Paper short abstract

This paper explores the potential of the city-university duality as a foundation for redesigning and developing a South African city.

Paper long abstract

This paper focuses on the relationship between an emerging university and urban development in one of South Africa's newest metropolitan regions, Buffalo City. In 2004 the University of Fort Hare acquired an urban campus in East London, but has done little to develop this campus over the past decade. This paper explores how investment in the city campus could change the face of the city, which has long been seen as a conservative, white settler seaside resort, now in a state of terminal decline. The paper will interrogate aspects of the relationship between universities and cities in Africa and eslewhere, while also reflecting on some of the design elements and principles associated with the emerging Fort Hare East London campus project.