The City of Cape Town is calling on interested parties to comment on the final draft of the Urban Design Framework for The Fringe, as part of the final round of public participation.
This framework, for the core of the Cape Town Central Business District’s (CBD) East City Precinct, establishes the spatial parameters for future development, redevelopment and re-use of existing buildings and spaces in the area. It thus contributes to realising the East City precinct’s role as an area of important cultural and emerging economic significance based on its location between District Six and the CBD.
The main focus of the framework is a set of proposed design principles and guidelines, to support an urban environment for design, innovation and creativity.
Background on The Fringe and its Urban Design Framework
The Fringe, at the heart of the East City Precinct, refers to the area on the eastern side of Cape Town’s central city, next to District Six. The key boundaries of the area are Roeland and Darling Streets, and Buitenkant and Canterbury Streets, as well as a strip of land that connects The Fringe to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology from Longmarket Street through to Tennant Street.
Ever since the early drafts of the Table Bay District Plan, the East City precinct was identified as an area that is able to facilitate intensive mixed-use development with the emphasis on creative industries and related land uses. In order for the East City precinct to reach its full economic and urban potential, further spatial direction and urban design guidance was necessary. With support and direction from the City, the Cape Town Partnership therefore started drafting The Fringe: Urban Design Framework in early 2011 – funded and supported by the Provincial Government’s Economic Development and Tourism Department through its Cape Catalyst initiative.
Since then widespread public participation processes have been undertaken and the input used to update the draft so that it recognises the intangible characteristics of the area and guides development that will enhance the area and facilitate its emerging role. This final draft of the framework attempts to establish a robust yet flexible guide for the future development of the precinct by introducing urban design guidelines, primarily with regards to:
•        Working within the existing character of the area
•        Working within established urban patterns
•        Re-establishing urban continuity
•        Establishing a more permeable, as opposed to discontinued, street network
•        Delivering a pedestrian environment
•        Integrating public transport with public space
•        Extending the city’s public space network
•        Facilitating a culture of street activity
Following this final public comment period, the draft will be reviewed and finalised.
Please visit www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay to view an electronic version of the draft policy, from 1 February 2013.
Interested parties are requested to submit their comments in writing between 1 February and 4 March 2013, via:
•        E-mail to futurecapetown@capetown.gov.za
•        Post to P.O. Box 4511, Cape Town 8000 (marked ‘For the Attention of Liezel Kruger-Fountain’)
•        Fax to 021 421 6209
Interested parties are also invited to attend an informative ‘open house’ event. Details are as follows:
Date: Tuesday 12 February 2013  Time: 10:00 – 17:00
Venue:Â The Hostel, 86 Commercial Street (corner of Commercial Street and Canterbury Street), Cape Town
The latest draft of Urban Design Framework for The Fringe is available for download at: http://thefringe.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/fringe-udf-finaldraft.pdf
The City of Cape Town supports ‘The Fringe: Cape Town’s Innovation District’ – a central city project funded and supported by the Provincial Government – and has been an active partner in the project ever since its inception. The vision for the project is to create an enabling space where design and technology are generators for economic growth and opportunity. It is therefore an important element of the City’s World Design Capital 2014 programme.
For more information on The Fringe, please visit: http://thefringe.org.za/
via Urban Design Framework for The Fringe | Cape Town Green Map.
