In recognition of architectural , spatial and community-enhancing achievements , the City of Cape Town recently received a prestigious architectural award .
PROJECTS
Langa square is tops for housing and design
In recognition of architectural , spatial and community-enhancing achievements , the City of Cape Town recently received a prestigious architectural award .
By The City of Cape Town | All images courtesy City of Cape Town
Hamilton Naki Square in Langa , one of the City of Cape Town ’ s Community Residential Unit ( CRU ) projects , was recently recognised by the Cape Institute for Architecture and awarded the 2017 Cape Institute for Architecture Award for Architecture .
According to the City of Cape Town , this underpins its commitment to providing well-located housing opportunities and helping to ensure safer communities through urban design , while creating jobs .
QUALITY HOUSING FOR THE COMMUNITY
This CRU project offers housing opportunities to 463 tenants and their families . The planning and construction of the units was managed by the City ’ s Transport and Urban Development Authority , with the design expertise of Architects Associated , in consultation with the City ’ s Assets and Facilities Management Directorate .
The project cost about R170-million and comprises 463 two-bedroom 40m ² units in three- , four- and fivestorey buildings . These rental housing opportunities are aimed at people residing in the worst hostel conditions in the city , following the development of a priority model for all hostels in Cape Town .
To provide the buildings with a sense of identity , the architects used the gradation of the buildings as well as the staircases , balconies and vistas to create a unique look .
In addition , the precinct ’ s layout boasts a network of pedestrian routes , courts and play areas , a new public square on the corner of Bhunga Avenue and Ndabeni Street , as well as pockets of parking and allocated green spaces .
Walkways and narrower streets have been created in the precinct to provide tenants with a thermal buffer and shading against the harsh south-easterly wind and sand and horizontal north-west rain .
GETTING IT RIGHT
“ This project showcases the value of City departments and private companies working together to improve the living conditions of our tenants and their families . The teams who worked on this project should be commended for their creativity and determination . They did not allow the challenges of the sandy Cape soil to deter the construction . Instead , they used innovatively-designed foundations and
This CRU project offers housing opportunities to people residing in the worst hostel conditions .
a load-bearing system of reinforced concrete blocks for the construction of the four- to five-storey buildings . Also , the ecological footprint of this building is reduced by excluding reinforced concrete structural frames .
“ Over the 20-month period of construction , this project created employment opportunities for local labour and subcontractors , through the main contractor ,” says the City ’ s Mayoral Committee member for Transport and Urban Development , Councillor Brett Herron .
The rentals are managed by the City ’ s Assets and Facilities Management Directorate . “ We are proud that our tenants and their families can enjoy affordable rental accommodation . In going green , all our units are connected to solar water heaters which offers our tenants some financial relief as the demand for energy and its cost decreases .
“ The maintenance of the City ’ s rental stock usually forms a large part of our budget and therefore I am pleased that careful consideration is given to creating the robust architecture to reduce the level of maintenance required in future . In this way , the budget can be spent on other needs to benefit our tenants and their families ,” says the City ’ s Mayoral Committee member for Assets and Facilities Management , Councillor Stuart Diamond .
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AFFORDABLE
SA HOUSING