2.3 CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS

The site will now be analysed through the scales and will result in a set of constraints and informants.

The site is located approximately 8 km from the CBD and approximately 500 m from the Claremont CBD. The Newlands area is surrounded by the suburbs of Claremont and . The site is tactically located on a public transport corridor, with Newlands rail station in the precinct that provides an important link to Claremont Station and Transport Interchange. By road, the site is accessed off Main Road, an activity route, with frequent movement, low traffic speeds and public transport by bus, minibus taxi and ‘Jammie’ shuttle (UCT student bus service). The closest freeway is Rhodes Drive (), which is located 1,2 km west of the site.

‘It has been earmarked as an Integrated Rapid Transit feeder route, for implementation in ±10 years’ time.’ (NSHP, 2011).

Site Sporting Precinct Public swimming pool Primary transport routes Secondary transport routes Railway line

Figure 91. Diagram showing the relationship of the site to the CBD of Cape Town.

80 2.3.1 SUB-METRO - Newlands Figure ground

The figure ground shows the grain of fabric in the Cape Town sub- metro area surrounding Newlands. It shows the site within a large scale fabric. The suburban areas that surround the precinct are very compact with the majority of the negative spaces being movement routes and green space.

The open spaces within the precinct are of concern and are loosely defined. In this way, a sporting precinct can meet the Water Sports Centre’s aims of clearly defining the space and creating an improved integration into the urban fabric.

Figure 92. Diagram showing figure ground

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82 2.3.2 SUB-METRO - Newlands Transport Routes

The major roads and railway route within the sub-metro, show how people move north and south in the city. The solid black line illustrates the vehicular movement (including public transport) and the dashed line is the railway system.

The yellow markers indicate ‘Jammie’ shuttle stops, the orange ring is the railway station and the purple dots are the main pedestrian paths. The site proposed is coloured red and the blue is the .

Figure 93. Diagram - movement by author

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84 2.3.3 SUB-METRO - Newlands Land use

The land use surrounding the site has a central commercial and a mixed-use strip of buildings. The precinct is surrounded by a residential suburb and education facilities. The site is adjacent to high-rise residential flats single, and double level homes, and an industrial site.

Figure 94. Diagram - land use by author 85

86 2.3.4 SUB-METRO - Newlands Green structure

Whether undefined or defined, the surrounding green structures are essential for communities’ recreation and sports, as well as general urban aesthetic. It is clear that the context in which the site is located has several natural green spaces and corridors through the urban fabric.

Figure 15. Diagram - green structuring elements by author

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88 2.3.5 SUB METRO - Newlands Heritage sites

The heritage buildings have become space-defining and structuring elements within the precinct. This starts to inform a strategy pertaining to the origins of the context and how the precinct evolved around them over time.

These public based structuring elements have a cohesive manner in which they connect through the pedestrianised sideways, green belts, and narrow streets.

Figure 2. Diagram - heritage sites by author 89

90 2.4 NEWLANDS SPORTING PRECINCT In 1927, the field was changed to run north-south and the concrete INTRODUCTION grand stand was erected. ‘Since then, the capacity of the stadium was enlarged incrementally, as the stands were redeveloped in The historic core of Newlands reflects the configuration of urban various phases. In terms of the stadium’s former zoning, rugby was growth and development of the precinct. The early farm lands the only sport permitted there, but since 2004 it is an approved would over time change from agriculture to early industrial uses and multi-sport venue.’ (NSHP, 2011). sports fields, which have given the area its current form. The general presence of high quality water, very high rainfall and land Sahara Park Newlands fertility, resulted in the use of water sources for the brewing of beer. The Western Province Cricket Club original grounds eventually The role of water played a significant role in the cultural landscape came to be unsuitable, consequently exploring large tracks of land of Newlands and at the intersection of Main Road (M3) and the adjacent to the Newlands railway station, settling on a heavily Liesbeek River, the Westerford Bridge was built, providing key forested area albeit the best site for a cricket ground. 1887 marked intersections for transport and natural river systems (NSHP, 2011). opening of the current , now known as Sahara Park Newlands. (Ibid.). Josephine Mill The water mill, built in 1840, played an essential part in the Kelvin Grove Club configuration and development of the Newlands area. After several Named after Kelvinside, a district in Glasgow, opened in 1925 when changes in ownership and function of mill buildings, it was the company Western Province Sports Club was formed. Today, eventually left derelict. The mill was then saved and restored under Kelvin Grove is the largest sports club in the South Africa, with the protection of the Cape Town Historical Society in 1975 (NSHP, approximately 7,000 registered members using the various facilities. 2011). The club includes in a multitude of sporting facilities, a fitness centre, restaurants, function rooms and a ballroom (Grove, 2016). South African Breweries Grove writes, ‘to our Members, the real pleasure and privilege of According to NSHP (2011, online), the Newlands Brewery is the last belonging to this club is its human face, the pure enjoyment of survivor of the various breweries that once existed in the area. This, being part of a community of people of all ages, cultures and creeds, after the closure and consolidation of the many breweries in the who celebrate life.’ (Ibid.). area. The original company Ohlssons Cape Breweries, was bought out by South African Breweries (SAB) in 1956 and became part of Sports Science Institute of South Africa the dominant brewing company in South Africa; the second largest ‘The foundations to the Sports Science Institute were laid in April brewer by volume in the world. 1994, when the idea for such an institute to develop sport in South Africa’ was born (NSHP, 2011). The construction of the Sports Newlands Rugby Stadium Science Institute facility in Newlands took the site of the earlier The ; previously forested site, was bought by the rugby stadium’s training field. The institute offers extensive Western Province Rugby Football Union in 1888. The first official research and training facilities for Bioenergetics of the Exercise rugby match took place in 1890. The following year the stadium Research Unit of the and the Medical hosted its first international rugby test against the British Lions. Research Council (NSHP, 2011).

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Figure 103. Newlands Cricket Ground source Google Earth

Figure 106 Westerford Bridge by author

Figure 98. SAB source Google Earth Figure 97. Newlands Avenue source Google Earth

Figure 104. Newlands Rugby Stadium source Figure 105. SAB source Google Earth Figure 100. Newlands Rugby Stadium source Google Earth Google Earth Figure 101. Kelvin Grove by author Figure 3 Kelvin Grove by author

92 2.5 PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDY

The proposed Water Sports Centre would play a major role in this sporting precinct — as a public park and gathering space, and filling the ‘missing piece’ in the overall sporting precinct. This would improve integration over the main road, and in turn increase the variety of sports facilities, the user groups and the overall activity of the precinct.

Currently, the swimming pool is isolated from the natural landscape and the river, with no clear relation to the rest of the sporting precinct.

The contextual photographic mapping focuses on the streets that form the main movement systems and the surrounding spatial conditions within the precinct.

Figure 108. Collage and map of Newlands sporting precinct.

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94 STRUCTURING ELEMENTS OF SITE

The Main Road activity corridor acts as a barrier and segregates the site from the Sporting Precinct. There are three urban elements presenting opportunity for greater integration for the site, within the precinct.

1. site as a public park and gathering space; 2. an extension of the commercial strip on Main Road; 3. the regeneration of the Liesbeek River.

Figure 109. Site as a public park and gathering space.(Google earth)

Figure 110. Commercial strip on Main Road. (Google earth) Figure 111.. Liesbeek River.

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96 2.7 SITE ANALYSIS AA BB A set of issues are identified that lead to a set of informants and constraints at site scale. The reading of site is conducted by breaking down the structuring elements through a photo analysis of the existing site and diagrammatized constraints. BB

AA

Figure 113. West to East section through site. Figure 112. South to North section through site. Figure 114. 3d render of site plan.

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SECTION BB 97

Figure 115. Collage of the current Newlands Swimming Pool Site. 98

ACTIVITY CORRIDOR

Figure 116. Site Analysis 99 2.8 SITE SUMMARY

The site is located on the western side of the existing sporting precinct, with a great potential for integration. The precinct is culturally and historically significant to the , as well as easily linked and connected to several transport systems.

The sporting precinct has a combination of private and public facilities. The existing swimming pool centre had become isolated and insignificant, mainly due to the barrier created by the Main Rd and the placement of the current approach to the facility.

An approach to improve the connection of the water sport centre within the precinct through the creation of a forecourt gathering space on the site. It is essential to the community, as it lacks accessibility, integration and spatial hierarchy. This will reignite the centre back into the public realm and encourage activity and growth within the precinct. The proposed water sports centre will initiate a better a relationship between the man-made building and natural landscape of Newlands.

An architectural response particular to site has been developed. Through the informants of the context, there is an opportunity to extend the natural landscape of the river on to the site as green public space. Connecting the water sports centre to existing infrastructure through the element of water and the creation of thresholds that encourage both physical and visual connection

Site conditions regarding the high rain fall, the acoustic control from the activity corridor; the site slope towards the river; the sensitivity of the river’s edge; natural lighting and ventilation; all play an essential role in the design of the building.

Figure 117. Sketch collage of the spatial nature of Newlands Sporting Precinct

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