Into the Blue: a hand-painting ceramics studio for re-interpreted blue china in the V&A Waterfront, CPT.

Abstract

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront (V&A Waterfront) Development in Cape Town is transforming the port into a playground. With the notion of globalisation and replicating international waterfront-scapes, the V&AW is at risk of becoming a creative destruction. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮 𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗯𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗯𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻? The project proposes a hand-painting, blue china studio as an adaptive reuse of the ensemble of heritage and existing synchrolift buildings within the Marina District of the V&AW. Viewing craft as a method of purposeful play, the project will aim to condense the artistic potential within the ceramics-making process while preserving elements of its local habitual and material engagement. These phenomenological theories will be used to support the design decisions and contextual orientation to arrive at an appropriate architectural response to the historically rich environment of the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Consequently, the theoretical lens will add layers of complexity to the heritage site and the proposed design becomes inseparably moulded into the cultural fabric, regenerating the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town. The document explores contextual analysis, precedent analysis, and theoretical framework to inform the design development and technical resolution. Ultimately, the thesis dissertation will present a contemporary interpretation of craft in urban manufacturing and adaptive reuse projects.