LANDMARK PROJECTS
URBAN LANDSCAPES Page 29
Iyer ’ s holistic approach to planning and development extends even further , to connecting communities previously separated by past policies .
The firm has been appointed to create an urban design and town plan on a greenfield site where approximately 25 000 units of housing are to be built .
Their plan for this mixed-use development , called Cornubia , completely restructures the northern parts of Durban by creating an almost brand-new town in a space which was previously a buffer between two communities .
“ This project is revolutionary . We designed a sustainable urban development based on our understanding of the specific role of public transport in the lives of its users . Cornubia has become one of the country ’ s best examples of a connected , sustainable city of the future .”
Iyer ’ s holistic urban design model also incorporates novel ways of thinking about environmental planning . The 1000-hectare Sibaya Coastal Precinct on KwaZulu-Natal ’ s North Coast is a mixed-use development which Iyer designed to create a reciprocal relationship with the natural landscape , where the surrounding ocean and coastal dune forest give character and value to the precinct . create larger corridors of open space .” Tongaat Hulett Developments , who appointed Iyer to the Sibaya coastal project , has now tasked the firm with creating a self-sustaining attraction in the coastal dune forest , with plans to build a visitor centre and boardwalk .
In his profession and role as an urban planner , Nathan recognises one of the biggest challenges as motivating parties outside his own boardroom to be as dedicated as he is to finding the Holy Grail – getting their project to meet all the socioeconomic needs of users .
“ Not everyone always sees the bigger picture . The development approval process is also lengthy and can be frustrating at times . That said , we ’ ve done extremely well to overcome these obstacles and I ’ m very proud of our achievements so far .” Another exciting project in the pipeline is the planning of an aerotropolis in Durban , where the layout , infrastructure and economics are planned around the King Shaka International Airport .
“ Our goal here is to build a future city . There are many challenges which come with this type of project , not least of which is to predict what a workplace of the future might look like .”
Placing the natural environment at the centre of Sibaya ’ s urban planning was a vision shared by all stakeholders from the earliest concept development stage . This integration allows the natural and built environments to complement each other in terms of aesthetics , sustainability and livability .
“ There is an emphasis on public space and , around these areas , on building density . By compacting development , we reduced our footprint . Instead of carpeting the land with an even spread of developments , we clustered them together to
Moses Mabhida Stadium - KwaZulu-Natal
CONTACT : www . iyer . co . za