MATTHEW MORRIS
NELSON MANDELA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY
The design of a decentralised sewage treatment facility for a
settlement within Bethelsdorp, Port Elizabeth.
The project concerns itself with a heavily polluted
river valley system of Swartkops, Port Elizabeth,
where the edges are settled by people and lack
of adequate service infrastructure has led to high
levels of pollution. This unbalanced relationship
between the urban and natural environments
has resulted in the severe destruction of critical
biodiversity zones and endangered keystone
species, and is subsequently impacting the quality
of life for the residents of the area.
The urban settlements of northern Port Elizabeth
lack an inherent identity or sense of community
‘centeredness’ from poor urban structure and
settlement making. The absence of formal public
buildings and spaces within the community are a
result of a structure supporting a minimum standard
of living. With this, the potential to address both the
ecological problem as well as the making of better
living environments was seen through designing
infrastructure with an explicit architectural intent.
T he design works towards addressing
settlement edge and its connection to the natural
Student Awards
valley system, whilst building on the under-utilised
congregational points within the community. In
so doing, providing infrastructure for processing
the pollution while concentrating and providing
an appropriate place for community activities,
making good people places and healthier happier
environments. This allows service infrastructure
to begin to clearly shape and structure the public
infrastructure promoting a productive category of
space, evolving past its utilitarian function.
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