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Youth employment and entrepreneurship: Moulding our heritage
“…We obviously pay too little attention to the operation of this great compact that must hold us together. It needs to operate at a national level, but will work best when every part of each community takes responsibility. It cannot function without the devotedness of active citizens that the National Development Plan speaks of…” Trevor Manuel gave this lecture in Stellenbosch as part of the Heritage Day celebrations.
Historical bells in the Western Cape
Tertius de Wet, Pieta van Deventer (both from the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Stellenbosch University) and Jef Teugels (from the Department of Mathematics, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium) have been doing research for a number of years on the cultural/historical, physical and acoustical aspects of bells in the Western Cape. Although the Western Cape is particularly rich in historical bells, these have not received much attention as a part of the heritage of the province.
Stellenbosch in fifty years’ time: what it might be like
Experts earlier this year reflected on and discussed the future of Stellenbosch.The discussion, part of Woordfees 2015, considered whether Stellenbosch by 2065 would be moribund, staggering or innovative (Stellenbosch 2065 – Sterwend, steierend of innoverend). Against the background of the tremendous growth in and around the town, there was an attempt to to find new insights and viewpoints on urban design for Stellenbosch.
Stellenbosch and Silicon Valley
Stellenbosch’s ability to become the Silicon Valley of South Africa is constantly being discussed in articles reporting the opinion of well-known and influential people.
Frei Otto awarded the Pritzker Prize posthumously
The prestigious Pritzker prize, the Nobel Prize of architecture, was awarded posthumously for the first time in its 36-year history.
The Serpentine is Spanish
The pavilion at the Serpentine Gallery in London annually becomes a showcase for one of the world’s best contemporary architects from July to October.
British architect wins House of the Year award
David Chipperfield has won an important architectural award with Fayland House.
Simon van der Stel
Stellenbosch is 336 years old on the 6th of November. The founder of Stellenbosch, Simon van der Stel, was born at sea near Mauritius on October 14, 1639. Friends of the Stellenbosch Museum invites interested parties to enjoy a cocktail at Grosvenor House on October...
How Stockholm Became the Ultimate Walkable City
The quality of life in many neighborhoods in the Swedish capital is directly influenced by a decision to almost entirely eliminate cars.
Sharing best practices for Cultural Heritage Preservation in South Africa
This lecture is being presented nationally, in key cities accross the country.
Taking Stock: Heritage inventories and heritage decision making
A Panel discussion on Heritage Inventories.
Bus tour to places of worship
A free bus tour on 19 September 2015 to places of worship in Stellenbosch, accompanied by Pietman Retief and Debbie Gabriels.
Annual meeting: Heritage Association of South Africa
People with an interest in heritage meet in Clanwilliam, where the Heritage Association of South Africa (HASA) will hold their thirteenth annual meeting .
Prestige lecture by Stellenbosch University:
This lecture by Dr Trevor Manuel forms part of the Stellenbosch Heritage project’s 2015 programme.
Gable Detail: The Old Stables, Solms-Delta Estate
The new restaurant, which was recently added onto the old stables at Solms-Delta Estate, presents an interesting juxtaposition between old and new.
Further Transformations of an old Cape Farm in the Klein Drakenstein: Solms-Delta Estate, comprising portions of Zandvliet/Delta, Deltameer and Lubeck
The recent transformation of the Zandvliet/ Delta Estate in the Franschhoek Valley started early in the new millennium, with the acquisition of a portion of the farm in 2001 by renowned neuropsychologist Professor Mark Solms and family.
Tuinhuis in Die Laan: Stellenbosch
This building, located in the historic core of Stellenbosch, houses an active senior couple who recently moved from he main house, an existing 1900 historical building, to make it available for their daughter and her family. They will ll share the garden.
Oude Werf Hotel: Heritage Aspects
The brief called for the transformation of the existing Oude Werf Hotel in Stellenbosch into a five-star, world class sister to the Vineyard Hotel in Newlands, Cape Town.
Become a member of the Stellenbosch & Franschhoek Planning Advisory Committee
Stellenbosch Municipality established planning advisory committees for the geographical areas of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch to advise Council on important matters pertaining to the cultural landscape and built environment with specific reference to heritage...
House Johannesdal, Pniel
The house lies on a gentle slope of the valley between the massive peaks of Groot Drakenstein and Simonsberg in the Western Cape. Like a little temple, the house relates to a line between the two sets of peaks, locking it forever into their power. At the same time, by establishing the line, the house establishes itself as a central place in this huge landscape, giving itself a potency far in excess of its size. The general organization of the building hangs onto the line of connection, the house itself, its entrance, a cut cylinder tank fed by a great spout, a ‘tongue’ of tended grass that stretches out from the building, a long pool and broad, werf-like wall.
Join in the conversation
Several interesting discussions on Stellenbosch, architecture, urban design, social capital and economic growth form part of the annual Woordfees.
Films on architecture and urban design
The Stellenbosch Heritage Foundation in collaboration with Pulp Cinema will again be screening films on architecture and urban design. The work of city planners and architects like Norman Foster; Rem Koolhaas; Jan Gehl; Herzog and de Meuron; Peter Zumthor; Tadao Ando; Frank Gehry; and many more will be shown.
New era for heritage management in Stellenbosch
Four landscapes in central Stellenbosch must be managed as important cultural landscapes, according to Heritage Western Cape. This is one of a number of findings by the heritage agency in their approval of the first phase of the Stellenbosch heritage survey. This approval of the survey of about 530 buildings and structures in the Stellenbosch town centre is a significant step forward in efficient heritage management. It is also development friendly. As the survey was completed within the requirements of South African law and also within generally accepted International norms and practices, it will ensure that owners and developers will have more clarity and consistency about what could be allowed, or not in a specific area for buildings with specific heritage gradings.
Chris Stander
Chris Stander, a valued Stellenbosch architect, died during the past week.
La Gratitude Office Development
The brief called for a new office building in the heart the historical core of Stellenbosch. The site is situated off Dorpstreet, directly behind the gracious La Gratitude homestead, a National Monument, built in 1798, being the most imposing single-storey dwelling in the entire street. The office building constitutes phase two of a three phase redevelopment of this historical site of 9400m². Phase one, the conversion of the 1800 homestead to restaurant, was completed end of 2008.
Remgro Head Office
“Each generation has a choice either to leave a footprint of conservation or a trail of devastation to future generations. Following in the footsteps of our predecessors, we choose to live in harmony with nature – a lifestyle conceptualized in our newly refurbished head offices, Millennia Park.”
Mr Thys Visser (Late CEO of Remgro)
Fresh insights at Innovation Conference
The recent Second Innovation Conference of the Stellenbosch Innovation District (SID) brought together a variety of local and international speakers and participants at Stellenbosch to discuss questions such as:
– How is Africa going to respond to the global movement of Smart Cities?
– How could Stellenbosch become a smart, people-centred space in Africa?
– How could innovation in Stellenbosch be developed and consolidated
Paul le Roux: leading 20th century Stellenbosch architect
Paul le Roux, one of the great oak trees in the Stellenbosch architectural community, died in November. Le Roux played an important role in ensuring that new buildings harmonised with the town’s historical heritage. The library at the Theological Seminary, the Bureau for Systems Engineering in Techno Park, the DR Church Centre in Welgelegen and the Andmar and Concord buildings in Ryneveld Street are among the well-known buildings designed by him.
Gehry’s new Paris museum: boat, whale or crystal palace?
With the Guggenheim Bilbao, architect Frank Gehry managed to turn around the future of a dying city – and at its best – to change it. It remains to be seen whether his new – contested – museum for LVMH will be able to do the same for a less popular part of Paris.
2014 Stirling award to Everyman
The Stirling prize, one of the most important awards for architecture, was awarded for a theatre this year. Bonfires are ablaze among those that believe that this heralds a shift towards being less elitist in their choices among the panel of Stirling Prize adjudicators.