Cape Town is home to a vast array of structures that are significant within the world of architecture, and showcase the design and structural talent of local alongside international architects.
The city is known for its vibrant display of art, culture, and design in all mediums – from fashion, music to buildings – there are a few buildings in and around the Cape that will fascinate and delight.
Here are five architectural wonders in Cape Town
1.Bosjes Chapel
This angelic structure is located at Worcester’s Bosjes Estate, and the structural design brings many locals and tourists alike to the estate. The structure was built and designed by a London-based architectural firm, Steyn Studio.
The chapel was inspired by Psalm 36/7, it was designed to appear as if it was floating or gliding along the water. The chapel has been created to represent an open space that acknowledges the rolling hills and all of Gods natural creations.
The chapel made it on the 2018 ArchDaily building awards as a finalist for the category of religious architecture.
It may resemble the wings of angels as the structure dips inward with a wing-like structure and is a unique building in the Cape with visitors flocking in to view its beauty.
Address: R43, Worcester
Contact: 023 004 0496
Website: www.bosjes.co.za
2. Zeitz MOCCA Contemporary Art Africa
An award-winning structure, the Zeitz MOCCA is apart of the repurposed Silo, which adapted the previous grin silo district into a new building and a contemporary African art museum.
The museum was designed by a London-based architects, Heatherwick Studio and was an adaption of architecture – instead of removing the concrete tubes they focused on transforming the existing structure into an art house.
The museum was placed on the 2018 Times World’s Greatest Places to visit in 2018 for its recognized African art. It was also placed as a finalist on the 2018 ArchDaily Building of the Year Awards for the cultural architecture category.
Address: V&A Waterfront, Silo District, S Arm Rd, Waterfront, Cape Town
Contact: 087 350 4777
Website: www.zeitzmocaa.museum
3. Norval Foundation
The Southern suburbs, Norval Art Foundation recently opened their doors to the public and the grounds are a spectacle of wonder along with the glass-paned art museum. The high ceilings draw in visitors as they walk through the museum.
The Museum was designed by a local architecture firm, dhk architects and was envisioned as a modern pavilion for art. Located in a wetland landscape, the designers attempted to construct a building that could blend well with the linear grasslands.
The architects successful married the environment with concrete structures as the grounds are littered with metal sculptures and an outdoor amphitheatre.
Address: 1 Ou Kaapse Road C/O Steenberg Road, Opposite US Embassy, Tokai
Contact: 087 654 5900
Website: www.norvalfoundation.org
4. Empower, Khayelitsha shack
A shack in Khayelitsha gained international attention when it went head to head with the Zeitz MOCAA museum for the ‘most s inspirational and significant new buildings created across the globe.’
The building has been developed by a Swedish architecture group called the Urban Think Tank, an interdisciplinary design practice that focuses on social architecture and informal development. Their work in Cape Town allocated them the acclaim by Riba as a building that showed the ‘most impressive architectural talent.’
The creation shows the design ability of architects when given limited resources and space.
5.Treehouse, Constantia
A local architecture firm, Malan Vorster Architects created a revamped take on the treehouse to create an eloquent and tranquil escape.
The construction received an award for architecture by the Cape Institute for Architecture in 2017 along with the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction for the Steel Awards in 2016.
The tree house was inspired by the surrounding greenery and woodland areas, and the owner of the property wanted to create a secluded one-bedroom space from the rest of the house but is located on the same property.
The structure is something out of a fairytale with its timber panelling and a glass finish, elevating the childhood dreams of a treehouse. The property may appear small on the outside but hosues a deck patio, bedroom, living room and communal space.
Picture: Facebook/Bosjes Estate