sharpCITY - Urban Research, Exhibitions, Events

+ In 1999 sharpCITY (architects Thorsten Deckler & Henning Rasmuss) entered the international Japan Architect competition and won first prize with a mapping of Johannesburg. The brief essentially asked "How great and attractive cities can be made today". Their response was an imaginary Johannesburg in which politics and social inequality had miraculously been resolved enabling them to consider existing aspects of the city which are positive in their own right. "Landscapes of Desire" is a map which dreams of poetic and fantastic new uses, interactions and events within a city previously segregated.

+ In 2000 sharpCITY contributed a mapping of Johannesburg to the Venice Bienale. The theme " Less Aesthetics more ethics" provoked sharpCITY to posit a provocative response based on the reading of Johannesburg as a city entirely structured through the expedient ethics of politics & capitalism.

18 entirely different, contrasting and conflicting landscapes were mapped out from north to south. 18 questions confronting the future of the city, and the architectural and planning profession in general were posed in response to the theme.

The contribution gleaned international recognition and praise from, amongst others, curator Massimilliano Fuksas.
Production team: Antony Orelowitz, Henning Rasmuss &Thorsten Deckler.

+ In 2003 sharpClTY was invited to represent Johannesburg in the Metropolis component at the 5th International Bienale of Architecture and Design in São Paulo, Brazil. Metropolis aimed to portray how major cities in the 21st century are developing and which challenges they are facing. Johannesburg was showcased along with 6 other major cities including: London, New York, São Paulo, Tokyo, Berlin & Beijing.

The exhibition was designed to leave an impression of the city in the visitor's mind, simulating a drive or walk through Johannesburg. To achieve this, large translucent images representing fragments of the city and its people were hung in the space forming a visual forest.
A series of project panels, videos and photo essays portrayed architecture and aspects of life in Johannesburg. The exhibition attempted to give an honest, non-judgemental insight into the diversity, contrasts and intensity of Johannesburg as a city in transition.

The exhibition was funded by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), AngloGold, Wits University Architecture and Paragon Architects. Credits: Curators & Exhibirion design - Anne Graupner, Antony Orelowitz, Henning Rasmuss, Thorsten Deckfer, Merideth Randall, Dagmar Hoetzel, Prof. Lindsay Bremner Photos, research & assistance - Hugh Fraser, Katja Nauman, Amir Livne, Robert Rich, Rogan Rich, Bettina Andrag, Hasan Essop, Mulfi-medio presentation- Delapse

+ In 2004 sharpCITY was invited by the Vienna Architectural Centre to create an exhibition solely dedicated to Johannesburg. "Jo'burg_Now Constructing the Future" looked back over 10 years of Democracy and interventions made in the city during this time. 21 projects, illustrating the history and contemporary challenges of Johannesburg, were displayed alongside photo essays, maps and an animated history map

Besides architecture, the exhibition aimed to portray the intangibles, the glue which bonds people to the city. People interviewed in the streets of Jo'burg, offered positive and poetic responses to the question of how they relate to the city. These were presented on large poetry walls demonstrating how peoples' identities are linked to their city. The colour of mine dumps and the red earth of Johannesburg were used as a backdrop to portray the city's visual intensity.

The exhibition was funded by the Vienna Architectural Centre and the South African embassy in Vienna Credits: Curators & Exhibition Design -AnneGraupner, Henning Rasmuss &Thorsten Deckier, Co-Curafore- Dagmar Hoetzel & Prof. LjndsayBremner, Graphic Design- Ronet Wasserman , Photo essays- Hugh Fraser, Bettina Andrag & Robert Rich.

> Fast Forward Johannesburg- AedesEast -Berlin 2005 was curated by Dagmar Hoetzel, s/jarpCITY colleague & collaberator, based in Berlin who has done extensive research on Johannesburg and contributed significantly to previous exhibitions produced by sharpCITY. Henning Rasmuss acted as co-curator in Johannesburg from where sharpClTY provided logistical expertise as well as produced a photographic backdrop project evoking thelandscape and mood of Johannesburg. The exhibition featured urban planning and architectural projects in Johannesburg, representative of the transforming building culture in Post-Apartheid South Africa. Seven selected schemes illustrated the search for identity and the process of coming to terms with South Africa's history.

The exhibition was funded by: Haupstadt Kultur Fonds, Auswaertiges Amt, South African Embassy, Berlin, GKD, South African Cargo, Grohe Water Technology, Office Form, Zumtobel Staff, Berlin Partner & Goethe- Institute Johannesburg. Credits: Curators-, Dagmar Hoetzel Co-Curator - Henning Rasmuss, Exhibition design- Dagmar Hoetzel, Christine Meierhofer & Ulla Giesler. Background photography project- sharpCITY (AnneGraiipner, Thorsten Deckler, Henning Rasmuss & Bettina Andrag)

> Durban Ul A Conference Bid for 2011. Recently Durban's Ethekwini Municipality, approached s/jarpCITY to conceptualise a bid promoting Durban as the 2011 host of the UIA (Union of International Architects) conference taking place everySyears. Durban's competitors are Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro. In conceptualizing the bid sharpQTY mapped the events held since 1948 and found that the congress has been held solely in the southern hemisphere thus far. South Africa's unique location, on the margin of the global architectural debate is seen as an opportunity to shift the focus of the current global architectural debate onto Africa and the Indian dubbed African Ocean. The resultant visual presentation was shown at the AUA (African Union of Architects) council meeting in Dakar, February '05, where the proposed bid themes received unanimous endorsement.

For more information about the Durban 2011 congress bid please contact: uia2011@sharpcity.co.za

+ In 2005 sharpCITY will take the first Exhibition of Contemporary South African Architecture to the São Paulo Biennale in Brazil. South Africa will be represented amongst 10 other countries in the National Representations Section. This exhibition will celebrate excellent architecture that is relevant to the South African landscape and context. 40 - 50 contemporary architectural projects will be represented along with projections and panoramas evoking the expanse and beauty of the South African landscape. Read More about the Exhibition >>

About SharpCITY

Projects 1999-2005
sharpCITY - Urban Research, Exhibitions, Events

About SharpCITY Projects 1999-2005 sharpCITY - Urban Research, Exhibitions, Events *+ In 1999 sharpCITY* (architects Thorsten Deckler & Henning Rasmuss) entered the international Japan Architect competition and won first prize with a mapping of Johannesburg. The brief essentially asked "How great and attractive cities can be made today". Their response was an imaginary Johannesburg in which politics and social inequality had miraculously been resolved enabling them to consider existing aspects of the city which are positive in their own right. "Landscapes of Desire" is a map which dreams of poetic and fantastic new uses, interactions and events within a city previously segregated. *+ In 2000 sharpCITY* contributed a mapping of Johannesburg to the Venice Bienale. The theme " Less Aesthetics more ethics" provoked sharpCITY to posit a provocative response based on the reading of Johannesburg as a city entirely structured through the expedient ethics of politics & capitalism. 18 entirely different, contrasting and conflicting landscapes were mapped out from north to south. 18 questions confronting the future of the city, and the architectural and planning profession in general were posed in response to the theme. The contribution gleaned international recognition and praise from, amongst others, curator Massimilliano Fuksas. Production team: Antony Orelowitz, Henning Rasmuss &Thorsten Deckler. + In 2003 sharpClTY was invited to represent Johannesburg in the Metropolis component at the 5th International Bienale of Architecture and Design in São Paulo, Brazil. Metropolis aimed to portray how major cities in the 21st century are developing and which challenges they are facing. Johannesburg was showcased along with 6 other major cities including: London, New York, São Paulo, Tokyo, Berlin & Beijing. The exhibition was designed to leave an impression of the city in the visitor's mind, simulating a drive or walk through Johannesburg. To achieve this, large translucent images representing fragments of the city and its people were hung in the space forming a visual forest. A series of project panels, videos and photo essays portrayed architecture and aspects of life in Johannesburg. The exhibition attempted to give an honest, non-judgemental insight into the diversity, contrasts and intensity of Johannesburg as a city in transition. The exhibition was funded by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), AngloGold, Wits University Architecture and Paragon Architects. Credits: Curators & Exhibirion design - Anne Graupner, Antony Orelowitz, Henning Rasmuss, Thorsten Deckfer, Merideth Randall, Dagmar Hoetzel, Prof. Lindsay Bremner Photos, research & assistance - Hugh Fraser, Katja Nauman, Amir Livne, Robert Rich, Rogan Rich, Bettina Andrag, Hasan Essop, Mulfi-medio presentation- Delapse *+ In 2004 sharpCITY* was invited by the Vienna Architectural Centre to create an exhibition solely dedicated to Johannesburg. "Jo'burg_Now Constructing the Future" looked back over 10 years of Democracy and interventions made in the city during this time. 21 projects, illustrating the history and contemporary challenges of Johannesburg, were displayed alongside photo essays, maps and an animated history map Besides architecture, the exhibition aimed to portray the intangibles, the glue which bonds people to the city. People interviewed in the streets of Jo'burg, offered positive and poetic responses to the question of how they relate to the city. These were presented on large poetry walls demonstrating how peoples' identities are linked to their city. The colour of mine dumps and the red earth of Johannesburg were used as a backdrop to portray the city's visual intensity. The exhibition was funded by the Vienna Architectural Centre and the South African embassy in Vienna Credits: Curators & Exhibition Design -AnneGraupner, Henning Rasmuss &Thorsten Deckier, Co-Curafore- Dagmar Hoetzel & Prof. LjndsayBremner, Graphic Design- Ronet Wasserman , Photo essays- Hugh Fraser, Bettina Andrag & Robert Rich. > Fast Forward Johannesburg- AedesEast -Berlin 2005 was curated by Dagmar Hoetzel, s/jarpCITY colleague & collaberator, based in Berlin who has done extensive research on Johannesburg and contributed significantly to previous exhibitions produced by sharpCITY. Henning Rasmuss acted as co-curator in Johannesburg from where sharpClTY provided logistical expertise as well as produced a photographic backdrop project evoking thelandscape and mood of Johannesburg. The exhibition featured urban planning and architectural projects in Johannesburg, representative of the transforming building culture in Post-Apartheid South Africa. Seven selected schemes illustrated the search for identity and the process of coming to terms with South Africa's history. The exhibition was funded by: Haupstadt Kultur Fonds, Auswaertiges Amt, South African Embassy, Berlin, GKD, South African Cargo, Grohe Water Technology, Office Form, Zumtobel Staff, Berlin Partner & Goethe- Institute Johannesburg. Credits: Curators-, Dagmar Hoetzel Co-Curator - Henning Rasmuss, Exhibition design- Dagmar Hoetzel, Christine Meierhofer & Ulla Giesler. Background photography project- sharpCITY (AnneGraiipner, Thorsten Deckler, Henning Rasmuss & Bettina Andrag) > Durban Ul A Conference Bid for 2011. Recently Durban's Ethekwini Municipality, approached s/jarpCITY to conceptualise a bid promoting Durban as the 2011 host of the UIA (Union of International Architects) conference taking place everySyears. Durban's competitors are Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro. In conceptualizing the bid sharpQTY mapped the events held since 1948 and found that the congress has been held solely in the southern hemisphere thus far. South Africa's unique location, on the margin of the global architectural debate is seen as an opportunity to shift the focus of the current global architectural debate onto Africa and the Indian dubbed African Ocean. The resultant visual presentation was shown at the AUA (African Union of Architects) council meeting in Dakar, February '05, where the proposed bid themes received unanimous endorsement. For more information about the Durban 2011 congress bid please contact: uia2011@sharpcity.co.za *+ In 2005 sharpCITY* will take the first Exhibition of Contemporary South African Architecture to the São Paulo Biennale in Brazil. South Africa will be represented amongst 10 other countries in the National Representations Section. This exhibition will celebrate excellent architecture that is relevant to the South African landscape and context. 40 - 50 contemporary architectural projects will be represented along with projections and panoramas evoking the expanse and beauty of the South African landscape. Read More about the Exhibition >>

+ ABOUT SHARPCITY > SharpCITY Projects '99 to '05	+

About SharpCITY

Projects 1999-2005 sharpCITY - Urban Research, Exhibitions, Events

Projects 1999-2005
sharpCITY - Urban Research, Exhibitions, Events