SA Affordable Housing November - December 2019 // ISSUE: 79 | Page 6

NEWS
Western Cape design project in finals for
Human City Design Award
A
Western Cape design project that encourages
innovation and affordable solutions in low-income
housing is in the running for a prestigious USD85
000 award. Known as the Better Living Challenge (BLC), the
project is in the finals for the Human City Design Award,
organised by the Seoul Design Foundation.
The BLC project is funded by the Western Cape
Department of Human Settlements and the Western Cape
Department of Economic Development and Tourism. It has
been managed by the Craft and Design Institute (CDI) for
the past seven years and was a flagship project during Cape
Town’s tenure as World Design Capital in 2014.
The Human City Design Award recognises projects
that contribute to a more harmonious and sustainable
relationship between people, society, the environment, and
nature. It is hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government,
in partnership with Human Cities Network, the World Design
Organisation, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (of
which the City of Cape Town is a member) and the Korean
Federation of Design Associations.
Kanyo Kopolo sketching and presenting his group conceptual
design as part of a best build practice workshop.
From left: Erica Elk, executive director of the CDI, Luvuko
Buyeye receiving his certificate of completion, and Western
Cape Human Settlements MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela.
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“It is a great honour to have one of our projects nominated
for a top global design award,” says CDI Executive Director
Erica Elk, who will travel to Seoul for the ceremony. “This
project is an excellent example of how design-led processes
can unlock new thinking and ways of doing. It has been a
great experience to watch the BLC take shape and grow over
the years and continue to produce innovations. Over time,
these will catalyse better living conditions for thousands of
families living in low income communities.”
The first phase of BLC took the form of a competition
challenge to manufacturers, inventors and entrepreneurs
to design innovations that meet the needs and
increase the choice of products available to the home
improvement market, specifically in low income areas.
The project supported the development of affordable and
environmentally-friendly products for home improvement:
water saving and harvesting, insulation, fire warning
systems, alternative materials, and off-grid energy use. Three
professional and two student winners were selected from
over 130 entries; and the winners received bespoke support
to commercialise their products to the value of R500 000.
The second phase, still in progress, has involved
extensive research and user-testing using design process
methodology, with a focus on how to create an enabling
environment for the incremental upgrades of homes in
informal settlements. The research revealed that people
needed home improvement products, systems and services
as well as access to information (how to improve their homes
and where to access support) and skills development (how
to build better, how to design better building processes, and
how to use different materials and solutions effectively).
Phase two culminated in a pilot two-week ‘Design + Build
Incubator’. This offered 15 small-scale builders working in the
informal housing sector the chance to develop their technical
design and building skills, as well as their business acumen.
The goal was to help them design and build better structures
in local communities and to improve their livelihoods.
This training programme brought together industry
experts such as local community organisations and architects
to share their insights with the small-scale builders.
The incubator covered various subjects, from financial
management and basic building skills, to marketing skills and
Mzoli Booi presenting a conceptual design for a new mobile
commercial structure.
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