Patrick McInerney Christoph Malan
Catharine Atkins Malika Walele
By Patrick McInerney , Christoph Malan , Catharine Atkins and Malika Walele Co-Arc International Architects www . co-arc . com
Inner City Transformation Programme further fresh opportunities through which to fulfil its transformative mandate , and to build neighbourhood clusters and government precincts that favour a human-centric approach to living and working .
With property prices likely to dip as a result of economic carnage , together with the impact of a new work-from-home reality for knowledge-based workers , we can expect to see an accelerated decline in inner city property values . By applying a longer-term vision , government could seize the opportunity to set new facilitative policies that would encourage dramatic change . Key to the success of this approach would be greater collaboration with a property sector eager to realise the potential of its underperforming assets by providing inner city communities with better urban environments .
The question is : Are we ready , as a nation , to use this crisis to open discussions about the current models in place to develop our cities ? Are we prepared to dramatically change how we work , and to put human beings at the heart of what we do ? Can we measure our success through a legacy of successful neighbourhoods and cities , rather than the sheer number of units provided ?
A recent accelerated infrastructure spending experiment in the UK , dubbed ‘ Project Speed ’, might hold some valuable lessons for us here in South Africa . The concept , as the website Inside Housing 1 , explains , is simple : Allow developers to bypass normal planning applications when it comes to the provision of housing on vacant land and in empty or underutilised office and retail buildings , provided that the intention is to build new homes , or civic facilities . The announcement , made in July this year , was effectively an extension of the 2013 permitted development rights move , which aimed to make it easier to convert commercial and office buildings into housing , without the need for planning permission .
The move showed a willingness on the part of government officials in the UK to seek new and innovative ways to deal with the housing shortage in the British capital and to fast-track the conversion of unused infrastructure into residential housing . The experiment worked to a certain extent , although some developers abused the situation by exploiting people with the provision of substandard living . This is something it would be critical to bear in mind should South Africa ever elect to put similar policies in place .
When streets are for people not cars , Essaouria , Morocco .
Shaking the Foundations 9