Accomplishments

Housing Report

The team developed a proposal for new housing in Monwabisi Park. The proposal explains building theory as well as a handful of critical considerations. It outlines proposed housing layouts as well as details relevant to cost, upkeep, management, tenure and rent. The team focused on and recommends a cluster housing option for this community. The benefits of cluster housing, specifically conserving space and cost, address many of the challenges that redevelopment efforts currently face. Furthermore, the proposal examines a location behind the community centre in Section C in great detail. This area has been identified by the Indlovu Project as an initial site for new housing. All parties, including the City of Cape Town, the Shaster Foundation and the Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading programme (VPUU) involved are presently discussing the timing and process of this endeavor. The project would have to be privately funded and self-directed since the City of Cape Town does not have a policy to guide nor the resources needed to support new housing in Monwabisi Park at this time. The goal is that this initial site will serve as a model for what housing redevelopment efforts ultimately can achieve on a larger scale across the entire settlement.


Community Centre Report

The team also compiled recommendations for developing new community centres in Monwabisi Park. The ideas outlined are a plan of what should be taken into account when building a community centre. It was determined that community centres can provide space for community meetings, social events, a soup kitchen, guest rooms, health services and education.  The team recommends that community halls and youth centres be built in every section of the settlement and health centres in Section A and Section C.

ecoBEAM Building Manual (pdf)

The team compiled a picture-intensive, how-to ecoBEAM Building Manual. Since ecoBEAM Technologies has created a building system that is a unique opportunity for local employment and community involvement, this manual not only serves as a visual aid, but also may help bridge any language gaps between the foreman and community members. While supervision of a skilled foreman is still a necessary requirement for the ecoBEAM building system, the manual can be used by workers with a broad range of educational and experiential backgrounds. Our team recommends that this manual be used as a training tool.


Plan for a sustainable playground

Through conversations with community leaders and working closely with this year’s Planning Team and Water and Sanitation Teams, a location for a new playground was determined next to the crèche and youth centre in the Section C redevelopment seed. Due to other construction projects within the same area, the team was not able to move forward with the implementation of a playground during our visit. The team worked on a plan that describes the details of the construction and layout of this playground.


Author: WPI CT09 Buildings