These photographs look at the monolithic persistence of Cape Towns Foreshore freeways.
The Foreshore was reclaimed from the sea from the 1930’s, partly in conjunction with the creation of the Duncan Dock. In the 1960s, an elevated freeway structure through the area was proposed as part of a ring road concept for central Cape Town. Many schemes were considered. The first phases were designed and constructed during the 1970s. They did not incorporate any wider urban planning and design considerations. The proposals focused solely on now outdated traffic engineering solutions. The final design connected freeways to Sea Point and Buitengracht St, but not all of this was completed. The unfinished hanging highways are a reminder of those times.
The highway structures dominate the Foreshore area. Their giant monolithic forms cut the city off from the sea. They create spaces and frame views.
These photographs are arranged in triptychs. Each photo was taken from the exact same position but at different times of the day and year.
All around the highways there is motion and activity, yet their stubborn legacy remains immobile. They form a constant backdrop to the changing light, weather and happenings of a city in flux… like an enduring stage-set from another era.