Cape Town Mapping Project

Cape Town Mapping Project

Cape Town, South Africa is dramatically situated on a peninsula near the southern tip of the African continent.  It is a city rich in history, culture, and incredible natural beauty that includes rivers and oceans, beaches and rugged coastline, and of course, the iconic mountains including Table Mountain, which provides a stunning backdrop to this city of more than 3 million people. 

This project was made possible by the Distinguished Fulbright Awards in Teaching Program, and was created in the fall of 2013 by architect/educator Peter Goldstein and students from three Cape Town high schools-  COSAT, the Centre for Science and Technology, Oude Molen Academy of Science and Technology, and St. George’s Grammar School, the oldest independent school in South Africa.  Over a two month period, 37 students from these schools collaborated with each other, with their instructors, and with the School of Architecture, Planning & Geomatics at the University of Cape Town to create this map.  Throughout the process, the students explored, documented, and examined their neighborhoods and community, and, along the way, they created connections with each other, and with their city.

This map is a perceptual and informational map that provides a portrait of the city and neighborhoods of Cape Town as seen through the eyes of the students who were involved with the project.  In addition to the information about the landmarks, natural setting, and history of Cape Town, the map also offers the student's insights into the neighborhoods and townships of the city, and the people that live there.  This map is meant to tell a story- a story that includes a diverse collection of people and cultures who call this beautiful and enchanting city “home”.

This is not an official Department of State website or blog, and the views and information presented do not represent the Fulbright Program of the U.S. Department of State.