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Menu Home Upfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon GAMMAGE, Arthur Born: 1951 Urban Designer BSc CivEng 1972 (Natal) M T&R P 1978 (Natal) Arthur was born in Durban in 1951. He qualified with a B Sc Civil Engineering in 1972. During his Engineering degree he had a one semester Architecture course with Barrie BIERMANN. After he qualified he worked for the NATAL ROADS DEPARTMENT from 1973 until 1976. In 1978 he did a Masters degree in Town and Regional Planning. With no immediate planning job opportunity, he joined the City Engineer's Department and had a further five years in Traffic and Transportation Engineering. During the 1980s Beach and City Programme (the Revel FOX Plan) he moved to the new Urban Design Branch in Town Planning. That was a special time workwise, plans were implemented as fast as they were produced. Landscape Architecture was later incorporated. Sometime after 2000, with expansion and restructuring of the Municipality, they migrated to ARCHITECTURE DEPARTMENT. They now work in areas such as Umhlanga, Pinetown, Clermont, Hammarsdale/Mpumalanga for example, as well as the central city. Arthur's responsibilities include urban design, precinct and district planning, streetscape design, landscape planning, specifications, design and maintenance contracts, procurement and contract management as well as professional advice. Because of some of the areas in which they have worked – Civic area and Centrum (old Station site), city lanes, Greyville, Point, Clairwood – Arthur gradually developed an interest in local history and architectural heritage. In 2010 he assisted Walter PETERS with a heritage survey of Queensburgh, his old home suburb. He also contributed to Durban Architecture and History : A Guide edited by BT KEARNEY. It was through this interest that he initiated a project to identify significant modernist buildings of the 20th Century under the auspices of Docomomo International. Then about April 2013 a conference on this theme was announced in Chandigarh, India and he was able to attend and present the Durban story in the 18 minutes allotted. He was the only South African present. It was "An opportunity of a lifetime as I am due to retire in May next year." Other highlights of his career have been the Little Tugela River Bridge design; Planning for Central Bus Terminal; Beach & City Regeneration Programme, 1980s; Greyville Village Conservation; Represent Department on heritage forums; Assistance with Queensburgh Heritage Survey; 2010 FIFA World Cup: Public Realm projects. As well as local history, Arthur has an interest in model railways and plays the bass guitar. Arthur is a heritage practitioner member of Amafa KZN and undertakes heritage assignments.