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Good Hope Centre
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Key Information
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The Good Hope Centre is a defunct[5] exhibition hall and conference centre in Cape Town, South Africa. It is located on the corner of Sir Lowry Road and Christiaan Barnard Street, in the Foreshore region of Cape Town CBD.[6]
The Centre's business was subsumed over time by the more modern Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), as well as conference facilities in Century City.[5] As of February 2026, a tender process is planned for the same year, to begin completely redeveloping the precinct in which the building stands. This follows approval having been granted by the City of Cape Town for the project to move ahead.[3]
History
[edit]The Good Hope Centre was designed in 1976, and inaugurated in 1977.[2] At the time it was constructed, its precast concrete roof cross-vault was the largest in the world.[1]
Since the 2010s, the Centre has lost popularity, has barely been used as a hosting venue, and has fallen into a state of disrepair.[4] This has in large part been due to the opening of the larger, more modern, and better-located Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), which completed construction in 2003, with significant investment from the City of Cape Town.[7][4]
In 2015, it was announced that the Good Hope Centre, which had become defunct, would be leased as a temporary film studio, to raise funds and boost employment.[8]
In November 2024, the City stated that the Good Hope Centre was leased on a monthly basis, and generated total revenue of R520,000 per month.[1]
Redevelopment
[edit]In November 2025, the City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee (Mayco) granted in-principle approval for the redevelopment of the Good Hope Centre precinct.[3]
At the time of the approval, the redevelopment was awaiting full approval from the City Council. Once this was secured, the property would be sold at a public auction, planned for early 2026, and managed by City-appointed auctioneer Claremart.[3]
The Centre is located within a designated City of Cape Town Development Focus Area (DFA), in the Table Bay District Plan. It forms part of the City’s Consolidated Land Pipeline and Release Program (IDP 2022–2027). According to the City of Cape Town, the building's proximity to the CBD (the city's main economic hub), as well as major transit corridors and District Six.[9]
In December 2025, the City signed an agreement with the national Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), in which the City of Cape Town transferred ownership of parcels of land in the area around the Houses of Parliament, in exchange for parcels of land previously owned by the DPWI situated within the Good Hope Centre precinct.[10]
Possible use cases suggested for the new precinct include residential, retail, and commercial buildings.[3]
Design
[edit]The Good Hope Centre was designed in 1976 by Italian engineer and architect Pier Luigi Nervi, who is considered to have been one of the masters of 20th-century reinforced concrete structures.[2]
The exhibition hall comprises an arch with a tie-beam on each of its four vertical facades, and two diagonal arches supporting two intersecting barrel-like roofs. These roofs were constructed from pre-cast concrete triangular coffers, with in-situ concrete beams on the edges.
Construction
[edit]The main contractor for the Centre was Murray and Stewart. Consulting engineers KFD Wilkinson and Partners were local agents for Studio Nervi. Depropping of the entire structure was carried out during December 1976. Murray and Stewart published a postcard showing 18 tower cranes at their sites in Cape Town that same year.[citation needed]
Features
[edit]The exhibition centre offers a range of spaces and a total of 4,500 square metres of floorspace. As a sports arena, the venue has a maximum capacity of 7,000 people.[citation needed]
The building is listed as a Grade 3B heritage resource.[4]
Events
[edit]| 1991 | The RSA Games for Quad Roller Hockey for Ladies and Men |
|---|---|
| 1986 | The Good Hope Concerts |
| 1994 | Exotic Tour/Summer Tour '94, Depeche Mode tour |
| 1996 | WWF Tour to South Africa[11] |
| 1997 | World Junior Weightlifting Championships |
| 2000–2003 | Cape Town International Jazz Festival |
| 2003–2004 | WWE Tour to South Africa |
| 2004 | KSI World Karate Championships |
| 2007 | ITTF World Cadet Challenge and World Junior Circuit Finals |
| 2008 | World Rope Skipping Championships |
| 2012 | World University Netball Championship[12][13] |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f "Revitalising Good Hope Centre's future takes centre stage". The City of Cape Town. 19 November 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
- ^ a b c "The Good Hope Centre. A masterpiece of Italian design in Cape Town". MAXXI. 13 March 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
- ^ a b c d e "Good Hope Centre precinct revitalisation another step closer". Cape Town ETC. 20 November 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
- ^ a b c d Aiden Daries (3 December 2025). "Good Hope Centre set for massive revival". Cape Town ETC. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
- ^ a b Ray Leathern (3 December 2025). "Big revival plans for Good Hope Centre in Cape Town". The South African. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
- ^ "Google Maps - Good Hope Centre". Google. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
- ^ Mbeki, Thabo. "Address at The Official Opening of The Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town, 28 June 2003". South African History Online. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
- ^ Charles, Marvin. "Once defunct Good Hope Centre in Cape Town to be leased to film company". News24. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ "The City of Cape Town - Good Hope Centre precinct revitalisation another step closer". The City of Cape Town. 20 November 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
- ^ "Cape Town Signs Power Of Attorney For Major Land Swap With National Government". Property Wheel. 12 December 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
- ^ Saalbach, Axel. "WWF @ Cape Town (1996-09-10) - Results @ Wrestlingdata.com". wrestlingdata.com. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
- ^ "South Africa to play Ireland in Opening Game of Inaugural WUC Netball". www.fisu.net. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- ^ "GBR takes Gold at 1st WUC Netball". www.fisu.net. 7 July 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
External links
[edit]33°55′35″S 18°25′52″E / 33.92639°S 18.43111°E
