On 13 September 2024, the V&A Waterfront and Our Future Cities co-hosted a walking tour as part of the CTBUH 2024 Global Walking Tour under the shared theme ‘Vertical Villages’. Cities worldwide hold walking tours and discussions, and in 2024, the theme explored how people live in tall buildings and the amenities that these sky-high residential "villages" can offer. See below for the tour route and scenes from the day.

In Cape Town, the walking tour of the city centre took participants to four different rooftops: the Silo 3 apartment building in the Silo District at the V&A Waterfront, the first tower of the proposed six towers at Harbour Arch, The Rubik, and the Grand Daddy Hotel in the CBD.

The tour began at the Silo District in the V&A Waterfront with a visit to the rooftop of the Silo 3 apartment building, which offered breathtaking views of the waterfront, the city, its harbour, and the nearby Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. The discussion here focused on the shared challenges of preserving the rich heritage of the Silo and its surrounding precinct, alongside the maintenance of landscaping and gardens, given Cape Towns climate.

The next stop was the first phase of Harbour Arch, a 23-floor tower comprising of two joint residential buildings. The tower is the first of six planned towers, offering 200,000m² of usable space, set to rise across the Foreshore site, located between the elevated freeways and serving as a gateway to the CBD. Participants received a presentation from a representative of the development, where they highlighted their aim to redefine urban living by connecting buildings across the precinct with sky bridges at Level 8, alongside rooftop gardens and various amenities. Harbour Arch will also host two new hotels, corporate headquarters; an urban park and a shopping galleria at street level as part of its further development.

At The Rubik, a recently completed mixed-use development, the group enjoyed a striking view from the rooftop towards Cape Town Stadium and beyond. This setting sparked a discussion on how rooftop spaces and communal building areas are often underutilised. Participants reflected on how these spaces could be activated more creatively, drawing on successful examples from other cities and considering the needs of local residents.

The final stop and conclusion of the tour was at the Grand Daddy Hotel, which features seven vintage Airstream trailers converted into guest suites on its rooftop, in addition to hotel rooms. This rooftop showcased the potential for bringing the public into these elevated spaces through movie nights, music events, a bar, and accommodation.

The walking tour fostered meaningful exchanges between urbanists, designers, developers, and city enthusiasts. Walking through the city centre at ground level also highlighted the importance of creating welcoming, safe, and comfortable environments for pedestrians and commuters. The tour revealed how various buildings either contributed to or detracted from this experience at street level.

As Cape Town's skyline continues to evolve, there is ample room for greater innovation and creativity in how these developments can serve the broader community and how developers might push these boundaries.

Tour Organizer: Mark Noble, V&A Waterfront

Scenes from the day