Cape Town Station: 2010 and Beyond Speaker: Mokena Makeka of Makeka Design Laboratory, the architects involved in the Cape Town Station transformation. Makeka spoke on behalf of his company’s clients Intersite and the PRASA.

Makeka began by noting that in cities that are vibrant, working well, and are responsive to their citizens and commuters, stations can play a critical role not only in terms of the economy but in terms of defining public space. But for many years, the Cape Town Station has been unable to fulfill its opportunity and responsibility within the CBD.

The team’s vision is therefore to: “Revitalise the station as the city’s core transport and activity hub to position Cape Town as an inspirational world city.” In other words, our station is a vital component in making Cape Town what could be called an inspirational city on a global level. Because the station is located as it is – in close proximity to Adderley Street, the Company Gardens and other transport nodes – it therefore plays a significant part in terms of anchoring our understanding of how we move throughout the CBD.

To unlock the potential of the Cape Town Station, its ‘Development Value’ needs to be unlocked. It’s not only about the ability to get on a train, but about how the city interacts with the station as a place of festivity and joy, a retail environment, the provisions of services (such as doctors’ rooms), and caters for both the formal and informal sectors. And how does it extend the ‘life’ of a city in terms of offering transport at all hours, to enable a city to begin to enjoy a nighttime economy?

Going forward and particularly in relation to 2010, the station can be seen as a ‘welcome mat’ to the city and the objective is to create, along with its safe, secure and efficient transport options (from rail, to buses and taxis), a place of public art, interaction, entertainment and information as well as a centre offering viable and exciting retail options to both locals and visitors offerings.

According to Mokena: “Up to now, it’s been a bit of a gemors of different activities, but we now aim to create a range of very specific precincts with very specific feels which in turn will attract people. It becomes a place of meaning and equity, where the public realm is enhanced, preserved and maximized for all the city’s citizens and commuters. It could be a place where we have public sculpture, a place where café culture can begin to interact because we have wonderful spaces that can begin to bring that type of energy back into the station.”

Although long-term the team are currently even looking at sinking all railway lines underground, unlocking at least 25 city blocks, for the short-term leading up to 2010, Capetonians can expect to see:

1^ST Quarter 2009: Completion of the Strand Street retail component and Foodcourt.

2^nd Quarter 2009: Completion of the Adderley Street retail component and a restaurant

3^rd Quarter 2009: Completion of the Forecourt in terms of event management space

4^TH Quarter 2009: Completion of the Old Marine Drive retail component and the Parcels Building.

Related posts:

1. Hotel and shops set for Cape Town station
2. pBenchmark Eco Friendly Tourism Route for Cape Town launched at Indaba 2010
3. AGM: Cape Town Station Revitalisation
4. Festive Lights Switch-On Moves to Cape Town Station
5. Transport 2010: The Inner City Plan