Recent spatial trends in post-Fordist Cape Town

Master Thesis

2006

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University of Cape Town

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This study examines the extent to which Cape Town is developing a post- Fordist spatial order characterised by the development of edge cities and the excluded ghetto. The study determines the extent to which office developments are becoming decentralised, and the growth and demand that these suburban nodes are experiencing independent of the central city. The evidence used to test this theory is that of the development of office nodes. Specifically, data on actual office sizes are used to determine growth, and market rental rates and vacancy levels are used to determine the demand for office space in the office nodes. The spatial phenomena under discussion include edge cities, the excluded ghetto, and transformed waterfronts. The effect of decentralisation on the development of these phenomena and the extent in which they are 'totalising' are central to the study. The data show that although decentralisation is persisting, the Cape Town Central Business District (CBD) has experienced a turn around and decentralisation is slowing down. This is evidenced in the data as demand for office space and growth in office developments have increased for both the CBO and the decentralised nodes. The growth and increased demand taking place in the latter office nodes suggests that these nodes are developing into edge cities. Spatially, it is the office nodes situated to the north of the CBD that are experiencing increases in office development, with little or no office development taking place in the south-east. The implications of the development of edge cities in the north is that of increased spatial polarisation as the job market is located further away from the impoverished south-east. This leads to the exclusion of those living in the ghetto from the rest of society. Thus, the development of edge cities has direct bearing on spatial polarisation in the city.
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