Where mountain meets ocean, a neighbourhood of heritage, culture and connection comes to life.
Rooted in Cape Town’s historic shoreline and harbour legacy, the V&A Waterfront has grown into a neighbourhood shaped by heritage, purpose and belonging.
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Annual visitors
Welcoming millions into the neighbourhood each year.
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Small business
Supporting local enterprise and shared growth.
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Stores
Bringing together global brands and local finds.
Shaped by shoreline, heritage and change
Rooted in Cape Town’s historic shoreline, the V&A Waterfront has evolved from a place of arrival and trade into a neighbourhood where heritage, culture and everyday life meet. Its story stretches across centuries and continues to be shaped by the people, communities and experiences that make this place what it is today.
A neighbourhood designed to create shared value
Our purpose is to create the world’s most inspiring waterfront neighbourhood, where people, planet and community come first. We bring this to life by investing in inclusive growth, environmental stewardship and the experiences that connect people to this place.
Three ways we shape meaningful impact
Sustainability
We work towards a more resilient future through green building, renewable energy, water innovation and care for our natural environment.
Culture & creativity
From museums and galleries to public art and live performance, creativity is part of everyday life at the Waterfront.
Community & opportunity
We support local enterprise, invest in skills and create opportunities that help communities and businesses grow together.
A place shaped by many histories
The V&A Waterfront is part of a longer Cape Town story, shaped by shoreline, trade, movement and cultural exchange. We honour the many layers of history that have formed this place, including the presence of the Khoekhoe people along this coast long before the harbour took shape.
A neighbourhood shaped by history
The story of this place reaches far beyond the V&A Waterfront. We honour those who came before us, including the Khoekhoe people who first lived along this shoreline.
The start of a working harbour
During the 17th century, Table Bay became a key stopover for passing ships. As trade routes expanded, the harbour grew, shaping Cape Town's role in global exchange and laying the foundation for what would become one of Africa's most remarkable neighbourhoods.
Finding diamonds and gold
The discovery of minerals inland accelerated development, expanding the harbour to support increased trade and industrialisation. This period shaped the area’s physical footprint and cemented Cape Town's place on the world map.
The birth of the V&A Waterfront
In the 1980s, the city reconnected the harbour with its people. The redevelopment of historic docklands marked the beginning of the V&A Waterfront as a mixed-use neighbourhood, a place for everyone, not just trade.
Creating our districts
From the early 1990s onwards, retail, cultural and public spaces were developed to form a network of districts, each with its own character and each contributing to the V&A Waterfront's growing identity.
Growing together
From the opening of the Two Oceans Aquarium to the launch of Zeitz MOCAA and Battery Park, each milestone has helped shape the neighbourhood into the globally recognised destination it is today.
A place for everyone
Today, the V&A Waterfront is one of Africa's most visited destinations, a thriving, inclusive neighbourhood where people come together to live, work, explore and connect.
A neighbourhood shaped by history
The story of this place reaches far beyond the V&A Waterfront. We honour those who came before us, including the Khoekhoe people who first lived along this shoreline.
The start of a working harbour
During the 17th century, Table Bay became a key stopover for passing ships. As trade routes expanded, the harbour grew, shaping Cape Town's role in global exchange and laying the foundation for what would become one of Africa's most remarkable neighbourhoods.
Finding diamonds and gold
The discovery of minerals inland accelerated development, expanding the harbour to support increased trade and industrialisation. This period shaped the area’s physical footprint and cemented Cape Town's place on the world map.
The birth of the V&A Waterfront
In the 1980s, the city reconnected the harbour with its people. The redevelopment of historic docklands marked the beginning of the V&A Waterfront as a mixed-use neighbourhood, a place for everyone, not just trade.
Creating our districts
From the early 1990s onwards, retail, cultural and public spaces were developed to form a network of districts, each with its own character and each contributing to the V&A Waterfront's growing identity.
Growing together
From the opening of the Two Oceans Aquarium to the launch of Zeitz MOCAA and Battery Park, each milestone has helped shape the neighbourhood into the globally recognised destination it is today.
A place for everyone
Today, the V&A Waterfront is one of Africa's most visited destinations, a thriving, inclusive neighbourhood where people come together to live, work, explore and connect.
Sustainability
We’re working towards a more resilient precinct by reducing waste, reusing water and investing in greener infrastructure.
Over the past year, the V&A Waterfront has achieved an average 71% diversion from landfill, composted more than 230 tons of organic waste each month and increased recycled plastics volumes to an average of 29 tons per month. Our water resilience programme includes wastewater reuse, onsite treatment systems and a 3.3 MLD desalination plant now supplying 90% of the precinct’s water, alongside a seawater cooling plant expected to save 25 million litres annually.
With 30 Green Star-rated buildings, canal clean-up efforts, circular economy innovations and renewable-resource initiatives, we’re building a neighbourhood that is more sustainable, adaptive and future-fit.
Culture & creativity
Creativity is part of the everyday life of the neighbourhood, seen in our museums and galleries, public art, live performance and the local talent that brings shared spaces to life.
By creating platforms for artists, performers, makers and cultural institutions, the V&A helps strengthen creative livelihoods, grow audiences and celebrate contemporary African expression alongside the heritage of this place.
If you’re a member of the media and need information or support from our communications team, please email newsroom@waterfront.co.za