Zeitz MOCAA

Thomas Heatherwick

South Africa, Capetown, V&A Waterfront, Silo District

2017

Capetown, South Africa

A few months ago we made another long trip. The last 10 years we didn’t made any trips longer than 7 days. Since we no longer have a boat to take care of, we can travel more. The destination had been set for a long time: South Africa. We especially enjoyed the nature, the animals and the views. Still there had to be something of architecture for me and that was this museum.

Zeitz

In this museum you can see artworks from the personal collection of the German businessman Jochen Zeitz. He became CEO of Puma when he was 30 years old and turned it into a successful business. In 2002 he started his art collection. The aim now is to make this collection the most representative collection of contemporary art on the African continent. According to director Mark Coetzee, a former business partner of Zeitz, it should become a museum for Africa by Africa.

MOCAA

The abbreviation MOCAA stands for ‘Museum of Contemporary African Art’. It is located in an old grain silo from 1921. The building has not been used since 1990. This was once the highest building in South Africa: 57 meters high. It can be viewed as a monument to Cape Town’s industrial past. The museum is located in the tourist harbor area of the city: V&A Waterfront.

Thomas Heatherwick

Zeits asked Heatherwick Studio as the architect for the renovation. The most spectacular element is the atrium and lobby: this is literally carved from the original silos. Some lifts use the round shape of the silos. For the rest there is 6000m² of exhibition space, spread over 80 galleries.

In addition to the museum, there is also a hotel in the building. Be brave and go for a drink or little snack in the hotel bar. Through the special windows you have a beautiful view of the Table Mountain and the V&A harbor area.