Co-creating the future of housing in South Africa

Models for deliveryHow do we deliver?

How do we deliver?

In my observation, the discussion on urban housing looks primarily at inner city conditions, yet, the biggest crisis is in our urban periphery, where the majority of the population lives. We seem all scared to tackle the RDP space, because it is too difficult and probably too dangerous.

Government cannot solve the problem alone and with the recent developments, the 10x10 initiative, Empowershack, involvement of the City, and now Human Settlements in The Western Cape Government, an opportunity exists to explore different delivery models, and create a paradigm shift in housing developments for the urban poor.

We should grab the current momentum and embrace the research component expressed by Empowershack, and expand the knowledge base of possible housing delivery models in our country

Models of Delivery

What is the Future of social housing and what are the future strategies?• 10x10 Design Indaba Sandbag Housing is a project conceived and implemented 8 years ago• Interest from government/private sectors to get involved in DIALOGUE ON SOCIAL HOUSING• Projects such as Empower Shack should inspire us to get involved and find solutions

The role of architects & urban practitioners? • How RELEVANT ARE ARCHITECTS in the

current condition of African Cities?

• Who is SETTING THE AGENDA FOR URBAN development?

• Power of Design: Are we maximising our CREATIVE POTENTIAL?

• How can we NAVIGATE between THE FORMAL AND INFORMAL CITY?

• Teaching & Knowledge: Are our Universities producing with adequate sensibility for the post 1994 Condition?

IN PERSECTIVE: Post 1994 Housing Delivery –the current situation

IN PERSPECTIVE: post 1994 housing delivery

"Making housing is like a bird building its nest. You start with a basic house,

but you have to let people change it to their own needs.“ - Charles Correa

Approach to social housing (idea’s and intents)• 550 families were to be housed in a 6 acre

plot of land. • Solution: low rise, high density housing

creating human scaled spaces.

Charles Correa’s Belapur Incremental Housing

Laurie Baker’s Low cost housing manualLaurie Baker

Kerala

"We think of 400 square feet not as a small house but as half of a good house. Our

priorities are, No. 1, location. We'd rather spend more

money on a better location of land. No. 2: We were looking for quality housing. For us, quality didn't mean a bigger house. The families can make their house grow by

filling in the unfinished half.“-Alejandro Aravena

Approach to social housing

Standardization and pre-fabricated systems do not condition good living.

quality vs quantity houses which allows people to develop their personal space as they wish and when they wish.

Economy and affordability

provides a well-defined structure (spatially and physically) that provides a framework for people to further develop their house

House as an asset –to invest in and attain value.

‘The Good Half House’Alejandro Aravena

Chille

THE 10X10 DESIGN INDABA SANDBAG HOUSE, CAPE TOWN

Design for social change: initial interventions