BBT Vukani in Site C, Khayelitsha

Design approach for BBT Vukani

Drawing on the lessons Community 1 taught us, delivering the first part of Community 2 will involve:

• Extensive mapping and community engagement.
• Building compliant structures incorporating residential and commercial opportunities.
• Increasing density.
• Optimising services.
• Providing shared community facilities
• Public open space and landscaping to improve the quality of the environment.
• Developing renewable energy solutions.
• Offering skills development opportunities.
• Creating food farms.

A scale model of BBT Vukani.

Cross sections of the project.

The design for BBT Vukani begins with the core and shell concept of a flexible multi storey unit, taking into consideration certain lessons from the development of Community 1. However the existing conditions of BBT Vukani are far denser resulting in greater efficiencies required and optimised spatial planning. As a result of the increased density a special focus is given to the spectrum of public to private space, creating a variety of interfaces for greater senses of comfort and security with the spaces – from a internal protected public open space, community centre and commercial facilities, through to semi-public mini courtyards through which to enter each home, to the semi-private internal living areas and finally the fully private bedroom section of each home.

This variety of space is essential from a sociological community orientation and often disregarded in denser areas where there is deemed to simply be “not enough space”. . Micro-financing schemes are also built into the planning, so residents can take out small, ethical loans when building an Empower Shack or adding another story. Residents currently pay a net average of 15% of the construction cost through a microfinance program, based on the footprint of the shack and household affordability assessments.

South elevation.

West elevation.

BBT Vukani in photographs

The first phase of our Empower development stands out like a beacon of hope that there is a way out of South Africa’s housing crisis. We are now busy replacing another 69 of Khayelitsha’s traditional one-storey shacks with high quality, multi-storey Empower homes.