Sharp City
March 15, 2006
Sharp City is a group of architects who have been focussed on learning about the city of Johannesburg and then showcasing it all over the world, as an urban landscape. They came to my university about a week ago and gave a talk about what they do and why they do it. Johannesburg is the city that the Sharp City group is focussed on and the presentation they gave to the students at Wits University was amazing. They showed us images of presentations they have done in various places all over the world showcasing Johannesburg’s people and cityscape. Their work really is of great importance for generating knowledge of the city worldwide and at the same time providing an opportunity for us locals to learn and understand just how fantastic our city and its people are!
I was set on going overseas to work next year, and although it would be really nice to see other places, the Sharp City group really has opened my eyes a bit to what is here in South Africa for me. There is so much opportunity for South African architects and there has already been some awesome work done in Johannesburg and South Africa. The link below is to the Sharp City website where you will be able to learn more about them and their work. I have also bought a book called “Contemporary South African Architecture in a Landscape of Transition” compiled by the Sharp City Architects. It is the first book of its kind displaying South African architecture in the years of democracy since 1994.
“From Public Buildings and private residences to business headquarters and educational centers, all have contributed to the new sense of cultural identity in this country and reveal the potential of our cityscapes to amaze and astound”
The book is fairly new so if you are keen to get it you can find it in Exclusive Books or your local bookstore. For those outside of South Africa it should be available online sometime soon.
