By Marecia Damons on GroundUp
- Seventy-three new properties have been constructed on land in Site C, Khayelitsha.
- Called Empower Shack, the undertaking presents different inexpensive housing fashions for former shack dwellers.
- The properties have been designed and constructed by the Khayelitsha-based non-profit organisation, Ikhayalami, in collaboration with design studio Urban Think Tank (UTT) primarily based on the Swiss Institute of Technology in Zurich, and the Site C group.
- The double-storey properties, starting from 42.5 sq. metres to 80 sq. metres, have been constructed in 5 phases over six years.
Amos Lephaila and Nolusanda Booi from Site C, Khayelitsha in Cape Town have lived in a shack since 2015 with their 4 daughters. They are amongst 20 households who will quickly transfer into newly constructed properties in Site C in the final part of another inexpensive housing undertaking.
A undertaking like this hasn’t been completed earlier than. Built in half as a analysis undertaking by a college group, the homes use architectural concepts not beforehand used in authorities housing.
The properties have been designed and constructed by the Khayelitsha-based organisation, Ikhayalami, in collaboration with design studio Urban Think Tank (UTT) primarily based on the Swiss Institute of Technology in Zurich, and the Site C group.
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The undertaking, known as Empower Shack, has been in the works since 2015. A complete of 73 properties have been constructed on the identical web site the place the households had occupied.
“When I arrived here this place was terrible. Living in an informal settlement, we had rats and used buckets [toilet]. When I look at it now, it is like heaven to us because now we’re going to have toilets and running water. It’s a massive change,”
stated Lephaila. The father of 4 is his family’s breadwinner and works as a safety officer.
Urban Think Tank architect Benjamin Kollenberg informed GroundUp that the properties have been constructed in 5 phases over six years. During every part, up to 15 households have been relocated to short-term constructions on the positioning for 3 to 4 months whereas their properties have been being constructed.
According to Kollenberg, the housing undertaking began as a analysis undertaking which investigated how to home folks “more efficiently and with more dignity”.
Researchers held talks with the group and mapped out the necessities given by the residents. “For example, if they’re already running a shop from home or if they’re renting out a room etc. We compiled all that data and from that built this model to house them more efficiently,” he stated.
Kollenberg defined that though the land remains to be City-owned, there are plans to switch possession to qualifying residents.
Ben Nkuna, common supervisor of programmes and fiance at Ikhayalami, stated the organisation has been concerned in reblocking tasks to create extra space between shacks at casual settlements throughout Khayelitsha.
Nkuna defined that the concept for the undertaking started in 2014 when UTT co-founder and director Alfredo Brillembourg met Ikhayalami’s director Andy Bolnick to higher perceive casual housing in the town.
“Brillembourg and our director then started talking about advanced reblocking by taking the current reblocking to a double-storey setup. This creates more space for people to do more things, like space for children to play and creating roads in between homes,”
stated Nkuna.
Following talks with the City of Cape Town, the group determined to use fire-resistant materials to make the properties. The constructions are made from brick, wooden, zinc sheets, and are fireproof and waterproof. Each family may select from 5 totally different mannequin sizes, relying on affordability and their household’s wants, starting from 42.5 sq. metres to 80 sq. metres.
He stated about 90% of the undertaking’s funding got here from Swiss Re, a reinsurance agency primarily based in Switzerland. Each household is paying the remaining 10% value, principally by means of microfinance loans, with the choice to repay between 36 months to 60 months. The month-to-month instalments vary from R300 to R1 300.
He stated the entire value to construct the smallest home mannequin was about R230 000. It was R350 000 for a middle-sized home, and R480 000 for the 80 sq. metre homes.
Nkuna stated that there aren’t any dividing partitions constructed contained in the properties, which permits residents to partition the house to match their wants. The properties have a rest room with a flush bathroom, basin and bathe.
Each is fitted with a water administration gadget, put in by the City. The households obtain 350 litres of free water per day. The water provide is lower off after the allocation is used up. Each family additionally has an electrical energy metre and buys pay as you go items as wanted.
Eddie Andrews, Deputy Mayor and Mayco Member for Spatial Planning, welcomed the undertaking and recommended Ikhayalami, UTT, funders and the Site C group for making the undertaking a actuality.
“What I love about this project is that it is not just a home, but a community. You have a place to stay, to play and to work. At the end of the day, it is attracting the necessary investment, other than the City’s investment in the area.”
Andrews stated the undertaking is a “perfect example” of how housing progress is feasible throughout the metropolis. “This model works. When the community accepts the project and there’s buy-in, we know that it will be well looked after,” stated Andrews.
Kollenberg stated they’re nonetheless actively doing upkeep and different minor work on the undertaking however have began “slowly phase out” their involvement to enable the residents to totally take over.
He stated that they plan on constructing a group centre on the web site throughout the subsequent 12 months to full the undertaking.
This article was first printed on GroundUp