![](http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/xanderglobal/cptstyle1.jpg)
While Cape Town doesn't have everything I'd like in a city, it is unquestionably the city whose aesthetic style I most appreciate. It's not only the absurd landscape sculpted by Table Mountain, Lion's Head, and Table Bay, and the mingling of temperate and tropical vegetation that I love-- it's also in the offbeat combination of such diverse architectural styles that make up the city.
Just within a short walk around the neighbourhood of Oranjezicht I spotted Victorian town-houses with intricate lace-like fences, the sleek curves of '60s modernism, baroque adaptations of Cape Dutch, and the masculinely handsome details of art-deco. It might seem like these styles might not work, but somehow, they work beautifully. It may take a little getting used to, but the combination is fantastically Cape Town, as distinctive and intriguing as seeing the local bird of paradise blooming just below an imported acorn tree.
![](http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m194/xanderglobal/cptstyle2.jpg)
Unfortunately, this doesn't include most of the city's architecture post 1965... don't even mention those new hotels being plonked down for the World Cup to me...
3 comments:
Those townhouses remind me of San Francisco a little.
I thought you were leaving South Africa?
I am leaving South Africa-- one week left! X
As a former Tamboerskloof resident I love your blog - icluding it on my blogroll! Just worked in the London food scene for 3 years and now i'm off to explore the Melbourne foodscene...with a stop in Cape Town of course. almay
Post a Comment