Decolonising Kirstenbosch

摘要

Since 1994, in the post-apartheid era, a number of significant buildings were added to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape Town, South Africa, reflecting the broader sentiment of the country ambitiously re-establishing itself in the world. In 2018, Kirstenbosch’s centenary was celebrated with the building of a 130-metre-long curved tree canopy walkway in its arboretum. Known as the Boomslang (tree snake), the structure by local architect Mark Thomas and engineer Henry Fagan quickly became a popular attraction. Together, the new additions strengthened Kirstenbosch's profile as a site of research, biodiversity conservation, education, leisure and tourism.