World Cities Day initiative brought Urban October to an end on 31 October and was first celebrated in 2014. This year, the global observance is planned under the theme – Act Local to Go Global!
To bring different partners and diverse stakeholders together and share their experiences and approaches to local action to find what is needed to empower local and regional governments to create greener, more equitable and sustainable cities.
The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) has implemented globally recognised infrastructure projects which have changed the landscape of the City of Johannesburg.
These include the internationally recognised Nelson Mandela Bridge, which has garnered industry accolades and Constitution Hill today serves as a cultural, historical and tourist attraction and is regarded by some as the “Robben Island of Johannesburg”.
A development practice of the JDA is the co-production of solutions in partnership with local communities and stakeholders to develop and meet local needs through these programmes.
This is an essential component of development interventions in cities. A more responsible approach to working with local stakeholders to produce solutions. Here are three case study projects in which the JDA was instrumental in bringing stakeholders together to share their experiences and approaches to local action.
Brixton Social Cluster reflects community inputs
The JDA implemented the Brixton Social Cluster as part of the City of Johannesburg’s strategy to meet the increased needs of the public and social infrastructure.
This facility is a new multi-purpose sports and recreation centre with upgraded sports fields. It has netball and basketball, tennis courts, a public square, a new library and coffee shop, an upgraded swimming pool complex, and a green space for kids to play.
The Mercury Road Façade greets visitors to the space as they enter the Brixton Social Custer on Mercury Road. This artwork is inspired by workshops in the surrounding neighbourhoods, especially the ones involved in making temporary woven carpets.
The Skater Girl Mural along the northern facade of the Brixton Social Cluster forms part of a multi-layered artwork compilation of observations made by the #ArtMyJozi crew and images extracted from History & Heritage reports on the neighbourhood.
Within the Brixton, Social Cluster is a 12m Henna Hand artwork which consists of 4 large panels interlocking with each other and is made up of 32 Kiaat wood boards.
The entire work was hand-carved using mainly a variety of chisels. The colours represent the different spices used in the #ArtMyBrixton spice workshops.
Rotunda Linear Park blossoms through art
The JDA implemented and completed the Rotunda Linear Park project following consultations and workshop sessions with the public. The Linear Park project involved splitting a two-kilometre stretch of De Villiers Street, which runs west and east from either side of Rotunda Park and creating a new green public space.
A series of placemaking artworks in Rotunda Park are totem poles, a gateway artwork, and a surface painting in Linear Park were also implemented. In collaboration with the artists-based area, they upgraded existing facilities like the lamp posts and surrounding palisade fence.
The series of gum pole totem markers run along De Villiers Street. The 34 totems are placed at 2 – 4 m intervals along De Villiers Street, leading up to the beginning of the park upgrade area opposite the Bowling Club.
These totems are a line in De Villiers Street, connecting Main Road to Linear Park. Each totem pole is unique in that it contains personal and communal narratives that the artists associated with the history, heritage and culture.
The totems were designed by Turffontein artists, hand and machine carved by Joburg-based artists with diverse skills and beautifully painted by the Rotunda artistic team. These totems complement the Rotunda linear park surface painting, palisade fence and lamp post painting.
Noordgesig Social Cluster rich with heritage
As part of the Noordgesig Social Cluster and Precinct Plan, the JDA completed the construction of a plaza, the expansion of the Noordgesig library and hall and the creation of a multi-purpose centre in Soweto.
The artworks programme was heavily guided by a powerful collective memory of social history and local heroes such as Sister Glover and Jake Ntuli.
The community hall mural is a comprehensive visual representation of the community’s development and social activities within the community hall, which is a heritage building itself. The mural contains narratives of ballroom dancing, ballet, boxing, communal picnics, streets named after flora and several other heritage sites in the surrounding neighbourhood.
This mural was implemented in the Noordgesig building that contains several memories for the community. This mural becomes an opportunity to celebrate these memories and the development of Noordgesig over time.
The community hall mural has the potential to show an audience and the local neighbourhood their history and the power they had in inspiring others within the landscape of Noordgesig – a constantly changing backdrop.
31/10/2022