Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa May/June 2014

NewsWatch the latest news and products from the building industry and allied professions NEWSWORTHY DURBAN TO HOST WORLD ARCHITECTURAL CONGRESS The 25th World Congress on Architecture will be held from 3 to 7 August at the International Convention Centre in Durban. Approximately 5,000 delegates are expected to attend the congress the biggest gathering of architects ever held in Southern Africa. The congress, UIA2014 Durban, will bring together architects, design and built environment professionals, pioneers in urban planning and thinking, activists, city makers, academics and researchers, students, government officials, decision makers and thought leaders, citizens and communities, to debate and discuss alternative strategies for the design and delivery of more habitable, functional and beautiful cities. The programme has been devised to explore the overarching congress theme of ‘architecture OTHERWHERE’, as well as the themes of resilience, economy and values, and to further conversations around critical built environment issues in South Africa, Africa and the world. The speakers, all leaders in their respective fields, will lead a series of keynote panel debates and academic discussions, as well as present keynote addresses. International keynote presenters include Susannah Drake (USA), Toyo Ito (Japan), Francis Kere (Burkina Faso), Rahul Mehrotra (India), Joe Osae-Addo (Ghana), Gerardo Salinas (Mexico), Cameron Sinclair (USA) and Wang Shu (China). Sindile Ngonyama and Wally Serote will fly the flag for South Africa. HOUSE RHINO AT CROSSWAYS FARM VILLAGE The entire building is a smart building that can literally be controlled,by its owner/s, from anywhere in the world. Three graduate students from the German University have made House Rhino their home for the next six months - in order to experience a 100% sustainable lifestyle - in the Eastern Cape and are marvelling at the various features at the house- which they admit they have not experienced or seen anywhere in Europe, to date. Features include: • 1.4km of piping for heating purposes (as well as initial stages of experimenting with said piping for cooling, something that has not been done before- internationally) • Growing vegetables on a rooftop garden, above the kitchen – which could feed between 3 and 4 families over a specified timespan • a Heat station (a first in SA) – whereby energy is stored, for heating –thus resulting in climate control within the home • The conversion of rainwater, through specific filtration and purification methods, into the equivalent of bottled water- ensuring that it’s fit for human consumption • Enhancing the home’s sustainability factor through treatment of garden waste, to ensure 4 hours of cooking gas • No wastage of water whatsoever- all of it is re used, re cycled, including the use thereof in the specially-designed aqua gardens • Installing some of the latest technology – which is maintenance-free • Several other energy-saving facilities Thus, House Rhino is the first development of its kind, here in SA, that promotes sustainability through the utilisation and treatment of food, energy and water. www.uia2014durban.org 8 News Watch

Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa May/June 2014 | Page 8