INDUSTRY EXPERTS new urbanisation with
INDUSTRY EXPERTS new urbanisation with
AMDEC group
“ The resurgence of mixed-use living with an emphasis on a conveniencebased offering is something known as New Urbanism,” says Nicholas Stopforth, managing director of the Amdec Group.
The past decade has seen a surge in mixed-use property development, a concept described by developers as a space that provides the public with a place that combines living with business and pleasure.
The growth and development of South Africa’ s major cities in recent years has made space one of the most valuable commodities of our time, but is the mixed-use property concept really all that new?
Prior to the industrial revolution in the 18th century, communities around the world were characterised by what we would consider“ mixed use” by modern standards. People lived side by side with merchants and tradesmen, an eclectic mix of residential, commercial and retail.
Fuelled by a demand for more effective security, South African suburbs have seen a rise in residential communities and estates over the past 20 years, which have been a natural precursor to the advance of mixeduse developments.
At the vanguard of this mixed-use property revolution are several key developers, such as the Amdec Group. In an effort to meet consumer needs for quality and convenience, Amdec Group’ s focus has been on the creation and transformation of precincts to serve as multiple-use spaces where public and commercial areas are interdependent.
“ The resurgence of mixed-use living with an emphasis on a convenience-based offering is something known as New Urbanism,” says Nicholas Stopforth, managing director of the Amdec Group.
South Africa’ s history of rural-urban migration over the decades, combined with more affordable access, cars and cheaper fuel, meant that major cities became surrounded by an urban sprawl of suburbia. What New Urbanism aims to do is act as the antithesis of urban sprawl. It identifies a densely populated environment and creates a pedestrian-friendly environment where the population has convenient access to residential, commercial and retail spaces.