Swakop to build on past as it looks to future

SWAKOPMUND is known locally and internationally for its rich German culture, and besides the large German-speaking community, it also boasts some of the oldest German architecture in Africa, with some of the buildings more than a century old.

The problem is that Swakopmund is also one of the fastest developing towns in the country, and a hotspot for residential development. While development is considered good, it also threatens the architectural heritage which makes Swakopmund so unique.As a result, the Town Council is establishing an aesthetics committee that will evaluate applications for the construction of new buildings.It will also assess changes to existing buildings within the conservation area in order to preserve the character of the older part of town.Municipal officials and councillors have already taken their place on the committee, with Councillor Johnny Ngolombe serving as Chairman.Other members are Frikkie Holzhausen (GM: Engineering Services at the Municipality), Eckard Demasius (Council CEO) and Councillor Peter Steinkopf of the Swakopmund Residents’ Association.Other seats should be filled by the end of June and will include local architects, an urban planner and local residents.”The committee should be fully representative of Swakopmund,” Demasius said.Proposals for the establishment of such a committee go back quite some time, and some feel it is “too little, too late” – that the damage has already been done with a boom in new flats and office blocks that do not blend in with the existing architecture.Quite the contrary, says Demasius.He feels the Council has managed to conserve most of the conservation area – which includes most of the CBD and the jetty – and has even put pressure on businesses to comply with its existing conservation policies.It had, however, become necessary to set up an advisory committee to focus specifically on the aspect of aesthetics.The committee would act within the frameworks set by the National Heritage Committee, Demasius said.He said the new Town Planning Scheme provides for preservation guidelines to keep the character of Swakopmund, where buildings cannot be altered or demolished without the committee’s consent.”Our town should be attractive to our community.The visitors will see that we’re happy.It’s no point making the town just attractive for visitors while the locals are unhappy,” he said.There are also views that not only German architecture forms part of Swakopmund’s traditional aesthetics, and that it should involve other cultures too.The conservation area might be enlarged.The requirements will be debated once the committee is up and running.Holtzhausen admitted that there were shortcomings on which architecture should be preserved.He said it was important to maintain consistency and not to have an unsightly mix of styles.”Architecture does not need to be old to fit in.There are many old buildings that don’t fit in.We need to keep going with those that fit in with Swakopmund,” he said.”We need to identify those buildings that need to be conserved, and make sure that new developments will fit in.”While development is considered good, it also threatens the architectural heritage which makes Swakopmund so unique.As a result, the Town Council is establishing an aesthetics committee that will evaluate applications for the construction of new buildings.It will also assess changes to existing buildings within the conservation area in order to preserve the character of the older part of town.Municipal officials and councillors have already taken their place on the committee, with Councillor Johnny Ngolombe serving as Chairman.Other members are Frikkie Holzhausen (GM: Engineering Services at the Municipality), Eckard Demasius (Council CEO) and Councillor Peter Steinkopf of the Swakopmund Residents’ Association.Other seats should be filled by the end of June and will include local architects, an urban planner and local residents.”The committee should be fully representative of Swakopmund,” Demasius said.Proposals for the establishment of such a committee go back quite some time, and some feel it is “too little, too late” – that the damage has already been done with a boom in new flats and office blocks that do not blend in with the existing architecture.Quite the contrary, says Demasius.He feels the Council has managed to conserve most of the conservation area – which includes most of the CBD and the jetty – and has even put pressure on businesses to comply with its existing conservation policies.It had, however, become necessary to set up an advisory committee to focus specifically on the aspect of aesthetics.The committee would act within the frameworks set by the National Heritage Committee, Demasius said.He said the new Town Planning Scheme provides for preservation guidelines to keep the character of Swakopmund, where buildings cannot be altered or demolished without the committee’s consent.”Our town should be attractive to our community.The visitors will see that we’re happy.It’s no point making the town just attractive for visitors while the locals are unhappy,” he said.There are also views that not only German architecture forms part of Swakopmund’s traditional aesthetics, and that it should involve other cultures too.The conservation area might be enlarged.The requirements will be debated once the committee is up and running.Holtzhausen admitted that there were shortcomings on which architecture should be preserved.He said it was important to maintain consistency and not to have an unsightly mix of styles.”Architecture does not need to be old to fit in.There are many old buildings that don’t fit in.We need to keep going with those that fit in with Swakopmund,” he said.”We need to identify those buildings that need to be conserved, and make sure that new developments will fit in.”

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