On weekdays I prefer working out at the gym sometime between 11 am and 1 pm. That way I break my day. I can be super productive in the morning, pushing to get things done before I head off and then super productive in the afternoon again after I am back and filled with all the good stuff that flows around in my veins after pumping iron for an hour or so. But yesterday (like too many other days recently) was different. I changed my schedule so that me and my fitness freak daughter, Mandisa, could … [Read more...] about It’s our duty every single day to reject bad design, bad coffee and bad attitudes
tim hewitt-coleman
Has anyone seen Gunter’s Wurst Wagen?
Sardinia Bay on a Sunday morning is perhaps my favourite place in the world. Sometimes we walk “Tank”, our enormous Great Dane. Sometimes we go for a swim in the choppy surf. Other times we simply sit on the dunes taking in the panoramic view of Indian Ocean. There is something rugged and untamed about Sardinia Bay. Its massive sand dunes refuse to bow to the our feeble plans to build a road to the beach, perhaps rejecting the vulgar and boorish club house structures, maybe like a body would … [Read more...] about Has anyone seen Gunter’s Wurst Wagen?
More return in rural infrastructure
I try at the beginning of each year, during my break from office life, to pull off at least one lasting "capital infrastructure" project at home or at the farm. I do this because I've seen that a change of work routine is much more refreshing to me than "vegging out" on the couch. For the last few years I have been focusing on farm projects rather than home projects. A few hundred metres of fence, replacing the rusted roof on the old cottage or installing solar panels for off grid electricity. I … [Read more...] about More return in rural infrastructure
Don’t let culture be reason to isolate ourselves from others
December holidays in South Africa, perhaps more than anywhere else in the world, are a glorious celebration of idleness; an annual reminder to all of us that there is so much more to this life than working for a boss. But, other than idleness, December in our region is also dominated by significant "cultural" and "traditional" obsessions. In my family, we follow both Xhosa and European traditions, so December means Mgidi season and Christmas season. This year was particularly intense as my … [Read more...] about Don’t let culture be reason to isolate ourselves from others
#Feesmustfall, Brass Bells and the Pain of the Taxpayer
A few days back, I made a short presentation on some of my recent work to a, polite audience at the newly renovated Tramways building. To be honest though, the small group of architects, historians and academics had mainly come out to hear from my colleague, Professor Albrecht Herholdt, with whom I shared the stage that evening. You see, Professor Herholdt, is one of our region's finest architects and he spoke that evening on the fantastic work that he and his team is doing with the MBDA to … [Read more...] about #Feesmustfall, Brass Bells and the Pain of the Taxpayer
Statism and the East Cape Taxi Protest
My 1997 Toyota is currently propped up on bricks in my backyard. You see, I'm waiting for my small time mechanic "guy" to find a specific part that is being reconditioned by his small time parts supply "guy". I have though still managed to get around town regardless of this challenge and regardless of this week's province wide taxi protest. This, partly thanks to Uber and partly thanks to the luck that I do not rank in the number of the struggling poor compelled to live in the far flung … [Read more...] about Statism and the East Cape Taxi Protest
Drop the Mindless Controls
I took a drive out to the countryside this morning. The rolling green pasture and forest to the west of Port Elizabeth is an incredibly beautiful an peaceful place and today I had good reason to drive out this way, rather than through Walmer, to my office in Central. You see, as I write this, Walmer is completely closed down by large groups of angry people disrupting traffic with burning barricades. To make matters worse, thieves and thugs are taking advantage of the opportunity to carry out … [Read more...] about Drop the Mindless Controls
Who will champion Port Elizabeth’s ICC?
Last moth I was fortunate to spend a week in Durban. I was one of four thousand five hundred delegates from around the world that attended the 25th World Architecture Congress. It really was a great event with great speakers, great exhibitions and great and inspiring debates in the corridors and coffee bars that make conferences like these worthwhile. Yes, my mind was on the papers and presentations, but maybe, even more than this my mind was on the city of Durban and the International … [Read more...] about Who will champion Port Elizabeth’s ICC?
ECIA Chair slates ‘too big to fail’ developments
The past two years have seen the Eastern Cape Institute of Architects' (ECIA) take on a higher level of advocacy and engage more actively with the public, business and government to educate and share the power and joy of the art of architecture; and on how design can be used for good. ?ECIA President, Tim Hewitt-Coleman says, "The city is its buildings; and the city is the spaces between its buildings. We must work hard to develop a dialog about the 'Art of Architecture'. A critical dialogue … [Read more...] about ECIA Chair slates ‘too big to fail’ developments
Did you miss World Architecture Day?
Last week Monday, 1 October, was "World Architecture Day". No, I did not do anything special either. I suppose I got distracted and caught up in all the excitement of World Yo-Yo day and the International Tennis Elbow Awareness week. You see, we live in a world where everything is important and Architecture has become one of those many, many important things. But, I wonder, is a world where everything is important not the same as a world where nothing is important? To be honest, I wasn't even … [Read more...] about Did you miss World Architecture Day?
