What began as a simple childhood pastime in the small Northern Cape town of Philipstown has grown into an annual racing spectacle and is now inspiring creativity among architecture students at the University of the Free State (UFS).
Situated about 230 kilometres west of Kimberley, Philipstown comes alive each year for the Philipstown Wire Car Grand Prix, an event that celebrates the creativity and ingenuity of local children who build and race their own wire cars.
The idea for the annual race was born in 2010 when local resident Kay Fourie noticed children in the town happily making and playing with wire cars.
For Fourie, the sight represented more than just children at play. In a community with limited recreational opportunities, she saw the activity as a way to keep young people engaged while encouraging creativity and keeping them away from crime.
“It is a sight to behold watching the children playing around with their (wire) cars and having fun,” Fourie said. “The town itself is impoverished and there is very little to do, and it is awesome to see the children playing without a care in the world.”
She added that the activity gave children something constructive to focus on.
“Another advantage is that children are not lured into criminality because they are preoccupied with making and playing with their cars,” she said.
The initiative has since travelled beyond Philipstown, finding an unexpected home in the lecture rooms of UFS.
A chance meeting between Fourie and UFS Architecture lecturer David van der Merwe led to the project being introduced to architecture students as part of their curriculum.
While building wire cars may appear far removed from the principles of architecture, Van der Merwe saw an opportunity to challenge students to think creatively and work with their hands.
“Making wire cars has nothing to do with architecture, but I introduced it as part of my curriculum to get the students to think broadly and creatively,” he said.
The students embraced the challenge, with each making a wire car that was sent to Philipstown for local children. The students are also expected to visit the town in September to meet the young creators and experience the project first-hand.
For second-year student Zene de Klerk, the exercise was about more than simply constructing a miniature car. It also brought back memories of her own childhood.
Having grown up in a farming area, De Klerk said working with her hands reminded her of simpler times.
“I remember the joyful feeling of being in the back of a bakkie with the wind blowing my hair,” she said. “I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and I think I will make more of these cars for my nephew.”
The Philipstown children’s creativity has also reached audiences far beyond their town. Their wire-car story has featured in an award-winning documentary and a game, while their ingenuity has even resulted in the creation of an F1 wire-car prototype that was sent to Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton.
What started as children making toys for fun has therefore become something much bigger, connecting a rural Northern Cape community with university students, encouraging hands-on creativity and showing how a simple idea can inspire people across generations.
For Philipstown, the wire cars have put the town on the map. For the UFS students, they have offered an unconventional lesson in creativity, reminding them that innovation does not always begin with sophisticated technology. Sometimes, it starts with wire, imagination and a child at play.
IOL
Pholoso Manyama
iol.co.za
