An Arch for Arch

An Arch for Arch stands near St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town as an architectural tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Design Indaba commissioned this Cape Town structure. Fourteen wooden arches rise together into a dome-like form, connecting public art with the South African Constitution’s preamble. Each arch represents one line from that preamble. The design honours Tutu while presenting unity and strength through a structure made from individually crafted wooden elements. Wood gives the installation its visible material character.

Craig Dykers, co-founder of Snøhetta, and Thomas Chapman of Local Studio developed the project as an international architectural collaboration. Croatian boat builder Dario Farcic crafted the wooden arches. The structure links Cape Town’s civic setting with Tutu’s legacy and the democratic values expressed in the Constitution. Its dome-like silhouette gathers fourteen separate arches into one readable form. The project first appeared at the Design Indaba Conference before its later installation near St George’s Cathedral. Its location places the tribute beside a named Cape Town landmark. As a work of art, An Arch for Arch uses architecture to connect commemoration, constitutional language, and material craft. The arches make these connections visible here.