Progress Review Citichat 3 August 2001

CITICHAT 30/2001 - 3 August 2001


Progress Review

I was asked by the Gauteng Institute for Architecture to give their members a short presentation over breakfast this morning regarding the city revitalisation efforts. Because I am often asked to do this, we've obviously built up a basic presentation which reflects the reasons for the city's decay, the process and structures established to deal with the issue and the results which are steadily emerging. But I obviously also try to tailor each presentation to the specific audience if possible. So, what to show the architectural profession?

To the many skeptics who view the city as undergoing a long, protracted terminal illness (and I'm not suggesting that our local architects are necessarily in that category!), we patiently point out that this is not death but change. We are in fact a 'City of Change' in a country that itself is going through the many difficulties, pangs and pains of rediscovering and re-engineering itself. Johannesburg's explosive growth from mining camp in 1886 to a city known as the "Wonder of the Empire"- 1935 - to apartheid replacing colonialism and finally to the freeing of the country in 1994, covered a scant 108 years. And it was a century of continuous change. From then to today, a mere 7 years, and again a time of intensive change. And what I see emerging in this city is that change is manifested in the changing uses of buildings to meet the needs of the changing users of space. Needs are for smaller space to house the entrepreneur rather than the corporation. Less emphasis on prestige, more on function. The long held property truism of 'location, location, location' I would suggest is no longer absolute. Old buildings are becoming attractive alternatives because they provide the opportunity for small businesses to be accommodated on a scale that is far more comfortable for themselves. Core businesses are moving into more fringe related activities, and so on.

Back to the breakfast! Buildings - usage; buildings - scale; usage and scale - design. Design - architects; architects - Institute; Institute - breakfast; breakfast - changing use of buildings! A two hour trip through the city on Wednesday armed with a camera reinforced this pattern, some of the projects I have reported on in more detail previously but consider the following:

"Ansteys" (Citichat 6/2001) built in 1930 as a mixed office and residential tower on a podium designed to house Norman Anstey & Company the presitigious department store of the pre-war and post-war period, converted to sectional title flats and small businesses operating from the three storey podium.

"The Business Place" at 58 Marshall Street (Citichat 10/2001) built to provide corporate offices to a major financial institution, now houses a clustering of SMME services carefully selected for their ability to network into the community or through their mentoring capabilities, financing and training services or the business opportunities they offer

CIDA City Campus at 54 Commissioner Street (Citichat 21/2001) also previously a major financial institution corporate office building now houses a quite remarkable city university of 1200 students all drawn from an historically disadvantaged background now doing a four year Bachelor of Business Administration degree.

The Landrost, built probably in the '70s as prestigious hotel accommodation, stood empty for many years, then used by the police as residential accommodation in the early '90s and last year transformed by the Johannesburg Housing Company (JHC) into 241 one and two-bedroomed units.

"JHC House" on the corner of McClaren and Main Streets, another of the older financial centre buildings now refurbished by JHC for their headquarters and also housing a number of other NGOs.

The National Union of Mineworkers building in Rissik Street, beautifully restored and now housing Johannesburg Water Management (JOWAM)

The Kazerne Parking Garages, once providing public parking, now being converted to major multi-storey taxi ranking facilities incorporating informal trading facilities, etc.

The Wolmarans Street Synagogue now housing a community radio station, "The Voice" and offering a wide variety of fast food outlets.

The Civic Theatre moving from the traditional concept of a Theatre into offering "a unique environment for eating and drinking, shopping and techno-byting-everything you've always wanted in Braamfontein - but could never find under one roof." (Grand launch of this "downtown's leisure destination of choice" - 'Times Square at the Civic' on Monday 6th August)

The Rissik Street Post Office - to be redeveloped into a "5-star Boutique Hotel", I understand that design work is well underway.

90 Market Street - built in 1902 as a Branch for the Natal Bank, used as a bank, as bank archives and as a bank museum before being turned into offices for ourselves and the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) and, hopefully, also to house a Tourism Centre.

Corporate head offices housing small emerging entrepreneurs, Post Offices becoming hotels, hotels becoming apartments, banks becoming offices, synagogues becoming fast food outlets, theatres offering other forms of entertainment, it's all happening in the City of Change!

PS Have had a number of inquiries about special rates for students, councillors, council officials, NGOs, etc. etc. for the Cities 2001 Conference. The answer is yes, we do have a special rate, contact Katherine or myself at the CJP per e-mail or phone 011-688 7800, fax 011-688 7801. The Conference is shaping up well and will be a great opportunity to both hear and to enter into conversations about best practice on a whole host of city issues.