49e IFLA worldcongress Cape Town

LANDSCAPES IN TRANSITION

Cape Town South Africa 2012

From 5 - 7 SEPTEMBER 2012 the IFLA world congress has taken place in Cape Town under the theme 'Landscapes in transition'. Rudy Brons, Ellen Wilms and Flore Bijker participated in this congress, which was visited by landscape architects from more than 50 countries. The contacts with other landscape architects from all over the world such as from Africa, the Middle East and Asia were very special for us. In all these countries the profession of landscape architecture contributes to the development of urban and natural areas.

The key-note speakers, presentations and discussions showed us that landscape architects all over the world play an important role by urban as well as cultural and natural assignments. The development of spatial concepts and master plans, the genius loci of space and the role of local inhabitants delivered inspiring images and showed how places can come alive and can function as a sustainable part of a community.

This was the case by the cultural park assignment in the remote community of Khorog in Tadzjikistan, designed by Anthony Wain, as by a strategy for protecting nature in Suriname or Ghana, explained by Chuck Hutchinson. Kathryn Gustafson showed clearly which role the history of a place can have in the design of the central plaza in front of the Capitol in Washington. Al these designs refer to specific local circumstances and contribute to high quality living areas, named "a place that fits" by Kathryn Gufstafson.

We recognized the development of integral visions for metropolitan landscapes, the theme of our poster, including a vision on urban and rural land, as a theme that had the interest of many countries, which deal with growing cities, like India.
After all we look back on a successful congress; the international exchange of ideas and the excursions to examples of African landscape architecture, overwhelmed by the cultural and natural diversity of Cape Town were a great experience. The contrasts between the rich people and the poor people living in the townships on a very short distance from each other delivered spatial concepts, we were not familiar with. The assignments which lay there and which have also started to improve the living conditions in the townships impressed us deeply.

Project number: 1203

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Year: 2012