studio AT DENVER, Johannesburg
University of Johannesburg
Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
GENERAL COURSE OUTLINE – April 2015
AIMS
studioATdenver is an on-going teaching and
learning course in collaboration with residents, community leadership and
multiple stakeholders in Denver Informal Settlement, Johannesburg. Historically
AT has operated through processes of
engagement relying on partnering with residents living in the area of study, outcomes
for earlier projects were thus identified through this collaborative process.
For studioATdenver 2015 three main foci have been identified in pre-course
conversations with various stakeholders connected to, and invested in, Denver
Informal Settlement.
The course will investigate these foci; Dwelling
& Neighbourhood (the physical), Planning (spatial, social and
developmental) and Policy (broader strategies from gov. level). The
intention is that these three foci form a critical investigation into current
upper strategies for informal settlement upgrading and begin to suggest
possible linkages with current existing bottom-up initiatives.
It is envisaged that the outputs of the project will take the form of collaborative design/planning 'handbook', as a prototype graphic system/language: a catalogue of typologies of dwellings in Denver informal settlement with related strategies for improvement through self-build, co-ops, CBOs, local
Government assistance, infrastructure etc.
It is envisaged that the outputs of the project will take the form of collaborative design/planning 'handbook', as a prototype graphic system/language: a catalogue of typologies of dwellings in Denver informal settlement with related strategies for improvement through self-build, co-ops, CBOs, local
Government assistance, infrastructure etc.
The 2015 course takes place over 4 intensive
weeks as a vertically and horizontally integrated studio, linking 3rd
year students from architecture and BTech students from planning (and teaching
staff), in a focussed engagement with SA SDI Alliance (South African Shack
Dwellers International) and the community of Denver, Johannesburg. The studio
pursues both practical and theoretical methodologies (conceptual and pragmatic)
and possible outcomes. This curriculum is driven by community-based planning,
towards a collection of highly responsive and co-produced ‘guides/handbooks’.
These prototypical outputs will investigate short, medium and long term
planning scenarios.
The following themes
have been identified as key foci for the studio. Each theme has a potential
scale and timeframe consideration i.e. short-medium-long term strategies at
dwelling scale, interface scale, system scale, settlement scale, regional scale
etc.
DWELLING AND NEIGHBOURHOOD
Developing a grounded and critical understanding of ‘on the ground’ realities with, and for, the residents. This understanding is aimed at promoting dwelling and spatial improvement at varying scales; the resident, a community group and the larger community.
Developing a grounded and critical understanding of ‘on the ground’ realities with, and for, the residents. This understanding is aimed at promoting dwelling and spatial improvement at varying scales; the resident, a community group and the larger community.
PLANNING
Settlements that promote sustainable and equitable dwelling (living) through social, economic and communal opportunity through the planning for; improvement of systems, spaces and places that allow equitable co-existence.
A focus on housing, services, infrastructure and healthcare.
Settlements that promote sustainable and equitable dwelling (living) through social, economic and communal opportunity through the planning for; improvement of systems, spaces and places that allow equitable co-existence.
A focus on housing, services, infrastructure and healthcare.
POLICY
The co-production of visions, action plans and joint objectives towards short, medium and long-term potentials. The proposals should be set as extensions and critique to existing policies impacting informal settlements in South Africa and can be seen strategic mobilising tools for physical and spatial upgrade and development plans at varying time scales.
The co-production of visions, action plans and joint objectives towards short, medium and long-term potentials. The proposals should be set as extensions and critique to existing policies impacting informal settlements in South Africa and can be seen strategic mobilising tools for physical and spatial upgrade and development plans at varying time scales.
CONTEXT
< Aerial view of Denver Settlement. 1:500 prints
will be made available to students groups and residents
Denver is a light industrial zone located along
the eastern edge of a broader industrial belt spanning the southern extent of
Johannesburg’s CBD. It sits adjacent to the historic east/west gold mining axis
(known as the ‘main reef’). This industrial belt (buffer) is embedded into the
surrounding urban fabric, simultaneously woven and disconnected by multiple
forces: mine dumps, railways, arterials, freeways and storm water channels.
Over the past 15 years residual industrial lots and open spaces have become
appropriated as living environments affording well located shelter within the
inner city.
Denver Hostels and other surrounding settlements
emerged, accompanying the city’s development, to accommodate migrant workers
arriving in the city, controlled by previous apartheid planning approaches. The
numerous hostels in the broader township vary dynamically in terms of spatial
and social conditions. Such differences are largely informed by management and
leadership. Denver (township/informal settlement) contains minimal established
residential areas within its confines – The closest larger established
(‘formal’) residential suburb is Malvern East, to the North. Other nearby
townships include; Benrose and Jeppestown to the west, City Deep and Heriotdale
to the south and Gables to the east.
The larger Denver area sits well connected to
various mobility lines; the M2 motorway, Main Reef road, The railway line
(Denver and Tooronga stations close by) and taxi routes. From this is can be
considered an area with high levels of accessibility, mobility and visibility.
Through these well-developed transport networks and as an industrial node
offering employment, many people transit the CBD and surrounds en route to jobs
in Denver and surrounding industrial areas.
Denver can be considered as both a regional
destination and transit point taking the provision of employment and other
services (manufacturing, motor repairs etc.) into account.
The fabric of Denver comprises of mainly older
industrial stock, many of these large factories and warehouses are disused. The
area developed rapidly from 1920-1940 and much of the disuse is due to the fact
that most buildings are now either unsuitable or less competitive for
contemporary industrial uses.
Denver has a growing demand for housing, the effects of this imbalance of people and housing provision/access can be seen in various conditions of the adaptation of spatial scenarios in the area; ever-growing informal settlement/s and appropriation/inhabitation (illegally) of nearby vacant shops and warehouses. Further to these conditions, the proximity and relationship to the nearby hostels and surrounding social housing developments suggest noteworthy, both historical and emergent, living conditions as informants to perceptions and aspirations towards the provision of services and housing.
Denver has a growing demand for housing, the effects of this imbalance of people and housing provision/access can be seen in various conditions of the adaptation of spatial scenarios in the area; ever-growing informal settlement/s and appropriation/inhabitation (illegally) of nearby vacant shops and warehouses. Further to these conditions, the proximity and relationship to the nearby hostels and surrounding social housing developments suggest noteworthy, both historical and emergent, living conditions as informants to perceptions and aspirations towards the provision of services and housing.
It is intended that the studio galvanises
relationships with local active NGOs (CORC & uTshani) already underway with
community-focussed processes on site. Towards this intention, AT, in partnership with UJ department
of Architecture, has established an operational MoU for the course. This MoU
signifies invitation from the community and support of the proposed
project by all parties.
Denver is well located in the proximity of a
number urban nodes, transport, trade and industry (among others). For this
reason the studio AT Denver aims to make
linkages with Denver as a well-located informal settlement within Johannesburg sub-region
(Region F). Identifying and working with/within Region F development plans,
priorities and constraints points supporting further exchange with ISN toward
identifying well located learning centres within urban informal settlements,
with Denver exhibiting potential as a site for on-going learning and exchange.
The following values are the basis for this
engagement:
Do
no harm
Work
ethically and sensitively in precarious spatial environments and human
settlements.
Respect and acknowledge the value of settlement residents in processes of research and design.
Respect and acknowledge the value of settlement residents in processes of research and design.
Encourage
awareness
With
a focus on generating useful knowledge to inform and capacitate self-made
(grassroots) change, Involving students, lecturers, residents, professionals
and local governance.
Interrogate assumed roles and definitions of spatial practitioners in a South African context.
Generate responsive ways of working within spatially chaotic and unequal scenarios.
Interrogate assumed roles and definitions of spatial practitioners in a South African context.
Generate responsive ways of working within spatially chaotic and unequal scenarios.
Work
collaboratively
Work
in partnership with organised community groups, thus building on local
community knowledge and objectives.
Collectively identify necessary ‘outcomes’ (with residents, NGOs, Local Gov).
Initiate and support long-term relationships.
Collectively identify necessary ‘outcomes’ (with residents, NGOs, Local Gov).
Initiate and support long-term relationships.
Tie
into existing processes
Identify
and assist on-the-ground initiatives already in motion (current upgrades,
clean-ups etc).
Track,
effect and inform governmental policies and/or initiatives in place. (NUSP,
DoHS).
Assist
local organisations with community focussed processes (SA SDI)
Investigate
and develop emerging methodologies
Strategically
employ and develop current and emerging methods of working in informal
settlements:
Re-blocking, in-situ incremental upgrading (catalytic acupuncture), adaptive occupation/ appropriation/conversion (eg. converted warehouses), community action planning etc.
Re-blocking, in-situ incremental upgrading (catalytic acupuncture), adaptive occupation/ appropriation/conversion (eg. converted warehouses), community action planning etc.
OUTCOMES
Through conversation with the
collaborative network it is foreseeable that these agreed outputs should
include the following as base outputs:
- Key foci action plan
Highlighting
relevant information sources and way forward for project process
- 1:500 live process drawing
Documented
at various stage to consolidate valuable information
- Key Foci info pack
- Key Foci info pack
Distilling
research and knowledge into points for
awareness/action/mobilization/capacitation
Formulated
as a graphic communication of points
- Key foci ‘Handbook’
- Key foci ‘Handbook’
Indicating
routes towards improvement at various physical and time scales
- Prototype design framework
Consolidating
potentials from all three key foci.
Design frameworks should investigate current and emergent methods of informal upgrading:
- Self-builds
Design frameworks should investigate current and emergent methods of informal upgrading:
- Self-builds
- Assisted
builds
-
Re-blocking
- Formal
development and densification
The above possible outputs intend to contribute to a better understanding of Denver as a well located urban informal settlement, as well as co-producing a strong developmental vision for the settlement situated within the larger context of Region F.
These outcomes need to demonstrate the short term as well as long term improvements that can be achieved by working together with residents. The material generated will be used by residents to pro-actively demonstrate to the city what spatial, social and economic possibilities exist based on a bottom-up approach.
An imperative principle of this studio is that all outcomes must be equitable for, and co-produced by, both the university (UJ) and the community (residents of Denver). The process of engagement needs to be of relevance to residents and affiliated organisations (ISN, CORC, uTshani) in their pursuit of improving living conditions. Further to these intentions the studio argues, through these processes, that sustainable and equitable development is generated through participative processes in which professionals and spatial practitioners partner and collaborate, not as the decreed experts but by engaging with residents as rightful experts of their own living conditions. Students and teachers are hereby called to develop insights and concepts through processes of listening, observing and collaborating.
RESOURCES
Recommended reading
Counter Currents - edited by Edgar Pieterse
Recommended reading
Counter Currents - edited by Edgar Pieterse
Design for the Real World -
Victor Papanek
Housing by People -
John Turner
Housing without Houses -
Nabeel Hamdi
Diepsloot -
Anton Harber
Cityscapes Journal -
edited by Sean O’Toole, Tau Tavenga & Edgar Pieterse
A Place Maker’s
Guide - Nabeel
Hamdi
Small Change - Hamdi
Spatial Agency - Schneider,
Till, et al
Cities with Slums - Marie Huchzermeyer
Unlawful
Occupation: Informal Settlements and Urban Policy in SA and Brazil (Marie
Huchzermeyer)
Housing By People - John Turner
Architecture for
the Poor: - Hassan Fathy
Film
Urbanized. 2011. Gary Hustwit
Caracas The Informal City. 2005. Rob Schröder
Dark Days. 2000. Marc Singer
Lagos Wide & Close. 2005. Bregtje van der
Haak
La Haine. 1995. Mathieu Kassovitz
City of God. 2002. Fernando Meirelles
Waterborne.
Dear Mandela.
Jerusalema.
Waterborne.
Dear Mandela.
Jerusalema.
Websites
http://www.achr.net/ http://torredavid.com/
Further references and recommendations (further to the above) may be given as deemed necessary.
COLLABORATION
This studio is an
on-going process of engagement initiating in 2014, comprised of, and supported
by; Aformal Terrain (in partnership with Department of architecture at UJ),
ISN, SA SDI and the leadership and residents of Denver Informal Settlement,
Johannesburg.
Studio AT Denver,
Johannesburg 2014 is made possible through collaboration with:
·
University
of Johannesburg
·
Denver
Community Leadership
·
1to1
Agency of Engagement
·
CORC
– Community Organisation Resource Centre
·
uTshani
Fund
·
ISN
- Informal Settlement Network
·
SA
SDI
·
BOOM
Architects
·
Further
collaborators to be invited and confirmed during the process
STAFF TEAM:
Claudia Morgado [UG03_D&T Lecturer & Partner at BOOM architects]
Email: claudia@boomarchitects.co.za
Eric Wright [UG03_D&T
Lecturer & Partner
at BOOM architects]
Email: eric@boomarchitects.co.za
Jhono Bennett [3rd
Year Lecturer & Director 1to1 Agency of Engagement]
Email: jhono@1to1.org.za
Jason Frenkel (Lecturer: UG03_R&R)
Email: jasonfarchitects@gmail.com
Email: jasonfarchitects@gmail.com
Tresor Mbayahe (Lecturer: UJ Planning)
Email: tresorm@uj.ac.za
Email: tresorm@uj.ac.za
Zenzile Mbinza (Lecturer: UJ Planning)
Email : zmbinza@uj.ac.za
Email : zmbinza@uj.ac.za
Critical Friends:
Motebang Matsela (CORC)
Email: motebang.matsela@gmail.com
Email: motebang.matsela@gmail.com
Blanca Calvo (utshani Fund)
Email : blanca@utshani.org.za
Monty Narsoo (NUSP)
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