Sociocultural evolution is an umbrella term of theories of cultural evolution and social evolution, describing how cultures and societies have developed over time. Although such theories typically provide models for understanding the relationship between technologies, social structure, the values of society, they vary as to the extent to which they describe specific mechanisms of variation and social change.
Conceived as an iconoclastic intervention which implodes the conception of skyscraper at the global and local scale, Adamastor’s Throne exists to reveal and respond to the social fabric and cultural framework of an entire country, South Africa, but specifically Cape Town and its complex and contradictory history. The tower is an ontological experiment to provide spatial models toward recalibrating the relationship between technologies, social structure, and values of South African culture.
The tower is a sentinel which embraces earth and sky into a series of enveloping shards as a new topography of architectural expression that embraces light through a fractal thread. Situated in a contested coastal city, the tower is primed as a 21st century gateway to Africa seeking to re-connect a dispossessed people with their harbor; and a vibrant Intermodal transport development strategy with rail as the backbone.
Designed by Makeka Design Laboratory
Mokena Makeka, Adam Casey, Bram Van Cauter, Roy Smit
