Imizamo Yethu Water Platforms, Cape Town (South Africa) 2016
In Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay, an estimated 9464 households make use of shared toilets and taps – this means that the service ratio in the settlement is 61.1 households per toilet and a staggering 394.3 households per tap. As part of a continuing effort to engage with this issue, the University of Cape Town’s second year Architecture students, together with a few key staff members and members of the local community, recently helped to design and construct the seventh annual water platform in Imizamo Yethu (or IY as it is known to local residents). The platforms are a way of providing additional services, more dignified places for water collection and washing, social gathering spaces, and cleaner areas for children to play.
The project has been stitched into both the second year Design and Theory course and the second year Technology course, so students developed designs for the platform in the Design and Theory course, before the project moved into the Technology course where they designed and manufactured physical prototypes of components. Approximately a third of the class then volunteered to physically construct the platform on site during an intensive six days in the June vacation.
Client: Residents of Imizamo Yethu
Tutors: Michael Louw, John Coetzee, Shafiek Matthews
Students: Kaamilah Bardien, Doug Bryant, Hanno Coetzee, Terrini Govender, Ashley Hampson, Daniel Hellenberg, Joshua Martin, Tanaka Maswaya, Ntholeng Mohajane, Nawal Mohamad, Hazel Moyo, Hannah Mullins, Raheema Parker, Stephani Perold, Tauhir Rakiep, Alonso Santos, Amy Schofield, Gabriella Shukor, Dane September, Lundi Sineke, Shareefah Smith, Ettore Soffietti, Gareth Stangroom, Travors van Breda, Katrina van Hasselt, Tiaan van Niekerk
Research Question: How can undergraduate teaching be enhanced through practical experience, while addressing the need for skills building and job creation in the user community, the need for service provision and the need for the re-use of materials.
South Africa, Days, Permanent, Architecture, 11-50, Undergraduate, Sponsorship, Collaboration, Curricular, Cape Town Univ., Students with tutor
