TERRA+

Terra+ Landscape Architects actively participated in a series of workshops organized by the City of Cape Town, collaborating with Jacupa Architects & Urban Designers, Cape Herstorian, and the local public of D6. This collective effort aimed to reimagine the public realm of District Six through a participatory approach.

Terra+ engaged in a methodology for developing a culture and memory strategy for District Six's public space. The process involved desk-based research combined with a public participation initiative, intending to comprehend the area as a cultural landscape. The focus extended beyond heritage indicators of the built environment to acknowledge and highlight the intricate relationships between landscape, people, memories, and intangible heritage.

Recognizing the site as a 'Landscape of Memory' facilitated an understanding of the area's sense of place through all the senses, incorporating the sights, sounds, and smells recalled by former inhabitants at various moments in time. Exploring how different communities utilized public spaces and their interconnections revealed a richness and vibrancy of layered, sometimes contested meanings, which serves as inspiration for shaping future public spaces.

The project celebrates the diverse cultures that once thrived in the area, reinforcing the design for spaces that embrace dynamic cultural diversity. Simultaneously, it acknowledges the memories of dispossession, apartheid, forced removals, juxtaposed against a backdrop of political and community mobilization and resistance.

The strategies for engaging with the culture and memory of developing District Six are rooted in integrating, celebrating, preserving, and protecting cultural practices from the past to the present. The objective is to transform the site into a space that unifies restitution and renewal while honoring the past through memory and place-making intricately connected to the area's history. This approach seeks to foster a public realm that not only reflects the vibrant past of District Six but also serves as a meaningful platform for future design and built forms.