Denver Desktop analysis reflection.

The desktop study of the Denver Neighbourhood, called for an in-depth analysis of the site, its conditions and its characteristics. The process involved considering various sources in order to gather information: Housing and Informal Settlement Upgrading schemes, and sensus data, and documented data in order to capture the social and the spatial qualities of the Denver settlement. Our group also sought to find the relationships between these (Social & Spatial).  

Levels of the Denver Built environment (Simon Ngubeni_2015)

The desktop study challenged one to try and extract as much information about a site, having never visited it, and pick up clues as to the character and the essential nature of the site. Some informed assumptions had to be made in some respects.

In the approach taken to extract, and represent the data of the site, we considered it in terms of various levels of the built. Questions were asked such as what are the various territories of the site, who are the agents that control, own and act in these given territories, and what are the built forms that define these territories, and enable or restrict the agency of its residents.

A few of the findings that stood out from the data included the hierarchical social structure of the residents within the informal settlement, and the relationship between these and other bodies, such as government and upgrading support programs. Spatially, some of the findings were extracted from arial maps, photographs, diagrams and google street view.From this process, one realises how much one can gather about a place from the compiled data. Resources such as the NUSP resource kit offered a helpful insight at understanding informal settlements, beyond face value. The process was valuable in terms of raising questions, that one hopes will be answered upon arrival to the site. 

An interesting video from the HDA: Government emphasizing an OPEN BUILDING approach to housing

Found a very interesting video from the Housing Development Agency (Or HDA) 
"The Housing Development Agency (HDA) is a national public development agency established by an Act of Parliament (Act 23 of 2008). The HDA promotes sustainable communities by making well-located land and buildings available for the development of housing and human settlements. (http://www.thehda.co.za/content/page/who-we-are)

The video outlines principles of Open Building in practice, within the South African context. See highlights and points extracted below. 



Video available from: https://youtu.be/u-InX1aY1Rk Or http://www.thehda.co.za/

Lessons learnt and key points:

There is value in informal contexts: 

"This approach seeks not to eradicate informality, but rather to work with informal communities so that they can progressively improve their livelihoods and their housing environments" (Narrator)

Open Building principles in practice 

Participation | Transformation | Levels of decision making | Increased agency | Distributed Control 

Community engagement is a step in the design process

Phase 1 for the housing delivery is the actual  engagement of community members within informal settlements. 

Open Building is relevant to the South African context

"Informal Settlement Upgrading appears to hold the vital key towards improving our human environments across South Africa and ... across the developing world..." (Narrator) 

Incremental phases of transforming and upgrading informal settlements; 

"Informal upgrading doesn't happen overnight..." (Narrator) 

Phase 2: Implimenting vital interim services
Phase 3: Securing tenure rights 
Phase 4: Implementing permanent infrastructure
Phase 5: Providing a variety of housing options. 

Cross unit exhibition

All the masters students from the 3 different UJ_Units got to exhibit their work this past Friday (27 March) at the FADA building. It was very exciting to see the work of my colleagues from the other units. 

I was given the privilege to present on behalf of Unit2 together with Sbu Lwandle. 

I must say that the work presented was very interesting. Seeing what the other 2 units got upto in the first quarter was eye opening to the wide diversity in methodology, exploration and representation. The exhibition sparked quite a desire to interact more with the other units, and see how their methods of research, production and representation can also be explored in some of the critical research we are challenged to engage with in Unit2.

All in all it was a great opportunity and experience. Look forward to seeing how all 3 of the units grow an interact from this point onward.

For more details and images from the exhibition, visit:
http://uj-unit2.co.za/cross-unit-exhibition-quarter-1/

UJ_Unit2_P4 // Studio AT Denver: analysis | documentation | compilation

INTRODUCTION:

Project 4 is a build up to Assignment 5 which will be a 2 week intensive with Prof. Stephen Kendall on "How to Design Open Buildings. 

The main task of this Assignment (4) is to undertake a critical desktop study of the Denver community. This is with the intent to understand the socio-spatial nature of the neighbourhood. Relevant information form this study is be synthesized and represented in a more accessible format.