| Good Hope Centre | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of the Good Hope Centre area | |
| General information | |
| Type | Conference center |
| Architectural style | Modernist,reinforced concrete[1] |
| Location | 11 Sir Lowry Road,Foreshore,Cape Town CBD,Cape Town, South Africa[1] |
| Current tenants | None |
| Inaugurated | 1977; 49 years ago (1977)[2] |
| Renovated | TBD (redevelopmenttender process planned for 2026)[3] |
| Owner | TheCity of Cape Town |
| Landlord | The City of Cape Town |
| Height | |
| Roof | Domed[4] |
| Grounds | 2.48 hectares[1] |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Pier Luigi Nervi[1] |
| Known for | Being Cape Town's original mainconference center |
| Other information | |
| Parking | Above and below ground |
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TheGood Hope Centre is a defunct[5]exhibition hall andconference centre inCape Town,South Africa. It is located on the corner of Sir Lowry Road and Christiaan Barnard Street, in theForeshore region ofCape Town CBD.[6]
The Centre's business was subsumed over time by the more modernCape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), as well as conference facilities inCentury City.[5] As of February 2026, atender 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 theCity of Cape Town for the project to move ahead.[3]
The Good Hope Centre was designed in 1976, and inaugurated in 1977.[2] At the time it was constructed, itsprecast 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-locatedCape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), which completed construction in 2003, with significant investment from theCity of Cape Town.[7][4]
In 2015, it was announced that the Good Hope Centre, which had become defunct, would be leased as a temporaryfilm 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]
In November 2025, theCity of Cape Town Mayoral Committee (Mayco) granted in-principle approval for theredevelopment 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 apublic 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 tothe CBD (the city's main economic hub), as well as major transit corridors andDistrict Six.[9]
In December 2025, the City signed an agreement with the nationalDepartment 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]
The Good Hope Centre was designed in 1976 by Italian engineer and architectPier Luigi Nervi, who is considered to have been one of the masters of 20th-century reinforced concrete structures.[2]
Theexhibition 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 frompre-cast concrete triangularcoffers, within-situ concrete beams on the edges.
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 inCape Town that same year.[citation needed]
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]
| 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] |
33°55′35″S18°25′52″E / 33.92639°S 18.43111°E /-33.92639; 18.43111
