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BOOK REVIEW
UP UP : Stories of Johannesburg ’ s Highrises
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P UP : Stories of Johannesburg ’ s Highrises presents a selection of buildings in the inner city of Johannesburg . The focus here is on tall modernist towers that quickly became iconic in the architecture of the city . Witnesses to profound shifts in the political history of the metropolis , the skyscrapers have themselves endured immense changes .
They are documented here in two ways : firstly , through historical facts , floor plans , archival records and contemporary photographs of their formal architecture ; and secondly , through reportage , interviews and essays . This book is the first to document Joburg ’ s skyscrapers and it offers new insights not only into these classic buildings , but also into contemporary urban life in South Africa .
UP UP is a selection of 27 stories presented as interviews , essays or photo collections , each accompanied by documentation of a building , primarily modernist towers . The buildings are related to the story in various ways , such as through its architect , main tenant or usage . The stories have been written by people with a professional interest in how the city works , such as architects , artists , and journalists , but also a taxi driver , an activist , and a clothing vendor are heard . The result is a variety of personal and contemporary perspectives of the city centre .
EDITED BY : Nele Dechmann , Fabian Jaggi , Katrin Murbach and Nicola Ruffo . Photographs by Mpho Mokgadi PUBLISHER : Fourthwall Books ISBN : 978-3-7757-4093-7 PAGES : 370 , Softcover
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