innovative government and public sector, and a private sector willing to invest in projects which can accelerate urban change. The establishment of a formal, and community or region specific public-private partnership requires a solid foundation built on the relationship between government and the private sector. The Cape Town Partnership model is evidence of the benefits of the partnership model when the right people are on board and committed to the end goal of revitalization and regeneration. The Future Cape Town model is thus envisioned as having metropolitan wide impact by facilitating, researching and strategizing the right model for the community in focus. Unlike other public-private partnerships, this model will be project specific rather than region specific. Future Cape Town would therefore act as the gel or enabling agent for facilitating and co-ordinating such a partnership structure, working on specific projects and initiatives across communities, engaging the right stakeholders to ensure implementation. While our model is aligned to work alongside location specific public-private partnership(s) e.g. the Cape Town Partnership, it is our view that the delivery and implementation of projects which promote liveability should not be entirely contingent on the creation of such an organization in a community, town or city. The role of Future Cape Town in our partnership model will amongst others be focused on the following areas;

a. New terms of engagement: promoting open lines of communications between all partners, igniting an active citizenry using new media e.g. social media and using specialist consultants to act as mediators or co-ordinators to create transparent engagement with communities. b. Trust and credibility: by ensuring the right partners are on board to safeguard the use of public and private financing and through smaller pilot projects to build a track record and environment of trust. c. A functioning partnership ecosystem: using sound strategy to design the partnership ecosystem, researching and understanding the policy or regulatory environment in which our stakeholder map exists and playing a co-ordination and oversight role to ensure this eco-system continues to function optimally. d. Applying sound design principles: by using evidence and a combination of local and global case studies, using a people centred approach in all design aspects (including financing) and applying our knowledge in multiple fields to complex problems. e. A strong existing brand: continuing to focus on broadening the Future Cape Town brand, using the strength of co-branding (e.g. with Cape Town Tourism( to build a broader platform for marketing and promotion, and using the brand as a gel to bring partners together, while promoting their individual identities and goals.

2. Our case study: The Hangberg Revitalization Project Our$site$to$pilot$our$partnership$model,$is$a$playground$on$Rhode$Vos$Road$in$Hangberg.$(See$photographs$ 1<3)

The community of Hangberg was born out of the implementation of the Group Areas Act (1950) in1956, when approximately 2 percent of land in the fishing village of Hout Bay was allocated to the coloured fishing community. Given the history of the community, and more recently the conflict between citizens, community organizations and government, the role of consultation with the community (and in fact all stakeholders) is vital. The subsequent Peace Accord signed on 20 September 2011, provides an environment in which such consultation can proceed, a key element in our partnership model. Our draft concept for this partnership (see Visual Graphic 1) is therefore fully aware of the delicate nature in which this pilot project must exist and thrive. Already, we have the support of influential public-private organizations such as the Cape Town Partnership and Cape Town Tourism, with additional support of the Premier of the Western Cape, Helen Zille, and other organizations suited to this specific model. As a medium term project, more partners and supporters will be brought on board through formal and informal discussions. By selecting a project small in scale, but challenging in terms of community engagement, the aim would be to scale up this model to tackle larger urban challenges, projects and sites in future.

3. Design Principles
The Hangberg Revitalization Project is a community led social space that aims to provide a symbol of pride and peace for the community. Central to the design are ideas incorporating concepts of safety and violence prevention; community interaction, gathering and expression; and a beacon of hope, peace and community identity. To make these abstract concepts tangible the design includes a few distinct features. Primarily, the design focuses on providing a space for positive development and interaction of children. The main infrastructure is therefore aimed at them. Standard playground attractions will be included as well as structures and games that enhance learning and cooperation. As a part of this thinking it is vital that children are partaking in the entire development process of the space, so that it best embodies their wishes. In an attempt not to alienate any community members, a democratic space is envisioned where the space is for everyone and by everyone.

One of such drawing factors is the integration of a drying yard. By giving people a space to perform a domestic activity, it brings them out of their personal space and provides them with the opportunity to socialise with their children as well as other members of the community. By drawing adults to the space and thus increasing its visibility, the hope is that it will invite open discussion, interaction and cooperation. Finally, the principle drawing the entire site together and weaving it into the community is that we would like it to instil a sense of pride in the community. We would like a structure to symbolize this, which is as of now, a horizontal cube, providing a glowing symbol of hope and reconciliation. The wall adjacent to the covered space becomes a record of the struggles of the community. The memory of sea is symbolically represented by the movement of drying yard laundry blowing in the wind.

4. Benefits to community
The Hangberg Project is not intended to produce benefits solely for the community. The rejuvenated park will form not just a safe playground, but a reconciliatory ground that promotes peace amongst a community in on-going conflict. Hop-scotch games that pave the way to recycling bins will make recycling fun; murals depicting the history of the region will make wall-art educational; flowerbeds will become horticultural beds for community-owned urban farms; and washing lines as park fencing will allow parents to keep a watchful eye on their children whilst still doing their chores. Family safety and unity- two paramount concerns of the people of Hangberg- are addressed through such unconventional playground add-ons. From a design perspective, the proposed rejuvenation of this playground would give Hangberg a self-image boost, which could stimulate similar improvements to neighbouring buildings and pubic areas. With the support of Cape Town Tourism, a revitalized park would attract more visitors, who, in turn, attract more entrepreneurial opportunities in and around the park. These small improvements and renovations, once aggregated, produce an environment that supports the holistic development of the individual, the family and the community, in turn.

5. Bringing it all together A commitment liveable communities of the future

Beyond the proposed upgrade of the Hangberg Playground to create a safe space for the community to play, to gather, and to grow; there are many opportunities for the space and its surroundings going into the future. The playground may be a catalyst for building a resilient, liveable community. The playground can play an increasing role as a place for outdoor, hands-on learning. In collaboration with the Sentinel Intermediate School, learning landscapes can make use of games to teach the local youth mathematics and other subjects. Children can also be taught to grow fresh produce in food gardens around the playground, learning valuable skills and providing the community with nutritional food. Furthermore, the playground can act as a hub for an incentivised recycling system like TrashBack. The site also lends itself to economic opportunity, which is incredibly important given the vulnerability of a community dependent on employment in fisheries. The area surrounding the playground already plays a commercial function, with a number of spaza shops in containers lining the street. With future MyCiTi bus stops just down the road, the site will become more accessible to citizens and tourists to enjoy. The medium to long term view of the Future Cape Town partnership model, commits us to this and several other communities and sites, long after the project is complete. Our partnership may very well appear to be a distortion, wrenching and twisting away from what is already there, but with full documentation and cross-sector commitment will offer a unique platform in delivering a more liveable Cape Town.