Contents
for June 2005
EDITORIAL
Introducing
UGF’s new editor, Engela Meyer
COMMENT FROM THE PUBLISHER
Back to our roots
UPFRONT
News
INSPIRATION
Durban’s
Point: a positive intervention in the city
INSULT
A scar on Linksfield Ridge
TREE OF THE ISSUE
Combretum molle and Combreturm zeyheri
BATTLE OF THE ‘BURBS
Melville v Parview
FEATURES
An
urban square – Joe Gqabi Station, Philippi, Cape Town
Conservation and development
– in tandem
Rejuvenating Greenside’s
village ambience
Plastics recycling:
challenges to consumers and councils
-----
EDITORIAL
Introducing UGF’s new editor,
Engela Meyer
I am
delighted to welcome Engela Meyer as Urban Green File’s new editor. She is only the
third person to edit this magazine since its inception – following me as the founding
editor and publisher and Carol Knoll, who edited this magazine for the last eight years.
With a masters degree in town planning, we believe that Engela is the right person to take
this journal into its mature years.
-----
COMMENT FROM THE PUBLISHER
Back to our roots
Almost
10 years have passed since the launch of this magazine.
We are in
our 10th year of publication and our March 2006 birthday is fast approaching. In spite of
our age, the focus of Urban Green File has always remained a hotly debated topic.
Originally
launched as Green File, this magazine had, as its mission the discussion of development
and its unavoidable but sometimes disharmonious relationship with the environment. To
clarify that this magazine is not your traditional ‘bunny hugger’ specimen, nor
is it a conservation and wildlife journal, the word urban was added.
Urban Green
File is a journal for the custodians, planners, designers and managers of the urban
environment. Who are these people? Firstly, they are urban managers, local government
officials, owners of property and facilities such as office parks, CBD skyscrapers, golf
courses and factories impacting on the developed environment. Secondly, they are planning
professionals, urban designers, town and regional planners, architects, landscape
architects and civil engineers. Basically, people who make the decisions that shape the
cities we live in. Thirdly, they are the people responsible for the physical execution of
the visions dreamt up by the custodians and planners: civil contractors, landscape
contractors, builders and so on.
Finally,
there is the large group of people who invent technologies and products that are used in
the development of our cities.
These range
from inventors of GIS and CAD software to those designing and marketing products that
limit air-pollution, contain contaminants flowing into rivers or stabilise earth
embankments, to name but a few.
Why am I
stating the obvious? Well, as a publishing team, we think that over the years Urban Green
File has veered slightly from its mission, particularly in the last year. Too many stories
on nature conservation and general environmental issues, not directly linked to the city
environment, have crept into the pages of this journal. The fact is that an architect,
town planner or city manager may have been put off reading this magazine by the bias
towards plants, nature and even wildlife. Urban environmental issues are more complex than
simply planting indigenous vegetation on sidewalks.
It has to do
with planning, building and managing a humanfriendly habitat while, protecting natural
ecosystems. Waste management, transport management, energy management and water management
are all important aspects of the urban environment.
Influenced
by the comments of a focus group, comprising industry representatives, Urban Green
File’s publishing team has decided to return to its roots. This magazine established
a name for itself through its gutsy comment on issues affecting the urban environment, as
well as analysis of cutting-edge planning and design concepts. We endeavour to stick to
this winning formula.
No longer
will we simply report on already completed projects, we will debate and analyse proposed
interventions in the urban environment, thereby promoting environmentally sound city
planning and management.
As part of
our ‘back to roots’ initiative, Urban Green File is reintroducing three columns
that should spark reader interest and debate: Insult, Inspiration and Battle of the
‘Burbs. Commenting on urban planning and design issues, these columns are positioned
to appeal to our core readership of city planners and managers.
Our aim is
to promote sustainable cities – we are looking forward to receiving your comments and
suggestions regarding this goal.
Here’s
to another successful decade of publishing, and never forgetting our roots! - Gerald
Garner, Publisher
PS:
An occasion such as this prompts one to acknowledge some of the dedicated people who have
made this magazine successful. I need to thank my founding partners: Anton Comrie, Erika
van den Berg and Stuart Glen; also our previous editor, Carol Knoll, who for many years
not only edited this magazine but also owned shares in it. Carol has recently left Urban
Green File to pursue a new career opportunity. We wish her well! My thanks should also be
extended to John Pattrick and Neil Pattrick, my co-shareholders in Brooke Pattrick
Publications, who bought this journal five years ago. Part of a focused and successful
publishing company with a pedigree of thirty years in publishing, Urban Green File is well
positioned to be the journal of choice for the planning professions.
-----
UPFRONT
The case of the missing mercury
Annually,
law firm Garlicke & Bousfield makes an award to the top student in environmental law
at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Last year, Professor Jeremy Ridl set the annual case
study requiring his students to research what the government had done, in the past, to
protect employees of Thor Chemicals from mercury poisoning and was doing, at present, to
protect the surrounding local community from possible mercury poisoning resulting from the
Thor Chemicals’ Cato Ridge site.
Research was
undertaken by the students between August and October 2004 and their findings were
presented in November last year. Suveshnee Mumien was declared the winner out of a
talented group of 52 law and science students and she was presented with the coveted
Garlicke & Bousfield prize.
During 2003,
the Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Rejoice Mabudafhasi issued a
directive instructing Thor Chemicals to clean up the Cato Ridge site. The site had been at
the centre of environmental, waste management and labour law controversies for years. In
August 2004, following a meeting of the key players, with limited local representation, it
was agreed that a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) would be carried out prior to
the rehabilitation of the site. This was against the backdrop of legal claims being made
by workers for the harm suffered by them. Thor Chemicals in the UK allocated R24-million
towards an EIA. In addition, the South African Government committed a further R6-million
to this project. By October 2004 nothing had been done.
The
situation, as observed on a class field trip made on 15 October 2004, is that mercury is
still found piled in containers that are covered with tarp, despite the repeated demands
made by government and environmentalists that the site should be cleaned up. Samples of
water taken from the Umgeni River at a site in close proximity to Thor Chemicals showed
mercury levels to be over the accepted limit. Suveshnee formed part of the geohydrology
group tasked with analyzing the effects on the geology and hydrology in the event of a
spillage. The impact on the local communities was central to the investigation, as other
groups had reported that local communities blamed mercury pollution, emanating from the
site, for harm done to their cattle and crops. It was the group’s responsibility to
study the levels of mercury in water and in the ground to see whether the mercury storage
site was impacting on the environment.
The group
also traced the effects that mercury had had on Thor Chemicals workers back to 1987 and
noted the claims that had been lodged against Thor Chemicals over the years.
Professor
Ridl stated that Suveshnee was the sort of lawyer that needed to be encouraged, one who
was keen to investigate and to get to the bottom of a situation. Richard Pemberton,
Chairman of
Garlicke & Bousfield, said: “Suveshnee has been awarded the prize, based partly
on marks gained in the assignment, as well as on exam results and on the student’s
participation and contribution in class.
Measuring
progress towards sustainability in the minerals sector
The Centre
for Sustainability in Mining and Industry has been contracted by the Chamber of Mines of
SA to manage and co-ordinate a research project entitled Measuring and enhancing the
impact of sustainable development interventions. The findings of this project will feed in
to the Chamber of Mines Sustainable Development (SD) Conference in November this year.
This project seeks to assess changes in the way mining has been conducted over the last
five years by reviewing available literature and interviewing a wide range of
stakeholders. Analysis of the nature of these changes will indicate the degree to which
the minerals sector has been influenced by initiatives designed to promote SD.
The project
will identify objectively measurable facts and stakeholder perceptions.
The results
will be analysed and will have application in formulating new SD programmes within the
sector.
Dramatic increase
in use of energy efficient lighting
South
Africans are changing the way they view, and use, energy. New research presented in March
this year shows that the public’s awareness of, and support for, energy efficiency is
growing.
In a paper
presented at the annual Domestic Use of Energy Conference in Cape Town, Latetia Venter,
Eskom’s Demand Side Management (DSM) Marketing Manager, reported that although energy
efficiency is a relatively new concept for most South Africans, education campaigns are
having an impact and consumers are realising the benefits.
The study,
conducted for Eskom by the research firm Ask Africa, shows a significant shift in the
public’s awareness, knowledge and motivation to use energy more efficiently.
“The public is increasingly aware that the country must use its natural resources
wisely – and this includes energy resources,” said Venter.
The greatest
impact on households has been in lighting. Sales of Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) have
grown dramatically since 2000. The Eskom DSM efficient lighting, 2004, sale promotions
sold close to two million CFLs. This means a saving of 64 MW of electricity, which
translates into lower rates and a cleaner environment.
“South
African households consume 17% of generated electricity, but are responsible for 30% of
demand during peak periods (7-10am and 6-8pm),” says Tsholo Matlala, Eskom Energy
Services Manager. “When consumers know how to use energy efficiently, that peak
demand can be managed in ways that will help keep overall costs down for every electricity
consumer.”
Trikes for
recycling
Mondi
Recycling has introduced threewheeled trikes to make the gruelling work a little easier
for people collecting paper for recycling.
The Phahama
Project, as it is known, is the brainchild of Clive Harding and has six main corporate
sponsors – SA Post Office, Tiger Brands, First National Bank, Jet Club, Pick ‘n
Pay and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
The project
started with the importation of a trike from Shanghai and this prototype was redesigned
and adapted to produce an efficient three-wheeled trike and trailer, perfectly suited to
the recyclable paper collectors’ requirements.
Mondi
Recycling has identified about 20 of its regular collectors to make use of the trikes for
their daily collections. Mondi currently provides lock-up facilities for the trikes at the
Kya Sands and Midrand buyback centres in Johannesburg.
Peter
Hunter, Mondi Recycling’s national sales and marketing manager says:
“Our
involvement in this research initiative aims to enhance our efforts in the field of
recovered fibre collection. Over 3 000 jobs have been created at Mondi’s 117 buy-back
centres countrywide and if these trikes prove effective they will greatly assist the
collectors in generating more income from more volume.”
Study on
“the potential of renewable energy in SA”
An
independent study commissioned by the Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Project
(SECCP) – a project of Earthlife Africa – and carried out by RAPS Consulting in
conjunction with Nano Energy is underway. The study was commissioned to establish the
viability of a just transition to sustainable energy in SA, complementing the study by UCT
in April 2003 and by AGAMA Energy’s study on ‘Employment Potential for Renewable
Energy in SA’, in November 2003. The study looks at long-term prospects for energy
development, on a time-scale consistent with the anticipated lifespan of major investments
currently at planning stage, such as thermal power plants. It explores the potential for
developing local industries in renewable energy technologies, within constraints such as
realistic rates for technology development, deployment and market penetration, as well as
resource availability. The study clearly demonstrates the credibility of a target of 50%
of energy from renewable resources by 2050.
Website: www.earthlife.org.za/seccp/
Sufficient water
for new town developments?
An
assessment of water resources in South Africa and its neighbouring states, Lesotho and
Swaziland, named WR2005, will be completed by March 2007. For the first time the study
will include both surface and groundwater resources, and water quality. It is being
undertaken for the Water Research
Commission
by a consortium of South African consulting firms – SRK, Stewart Scott, Knight
Piesold, Ninham Shand, Arcus Gibb, PD Naidoo and Umfula Wempilo.
”The
objective of the study is to provide information for national water resource planning. In
any catchment, the present day condition will be known. A future scenario may then be
reconstructed. New developments might include
town or city expansion, or industrial, mining or other kinds of development in a
particular area.
From this an
assessment can be made on whether or not there would be sufficient water in a development
situation," Brian Middleton, managing director of SRK Consulting explained.
New
modelling and spatial data handling tools will be developed in this project to provide a
more accurate, reliable and comprehensive countrywide water resources assessment. There
are 22 primary drainage regions in southern Africa and 19 catchment management
authorities. For more effective management, the drainage regions are further sub-divided
into about 2 000 quaternary sub-catchments.
Urban renewal
creates jobs in Cape Town
In February
this year, the City of Cape Town undertook urban renewal initiatives in Khayelitsha and
Mitchells Plain. The city employed 125 people to clean canals and gulleys in Mitchells
Plain and 300 people to clean public open spaces, while 120 completed the landscaping of
the area. In Khayelitsha 220 people were employed to clean canals and gulleys and 136
people to clean open spaces.
More
temporary posts were expected to be created until the end of the financial year (end of
June 2005). George Penxa, Director: Urban Renewal Programme commented: “These labour
intensive projects are guided by the principles of the expanded public works programme
which seeks to create short to medium term jobs for the unemployed masses of our
population”.
In December
2004, during the festive season, the City of Cape Town as the implementing agent for Urban
Renewal employed 265 people from Khayelitsha to clear and cut bushes and maintain the
Monwabisi Beach resort.
In Mitchells
Plain, 360 people were employed in bush clearing operations in June 2004. Another 240
people were employed during the December 2004 festive season to remove bushes and maintain
the Mnandi and Strandfontein Beach resorts.
The National
Urban Renewal Strategy was announced by President Thabo Mbeki in his address to Parliament
on 9 February 2001. Focusing on the areas of greatest deprivation, eight nodes were
identified throughout South Africa for government intervention. Cape Town’s two
designated nodes, Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain, house almost a third of the city’s
citizens.
Information on
invasive alien plants included in school curriculum
Sixty
Western Cape education officials, educators and course facilitators received certificates
for their participation in the ‘Curriculum Aligned Invasive Alien Plant Resource
Material Project’, during a certificate ceremony held at the Lentegeur Hospital in
Mitchell's Plain on 7 April 2005.
The Working
for Water programme and Western Cape Education Department initiated the project aimed at
raising awareness of the potential threat of invasive alien plants in schools, and this
has led to the development of a booklet with Lesson Plans for the GET Band (Gr. R - Gr.9).
Educators,
learners and education officials representing the EMDC Metropole South participated in the
two-month research project.
In his
keynote address, Western Cape MEC for Education, Cameron Dugmore, said that the inclusion
of invasive alien plant (IAP) information into the curriculum will change attitudes
towards IAPs and how we use water in a province that needs to deal with these issues.
Injecting new
life into environmental management systems
The
International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) has recently published revised,
improved versions of its ISO 14001 and ISO 14004 standards. It is hoped that these revised
standards will facilitate the implementation of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and
put them within reach of an even greater number and variety of organisations, world-wide.
These
standards have been adopted as South African National Standards and recently published as
SANS 14001 Environmental Management Systems – requirements with guidance for use; and
SANS 14004 Environmental Management Systems – general guide- lines on principles,
systems and support techniques.
Matthias
Gelber, an international EMS consultant, made the point that ISO 14001 with the changes is
more focused on environmental improvement. “We need environmental management because
it makes good business sense – we need to see an EMS as an investment from which we
will get a good return. We need to inject new life into the EMS process.”
Industry has
18 months from the publication of the new ISO versions to adopt the amended standards and
revise their existing systems to ensure consistent interpretation of the requirements.
----
INSPIRATION
Durban’s Point: a
positive intervention in the city
Durban’s
Point Development is chosen for this edition’s Inspiration Award. Forward-thinking
planning could change this once derelict area to a sought after urban precinct, writes
Engela Meyer.
Until
recently, the Durban Point area was known for severe levels of urban decay. The past few
decades saw decline in the city’s central business district as development spread
northward along the coast. But, true to the cyclical nature of cities, the Durban Point
area has become the focus of a major re-development initiative.
With its
close proximity to the harbour and the presence of a beach frontage, the area was
identified as an asset underutilized by the city.
The main
driver of the project is the Durban Point Development Company, which is jointly and
equally owned by the eThekwini Municipality and Rocpoint (Pty) Ltd. It is envisaged that
the proposed development will result in a vibrant, 24/7 urban district for living, working
and playing.
The mixed
land-use model will cater for a wide variety of retail opportunities, various types of
residential development as well as entertainment activities. A total area of 55 ha is to
be developed.
The recently
opened uShaka Marine World takes up 10 ha in the northeast quarter. The remaining 45 ha
will be developed as a series of precincts.
The concept
of urban regeneration brings to mind the revitalisation of derelict areas, but it is more
than that, as it also implies the introduction of innovative ways of planning and managing
cities. For the latter aspect, the Durban Point development is commended and identified as
an inspiration in the urban environment. Whether the envisaged goals of revitalisation,
and the establishment of a vibrant area are to be achieved, remain to be seen.
To a certain
extent, the development had no choice but to proceed in an environmentally sensitive
manner. The water reticulation and purification system that serves the aquarium tanks and
numerous outdoor pools at uShaka provided a key to the conceptual planning for Durban
Point and the water, which is drawn in from the sea, has to be returned back to the sea
and this required the construction of a system of canals to be constructed.
The network
of canals forms the spine of the development plan.
Furthermore,
the co-operation between public and private entities is to be applauded. If the two
sectors adopt joint responsibility, the chances of a sustainable development will greatly
improve.
The Durban
Point has been identified as an inspiration. A closer look at the definition of
inspiration reveals that the concept, or word, is not only concerned with an attractive
idea, it is actually about stimulation to activity or creativity. It should inform change.
Therefore, by identifying the Durban Point development as an inspiration, the hope is
expressed that people/planners/developers will recognise the importance of continuous
innovation and redevelopment in order to ensure the sustainable future of our urban areas.
-----
INSULT
Scarring our landscape
Driving
along the N3 in a southerly direction, near Bedfordview, it is impossible to miss the
eyesore on your right hand side: a vacant site on the Linksfield Ridge. Ground-works have
been completed on the site in Cheetham Road, Bedford Park, but it is uncertain when actual
development is going to take place.
The site has
been earmarked for residential use. The original idea was to do a layout with 13 erven,
catering for individual units (going for a whopping R1,2-million each). However, recently
plans have changed and now the proposed development will consist of apartment-style units,
and, as the uncertainty surrounding the exact nature of the proposed development remains,
so does the visual pollution of the Ridge.
Some would
argue that the developers should not have been awarded the rights to develop on this site,
as it is such a sensitive spot in one of the few remaining natural areas in the vicinity.
But, as precedent has been created through surrounding residential development, the best
thing that we can be hope for is an environmentally sensitive development.
Are the
developers the only party with a say in when the actual development will begin?
Shouldn’t the Ekurhuleni Metro introduce a mechanism (which is widely used elsewhere
in the world) through which developers are forced to exercise their rights within a
certain period?
Then, if the
specified period elapses before development begins, they should have to re-apply for the
said rights.
Alternatively,
they should only be allowed to begin site clearance once approval had been received. Such
a mechanism might be appropriate in environmentally sensitive areas, or, in cases where
successful development on surrounding land is dependent on the implementation of a
particular development.
While
acknowledging the economic contribution of major developers, they have to remain team
players and, sometimes, it is necessary to put measures in place to ensure compliance.
-----
TREE OF THE ISSUE
Combretum
molle and Combreturm zeyheri
Real trees (with character)
Urban Green
File continues its search for trees that can easily be planted in urban areas –
either as street trees or in parks and landscaping projects. This month Graham
Young’s choice of Combretums is featured: Combretum molle and Combretum zeyheri
Landscape
architect Graham Young is particularly partial to Combretum molle which he calls a
“real tree” – a tree with character – but he feels the two trees (C.
molle and C. zeyheri) in combination express well in the landscape.
He points
out that both have a very attractive structure with their contorted branching systems,
which is emphasized when they are relatively bare in the winter months. The form of C.
zeyheri is the more twisted of the two and the tree is often multi-stemmed and deciduous,
making its structure the more dramatic of the two. Its Afrikaans name, Raasblaar, is very
expressive and relates to its large pods, which respond to the wind with a rustling sound
against the bare branches in winter. C. zeyheri is the larger of the two, its pods are
larger and its structure is more dramatic but it does not, in Graham’s opinion, have
the subtleties and moods of C. molle. C. molle is a tree of the savannahs and often occurs
in rocky areas of grassland. It is associated with the quartzite ridges around Pretoria
and Young has seen it in its many moods on Salvokop, where he is involved with the
development of Freedom Park (see UGF May/June 2004). It grows naturally from KZN, through
Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo up into Mozambique and Zimbabwe. It can be found from sea
level up to 1 500 m in the Magaliesberg, where Graham photographed it in early autumn this
year.
He says the
philosophy at Freedom Park is to save as much of the natural vegetation as possible. A
contracting horticultural company will be appointed to rescue plants from areas scheduled
for development in Phase 2. “The Combretums feature on the northern or warmer side of
Salvokop and on the crest of the hill. We are trying to incorporate as many as possible of
both species along the route leading to Sikhumbuto in Phase 2 of Freedom Park. Sikhumbuto
is a memorial – a place where those who lost their lives are honoured and where their
humanity and dignity is restored. Specimens of both trees will be incorporated along the
edges of the pathway system and in Sikhumbuto.
“In the
first phase, the spiral pathway up the hill passes close to a Velvet Bushwillow, while at
the information kiosk, a specimen of the Large-fruited Bushwillow forms a beautiful
counterpoint to the stone of the building and the retaining walls.”
Graham says
that he has not as yet specified C. molle in landscape designs that he has done but he
sees himself doing so in the future. He sees it as an ideal tree for the smaller gardens
prevalent in South African cities today. “It has lots of potential, even in a pot, in
a townhouse courtyard garden, as it is a small to medium sized tree. In its early years,
it is susceptible to frost but once it is through this stage, it is a robust, drought
resistant tree which grows in any soil from rocky shallow soils to deep sandy loam. It is
a good idea to give a specimen plenty of room in the garden and not to clutter its base,
so that its structure can be seen and its crown read against the sky. It usually grows in
isolation in its natural environment.”
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BATTLE OF THE ‘BURBS
Melville v Parview
Melville
squares up against Parkview (both in Johannesburg) to determine which suburb is best planned and managed.
Reintroducing
the contest between suburbs to be crowned the best planned and managed. This month Gerald
Garner compares Melville with Parkview in Johannesburg.
Both suburbs
are close to the author’s heart. He knows the ins and outs of two of
Johannesburg’s best-known urban villages. Surprisingly for outsiders, who think of
Johannesburg as an intimidating concrete jungle the city contains many
‘villages’ in its older suburbs surrounding the CBD.
Some of
these are Melville, Parkhurst, Norwood, Parkview and Linden.
Today,
Melville is probably the best known for its trendy cafes, nightclubs and film/TV studios.
It even forms part of the opening scene of popular TV soap ‘7de Laan’. Parkview
almost borders onto Melville with Barry Hertzog Avenue, a golf course and a part of the
posh suburb, Westcliff, situated in-between. But how do they compare?
Accessibility:
Melville: 8
•
Centrally located
•
Well served by
mini-bus taxis, tourist cabs and buses.
•
No rail link
Melville is well located and within easy reach of Milpark, Braamfontein,
Newtown and the Johannesburg CBD. It has good vehicular linkages to the north-western
suburbs down Beyers Naude Drive and to the CDB down Kings Way and Empire Drive.
Rosebank is
within reach via Emmarentia Avenue past the Parkview Golf Course.
Most of
these routes are well served by mini-bus taxis but as in all South African cities, these
taxis are not catered for in the road design. Taxis often have to stop on dangerous
intersections to collect or offload passengers. Metro-Bus serves the suburb, although
information on routes is difficult to find. There is no rail connection to or from
Melville. Its fame as a tourist destination and the many guest houses ensure that it is
easily accessible for tourists using private cabs such, as Rose Taxis.
Parkview: 7
•
Centrally located
•
Quick access to M1
highway
•
No rail link
•
Pedestrian friendly
Being the quieter suburb less taxis visit here. However, mini-bus taxis and
buses travel down Jan Smuts Avenue and Lower Park Drive past Zoo Lake.
It is easy
to reach the northern suburbs or Joburg CBD via Jan Smuts Avenue and a number of easy
links to the M1 highway makes this a soughtafter area to live for commuters to most of the
city’s business nodes. No rail link exists to or from this ‘burb.
Development potential
Melville: 5
•
Lot of potential for
renovation and redevelopment
•
Recent new additions
of shopping centres negatively affected older developments
•
Lack of planning
control affects desirability of suburb
This burb has become a developers’ paradise over recent years.
Council-owned land, including the famous Meliville Swimming Pool, has been redeveloped
into shopping centres, while RAU (now University of Johannesburg) owns large portions of
land in neighbouring Westdene and Auckland Park – some of which have been developed
into shopping centres, high-density residential areas and office space.
Currently
plans are on the cards to turn the old park and tennis courts (Faan Smit Park) in central
Melville into a parking lot and artists market. Many old houses, known for their pressed
steel ceilings and wooden floors and doors, have been renovated into sought after
properties. However, older commercial buildings now stand empty with tenants having moved
to the newer, smarter accommodation. It seems that an oversupply of new commercial
developments is negatively impacting on the desirability of the entire suburb.
Planning
controls seem to be weak with some developers having built insensitive houses blocking
what was once their neighbours’ spectacular view. The mooted parking lot and artists
market in Melville’s central park prove that opportunities exist for developers, but
should this development be handled insensitively, it might be the last nail in the coffin
for any future developments in this part of town. Return on investment is certainly not
guaranteed.
Parkview: 6,5
•
Limited opportunities,
especially for commercial developers
•
Lots of potential for
higher-density and infill residential development such as clusters overlooking Zoo Lake
A vigilant community will not easily allow a developer to sneak plans past the
city council.
About ten
years ago, an architect proposed to develop waterfront shops around Zoo Lake. The
resultant outcry must have scared away any unscrupulous developer who had plans to destroy
Johannesburg’s lovely parks and open spaces. However, the suburb holds lots of
potential for the right kind of developers. Several properties overlooking the busier
Lower Park Drive and Zoo Lake have been redeveloped into cluster homes and loft style
apartments.
It makes
sense to allow higher densities surrounding public parks and it seems that this trend is
actively continuing.
It also
makes sense to develop more homes here close to the core of the city and work
opportunities, rather than far out in the new northern suburbs where it only results in
increased traffic pressure on the highways.
Renovators
of houses have also done very well in this suburb where property prices range from the
early one millions for an old, non-renovated home to over R3-million for a newer version.
Return on investment should easily be achieved on a well planned and managed project.
Development
Melville: 5
•
Mixed-use creates
24-hour vibe
•
Rezoning without a
cohesive development plan is problematic
•
Negative impact of
new, medium-sized shopping centres on traditional retail stores on main streets
•
Residential use under
threat by increase in commercial use
•
Public spaces
(swimming pool and park) have been sold off to private developers
Melville’s mixed land-use ensures a 24-hour vibe. The main streets (7th
Street, 4th Avenue and Main Road) are mainly lined with shops and restaurants opening onto
the streets. Many residential properties have been converted to trendy restaurants or
antique shops. In recent years, the trend has moved away from retail to restaurants, bars
and clubs. It is noticeable that the balance has swayed to nighttime activity with less
establishments open during the day. The development of two medium-sized shopping centres
has had a negative impact on retail activity in the traditional streets and many shops on
Main Road are currently vacant. The historic Melville Pool, a great community asset, had
to make way for the ironically-named Melville Boulevard (Boulevard, a French word, means
‘tree-lined avenue,’ however there are few trees and no avenue in sight at this
retail centre!).
Parkview: 7
•
Majority of
residential plots.
•
Just enough public
amenities, shops, restaurants and offices to support the community
•
Public parks, schools
and sports fields make for a very liveable suburb
•
Lack of office space
makes this a dormitory ‘burb.
Parkview forms a tranquil ‘village’ of medium and large-sized houses
on individual stands. These are intercepted by a centrally-located public park and a small
commercial centre – a strip of shops, restaurants and offices near Zoo Lake (this
large public park borders on Parkview). Several public and private schools are also
located in the suburb.
Melville
Residential
use ranges from freestanding houses on plots to semis (linked houses with separate
gardens) and a few low-rise apartment blocks.
Sadly, one
such block has been converted to retail and offices with limited success.
The most
important aspect of a village is its residential component and the influx of businesses
into houses and flats results in less people having a stake in the quality of the
environment. An urban park in the heart of Melville has been the subject of an ongoing
community battle, it has been rezoned for commercial development as part of a long-term
lease from the municipality. The new landowners have failed to maintain the park and it
has fallen into disrepair, with squatters residing in what once was the tennis clubhouse.
Allegations have been made that the owners allowed this in order to obtain community
support for their proposed development of an artists market – originally the
community opposed the development. But, now the sentiment has changed as people believe
any development would be better than the status quo.
Recently,
some plots have been rezoned for cluster-style developments. The suburb also boasts a
public library, post office, and police station - all the necessary elements to support a
community without negatively impacting on the residential nature of this suburb. The only
drawback of this ‘burb is that there is limited mixed-use in terms of offices and
most residents have to commute to work – although both the CBD and Rosebank are
within easy reach.
Community
Melville: 5
•
New shopping centres
negatively impact on smaller community shops
•
Unsuccessful
opposition to the redevelopment of Faan Smit Park
This suburb has become known for its sense of community. It has, for a long
time, been Johannesburg’s most authentic urban village. One could shop in the local
green grocer, liquor store, hardware and grocery store and get to know all the owners on a
first name basis. Small properties and the many shops and restaurants made this a
pedestrian-friendly environment. However, medium-sized shopping centers and the resultant
influx of non-residents have killed some of this ambience resulting in some famous
Melville establishments having closed down since.
The
unsuccessful campaign against the development of the old Faan Smit park in central
Melville seems to have killed the community spirit. It seems as if residents are less
interested in the state of their environment with litter and a lack of maintenance
becoming evident in the area. The balance between retail, restaurants, bars and clubs seem
to be swaying towards night-time establishments further negatively impacting on the
original village ambiance.
Yet the
suburb still retains some of its atmosphere with the street café culture keeping it
popular with Johannesburg residents and tourists alike.
Parkview: 7
•
Schools, parks and
village shops indicate a healthy community spirit
Here is a community who seems to care for their surroundings. Streets are clean
and development closely monitored. The local police station is well known for its
community work and the many schools help to establish the sense of a shared destiny. A few
shops serve the suburb and neighbours can easily get to know each other on a first name
basis. Franco’s – a local Italian eatery – is one of Johannesburg’s
most popular family restaurants.
Environment
Melville: 5
•
Litter, weeds on
pavements and inadequate waste collection are problematic issues
•
Melville Koppies
Nature Reserve is an asset
The state of the urban environment has become Melville’s nemesis.
The public
park (Faan Smit) was allowed to fall into a sad state of disrepair with the current lessee
having failed to maintain it for over a year. The resultant rot is slowly creeping through
the suburb. Litter is a problem and some restaurants seem to have no problem serving
patrons in full view of uncollected garbage bags spilling over onto the pavement.
Maintenance of side- walks is shocking, with weeds growing high in places and where new
buildings have been built, sidewalks are often non-existent. The developers have destroyed
them and the council never bothered to ensure their replacement.
Graffiti
further destroys what should be a beautiful village.
The Melville
Koppies Nature Reserve protects the pristine environment on some of Johannesburg’s
most significant ridges and is, environmentally speaking, an asset to this community.
Parkview: 7
•
Clean and litter free
•
Maintenance in public
parks could improve
•
Quality of water in
Zoo Lake is a concern
This must be one of Johannesburg’s most picturesque environments.
The public
parks, though, could be better maintained and the quality of water in Zoo Lake is of
concern. Properties, including the shops, are well maintained and the suburb is generally
very clean and neat. Parkview also boasts a beautiful golf course although, sadly, it has
been fenced with electric wire, making it inaccessible to most residents.
Conclusion
Melville: 27,5
Parkview: 34,5 (out of 50)
Melville has many positive aspects; it is a urban village in many senses and
should be a sought-after place to live, but the character of this suburb is under threat
through bad planning decisions, which have resulted in short-term focused development. The
very developers who were attracted to Melville by its location and village atmosphere may
be responsible for the demise of this ‘burb. However, the biggest threat is the city
council’s lazy approach to waste collection and cleaning of one of
Johannesburg’s greatest suburbs. It is sad to hear how the city’s lawenforcing
initiatives are misdirected. Recently, newspaper reports told the story of tourists and
restaurant owners being fined for drinking in public.
They were
enjoying glasses of wine at sidewalk tables! The Metro Police would do better by fining
people leaving building rubble on pavements for months, or, who illegally dump bags of
rubbish on sidewalks, or who build illegally with no approved plans.
The jury is
out on the future of Melville. If the proposed redevelopment of Faan Smit Park into a
parking garage and artists market is handled sensitively the suburb may, once more be
revived. However, the poor maintenance track record of the developer does not bode well.
Parkview is
a worthy winner. Here is a suburb that is centrally located with a good clean public
environment and a great sense of community.
As long as
unscrupulous developers are not allowed to run amok, this suburb will go from
strength-to-strength. However, the pressure for subdividing and densification is here to
stay and it is important for the city managers to establish guidelines for such
developments. For Johannesburg to become a sustainable city, more focus should be placed
on infill development and less on new developments on the outskirts, far away from
amenities. If handled well, Parkview could become a model for this kind of development.
-----
An urban square
– Joe Gqabi Station, Philippi, Cape Town
Urban
Green File looks at the design of a new public square adjacent to a train station and taxi
terminus.
Landscape
architect Tarna Klitzner talks about the design of a public square adjacent to a new train
station, taxi and long distance bus terminus in Philippi.
The primary
role of the square, as outlined in the brief from Cape Town City Council, was to
accommodate daily commuters accessing the various transport facilities within a proposed
major urban transport nodal point. The Urban Design Framework plan includes opportunities
for a variety of land uses adjacent to the Station Square: a mixed use housing component,
an indoor market facility, schools, etc.
The
transport interchange components formed part of the first five phases of the overall Urban
Design Framework plan, while the balance are in the process of being implemented.
As part of
the first phase, a stormwater detention system was put in place, which accommodates the
broader Stock Road environment of which the Station Square forms part.
Context
The station is sited within the Cape Flats environment with its high water
table, relatively flat topography and exposure to extreme climatic conditions. It is
surrounded by communities which have historically been deprived of a positive urban
environment and the design team saw this as an opportunity to explore the ‘Idea of an
Urban Square’ and its related scope of possibilities.
Proposed
programmatic principles for creating an urban square
Programmatically,
the requirements were to create a forecourt to the station to allow for the movement of
pedestrians accessing the residential areas and transport facilities.
Multi-functional
As this
square is located within what will become (according to the Urban Design Masterplan) a
dense residential fabric, it was felt that it should be designed as a potential venue for
a variety of activities and that these should in turn be reflected within the
square’s aesthetic.
Coupled with
this is the principle of multiple functionality, illustrated in the cascading stairs which
are also to serve as seating for the basketball court and the fountain surface which can
be utilised as a stage surrounded by the sloping lawns.
As threshold
Situated at the point of threshold between the station and the bus and taxi
areas, the square is the interface between the station building façade and the vast
expanse of paved surfaces required to accommodate the influx of long distance buses. The
tree lines, in conjunction with the high mast lighting, were utilised to define the
boundaries of the square, while the oasis of sloping grass platforms shaded with the
deciduous tree canopies and low bubbling water jets serve as an antidote to the harsh
starkness of the bus parking areas.
The various
paving geometries were a result of integrating the conditions of each boundary into the
square and so giving it a sense of relationship. The resultant layering of ‘paving
mats’ contributes to the visual texture and interest of the ground plain which is
further reinforced by the inclusion of ceramic panels into the paving. The ceramics are by
local artists.
A concern for human
comfort
The above principle was explored through the detail design resolution, seat and
step height, the dense distribution of lighting to facilitate security and the use of tree
bosques for shade, and tree lines as windbreaks. The water feature element was included
for both its aesthetic role and its value as a source of sound, climate amelioration and
place of play for children on hot days.
The
materials reflect the pragmatics of resources that were available and the wish to design
‘moments of delight and fun’ into the environment, accepting that human comfort
has as much to do with physical relationships as with the emotive experience.
The role of the
landscape architect
The landscape architect was instrumental in formulating the design concept,
within the design team for the station forecourt, as a multifunctional space that
facilitates a variety of activities.
The
consultants worked as a team to generate ideas and resolve detail issues in terms of the
landscaping, with the urban designers/architects responsible for the construction role.
The scope of
the landscape architect’s work included: design generation and development of the
square’s spatial configuration; positions of detail elements such as the lights,
litter bins and seats; and the selection of materials for the water feature and the
paving; the detail design; and the soft landscaping design and specification.
Detail resolution
– guiding principles
A design attitude was developed for the various components that combine to make
the urban environment. The elements with their guiding principles and resultant design
resolution are listed below.
Surface treatment:
*
As the integrating
element providing a continuous plain on which various activities occur: namely,
non-motorised movement, basketball games, impromptu performances, a picnic and water play.
*
As a two-dimensional
register of activity zones that occur within the surface plain: overlapping paving mats
demarcate various activity zones.
*
As the background
receptor for celebratory moments:
*
the water feature as a
potential stage;
*
sloping lawns as
potential seating / shaded picnic venue; ball court and steps – venue for the
basketball game; and stair landing to serve as an orator’s platform.
Soft landscape elements:
*
A measure of human
scale in an expansive environment: the opportunity to form groups of tree plantings and
utilize shrubs/restios and grass planting to introduce a familiar measure for the human
body.
*
Vertical space
defining elements: the Populus simonii planted as 200 l trees provide an immediate
vertical edge, spatially defining the extent of the square.
*
Introduction of
textural and sensual interest: the deciduous trees provide seasonal variation, the
flowering groundcovers provide colour and the various grasses textural variety and
movement.
*
Amelioration of wind
and sun screens – shade canopy: SE and NW tree lines on the edges of the square
provide wind shelter; tree canopies provide shade in the summer and filtered sun during
the winter days.
Illumination:
*
The lights serve as
vertical space defining elements during the day and provide illumination at night: mast
lighting on plinths is utilised as broader space defining elements; pedestrian scale post
top lighting is positioned on the edges of the various activity zones to serve the purpose
of illuminating the areas, and providing vertical definition of the two-dimensional
activity zone.
*
Provision of comfort,
safety and security: the intensive lighting design serves to ensure minimum dark spots
within the primary movement zones.
Seating:
*
As an integrated
component seating facilitates in defining urban realms and encouraging passive recreation,
trading, etc.
*
It is incorporated
into vertical elements, walls, platforms and level changes.
Celebratory
moments:
*
The idea is to
incorporate moments of celebration, as a means of including local community participation
in the life use of the project. Local artists, transport theme, ceramic inlays to be
discovered as special gems in the paving; water element as a potential stage.
Sustainability
The issue of the maintenance of the water feature was one of concern, but the
feature’s ability to function as a positive space without water secured its future.
The scarcity of water has brought into question the issue of automatic irrigation and as a
result when no alternative sources of water are available the use of grass and
groundcovers should be questioned. The proximity of the water table to the surface should
ensure the survival of the trees while the Gazania and Dietes species are proven
survivors.
The Restios
are displaying signs of distress and might in time be shaded out by the more resilient
species.
Conclusion
As a project team, we endeavoured to design a public square informed by the
possibilities of its potential uses. The inclusion of the basketball court, the water
feature, the raised grass amphitheatre and the local artists’ ceramic inlays are
viewed as positive and exciting advances in the making of a public space.
The Stock
Road Station and Bus Terminus was the Overall Winner in the Industrial Paving Category of
the Concrete Manufacturers Association Awards in 2004. The judges commented on the
creative response to community areas and the excellent pattern work and visually
stimulating layout (see UGF Nov/Dec 2004).
Project team:
Client: Cape Town City Council and the Western Cape Provincial Administration
Project manager: Iliso Consulting Engineers
Urban designers and architects: ARG Design and Lucien le
Grange Urban Designers and Architects
Landscape architect: Tarna Klitzner Landscape Architect
Engineers: Iliso Consulting Engineers and VKE Consulting Engineers
Landscape contractor: Weeping Willow
-----
Conservation and development –
in tandem
Villa
Arcadia is being restored and adapted for re-use as part of the Hollard Insurance
development on Parktown Ridge, Johannesburg.
The
restoration and adaptive re-use of Villa Arcadia, one of Johannesburg’s historical
homes on the Parktown Ridge, and the parallel development of new premises for Hollard
Insurance on the sameproperty, indicate that heritage conservation and new development
– frequently zones of conflict – can in fact work together.
Architect
Pierre Lombart, of the firm Grosskopff, Lombart,Huyberechts & Associates (GLH),
describes the development as a win for the city of Johannesburg. The property, which is of
significant heritage value, has been rescued from decline and is being developed to secure
its future sustainability as a heritage resource. Villa Arcadia is being restored, put to
new use, and will remain accessible to public tours, by arrangement with the new owners.
A brief history
Villa Arcadia, at 22 Oxford Road, is sited on the northern slopes of the
Parktown Ridge. The main house was designed by the architect Herbert Baker for Sir Lionel
and Lady Phillips, with construction begun in 1907 and completed in 1909.
The villa in
fact replaced an earlier building which had been the home of the Rolfes family. It is
reported that, in 1897, Carl Rolfes, a German immigrant to South Africa, had purchased a
large stand in the newly laid out ‘township’ of Parktown, overlooking the timber
plantations of Sachsenwald (Saxonwold today) to the north and with views extending to the
far distant Magaliesberg.
Here Rolfes
erected a prefabricated timber house that he had imported from Switzerland. The house was
designed in the style of a Swiss chalet and stood on a masonry ground floor that had been
constructed to establish a level footing for the building on the steep slope of the ridge.
The Rolfes took occupation of their house in December 1898 and the home was called
Arcadia.
Shortly
after this, a double-storey service wing was added to the east of the house.
Interestingly, although the timber house was demolished to make way for Phillips’
residence, this service wing was retained and incorporated into the new building designed
by Baker.
Apparently,
Rolfes sold his property in 1906 to the mining company The Corner House and it was at that
time that Lionel Phillips had been appointed to head The Corner House in Johannesburg.
Although the Phillips lived for a short time in the Swiss chalet, it was not long before
Baker was commissioned to design a new residence for them.
In his
account of Villa Arcadia for the Parktown & Westcliff Heritage Trust, architect Dennis
Radford writes: ‘In many ways Villa Arcadia is the most interesting of Herbert
Baker’s Parktown houses, but besides this, it was also the home of a couple who each
contributed an enormous amount to the cultural life of early Johannesburg, and who…
were deeply involved in the design and construction [of their home], so that it is as much
their monument as it is that of the architect.’
Radford
notes, among numerous distinctive features of the building, ‘the hipped roofs and the
absence of gables – either English or Cape Dutch…a robust Mediterranean
air…the lively touch of the chimneys…the double columns and arches of the
loggias…’ and in the internal spaces, the vaulted and coved ceilings, timber
panelling, stone and marble mantles… He describes the villa as ‘a relic of the
lifestyle of Edwardian Johannesburg and a forerunner to [Baker’s design for] the
Union Buildings’.
The grounds
of Villa Arcadia are extensive, covering an area of about six hectares. (Some of the
original property was expropriated by the former Johannesburg City Council in the 1960s
for the construction of the M1 motorway.) The house is set well back from Oxford Road and
is approached via a sweeping driveway that leads from the entrance gate on Oxford Road, up
an avenue of mature, overarching jacaranda trees, through a formal gateway, to the
forecourt. This entrance court is flanked by the house to the north, and to the south by a
stone retaining wall. Above this wall is a densely wooded area that extends to the top of
the ridge. It is said that Lady Phillips saw to indigenous planting in this part of the
garden. The terraced slopes below the house were more formally composed and are noted as a
significant feature of the property.
Other
buildings on the site that date from the time of the Phillips’ occupation of Villa
Arcadia include the coach-house and stables, which are located away from the house against
the east boundary of the property. Above the coach-house is a compound of single quarters
(probably for the many gardeners employed), flat-roofed and built in stone.
Various
other buildings are of later construction and date from the period when the property was
used as an orphanage and then a children’s home.
In 1922 the
Phillips sold Villa Arcadia to the South African Jewish Orphanage (SAJO).
This was a
couple of years before Sir Lionel retired and the family subsequently took up residence at
Vergelegen near Somerset West in the Western Cape (originally the home of Willem Adriaan
van der Stel, Governor of the Cape).
Competing for the
refurbishment ‘trophy’
In August this year paid-subscribers of Building Africa and Urban Green File
magazines will be afforded the opportunity to vote for their favourite refurbishment
project. The winner will be announced at the Afribuild 2005 exhibition at the Sandton
Convention Centre (September 17 – 19).
Projects
forming part of this competition so far are:
•
Sci-Bono Discovery
Centre (Building Africa October 2004)
•
Smitshof (Building
Africa November 2004)
•
44 Stanley Avenue
(Urban Green File May/June 2004 and Building Africa May 2004)
•
Apartment Noir, Sloane
Square (Urban Green File July/August 2004)
•
Rosebank Fire Station
(Building Africa January 2005)
•
Discovery Health
Offices, Sandton (Building Africa February 2005)
•
Johannesburg Drill
Hall (Urban Green File January/February 2005)
•
Levy’s
Apartments, Braamfontein (Building Africa March 2005)
•
Bedford Centre,
Johannesburg (Building Africa April 2005)
•
The Mills Newtown
(Building Africa May 2005)
When the SAJO at Arcadia was officially opened in June 1923 by General Jan Smuts, then
Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa, the house was adapted to its new use.
Reception rooms, the music room, bedrooms, basements and even the cloistered courtyard of
Villa Arcadia were converted into dormitories, dining rooms and bathrooms. Increasing
numbers of children, war orphans from Eastern Europe and Russia, were being brought to
South Africa and the SAJO took them into its care. The former library in fact became the
schul for the children at the orphanage and, later, when the library was restored to its
original function as additional accommodation was built, the former music room was
furnished and equipped as a synagogue.
As the
orphanage took in more children, demand for accommodation and care grew and a number of
additional buildings were constructed on the site. These included: the Wolf Hillman
Hospital, east of the main house, later remodelled and renamed the Max and Dora Friedman
Cottages; the Joe Lewis Wing; and the Annex.
The property
served as an orphanage, and by the 1990s as a children’s home, up until 2001.
However, the need for such a facility – on the scale once required – was falling
away.
In 1995, the
Arcadia Jewish Children’s Home, as it had come to be called, applied for a rezoning
of the property from Residential 1 to Business 4. The application was approved, with
certain conditions pertaining to the site’s heritage and its future development, and
the land was up for sale.
This
abridged history is extracted from:
•
the Conservation
Management Plan compiled by Dr Johann Bruwer (Heritage Resources Management) and William
Martinson (Osmond Lange Architects & Planners)
•
and the Parktown &
Westcliff Heritage Trust’s Pamphlet No.7, on Villa Arcadia, written by architect
Dennis Radford.
Rezoning for
development
The site had been rezoned into a number of land parcels to invite new
development. Apparently various proposals were considered and dismissed before the Hollard
development came forward in 2003.
The company
had agreed to purchase the whole site from the Arcadia Jewish Children’s Home,
subject to certain conditions which included, amongst other things, that the required
approvals and consents be obtained from the relevant authorities for the proposed
development of the site.
The Hollard
proposal sought to construct a new three-storey office building, with two basement parking
levels, over an area that would combine two of the land parcels designated for development
to the west of the existing main house. At the same time, Villa Arcadia would be restored
and adapted for re-use to accommodate offices, meeting rooms and training facilities. The
proposal also included a phased restoration, upgrading and development of the landscape
and indicated the demolition of some of the buildings that had been constructed in the
1930s.
A further
phase of the proposed development would include the construction of a new building east of
Villa Arcadia and, at that stage, the restoration and adaptive re-use of the remaining
historical buildings on the site.
A Conservation
Management Plan
In support of its development proposal and in line with the National Heritage
Resources Act, 1999, Hollard commissioned a Conservation Management Plan for the site.
This was prepared by heritage consultant Dr Johann Bruwer of Heritage Resources
Management, and conservation architect William Martinson of Osmond Lange Architects and
Planners.
The
Conservation Management Plan incorporates a comprehensive report on the history of the
property, a survey of the existing structures and their surrounds and an assessment of
their architectural significance and conservation worthiness. The report included
consultations with people who had been involved with the orphanage and the children’s
home – revealing interesting anecdotes about the history of the property.
Consultations with other interested and affected parties also formed part of the process
of seeking approval for the proposed development. The Parktown & Westcliff Heritage
Trust, the Parktown Association, and the Westcliff Residents Association held a close
watch on development proposals for the site and, as strong proponents for conservation in
the area, contributed valuable information to the Conservation Management Plan and comment
on the proposed development.
Buildings
proposed to be demolished are noted in the plan and included: the Annex, the Joe Lewis
Wing, garages in the stone retaining wall near the stables, and the more recently built
secretary’s house.
A framework
of conservation policy guidelines and a proposed management strategy for the site were set
out and the Conservation Management Plan was submitted to the Gauteng Heritage Resources
Authority in January 2004. The document makes it clear that Hollard’s interest in
purchasing the property was dependent on the related required approvals being cleared and,
in turn, that the proposed development presented a means of securing the future of the
property as a heritage resource.
Speaking to
Urban Green File, conservation architect William Martinson comments that the Hollard
proposal presented a reasonable compromise. The Villa Arcadia estate is a large property
which requires substantial financial support to be well maintained. The Hollard proposal
introduced a single buyer, offering viable new use for some of the existing buildings
– with others to be restored and adapted in time, and the restoration and upgrading
of the gardens and the landscape, alongside new development.
There was
plenty of debate, he adds, about which buildings should be retained and which demolished.
For example, the old orphanage hospital (originally the Wolf Hillman Hospital, later the
Max and Dora Friedman Cottages) was at one stage flagged for demolition but the heritage
authorities argued that it should be conserved as part of the tangible memory of the
period during which the estate served as an orphanage. There are also records of various
donors who supported the orphanage over time and these will be reinstated, as they were,
on boards lining the south wall of the cloistered courtyard of the villa. Martinson notes
that these records actually provide a very interesting reflection of some of the key
players in Johannesburg’s business history.
Once the
Conservation Management Plan was approved, with the site development plan, restoration and
new construction work began on site soon afterward, early in 2004.
Restoration for new use
Although the Arcadia Jewish Children’s Home left the site only in 2001 – moving
to smaller premises in Sandringham – the institution had encountered financial
constraints since the 1970s and, consequently, the buildings had not been maintained
adequately or carefully.
None the
less, Lombart comments, the main house was clearly well built, with good proportions and
using good materials – which had endured for almost 100 years.
Bertie
Meyburgh, also from the practice GLH, says that the intervention in the original Villa
Arcadia will be minimal.
Inappropriate
additions and alterations have been stripped away, restoring the building to its original
form. New services are being installed – a new sewerage system, new electrical and
power cabling, new light fittings and security cameras, airconditioning and fire
protection systems.
“Wherever
possible,” Meyburgh says, “we’re using existing wireways and power
points,” but inevitably, in some places, new services have had to be installed on the
wall surfaces.
The roof
required major repair. About two-thirds of the original curved clay roof tiles have been
replaced with new tiles of similar form.
Other
repairs and replacements are being fitted where required. Budget limits have led to some
unfortunate compromises on aspects like columns and capitals where these have had to be
reinstated, detailing of timber doors and windows where these have been reinstated or
newly inserted into the existing fabric, and the use of off-the-shelf hardware rather than
custom-crafted items.
However,
these are, in the main, small concerns, while the generous interior spaces and materials
– Burmese Teak doors, windows, panels, floors, skirting boards, ceilings and beams;
marble floors and fireplaces; the stone stairway and so on – are restored to their
original state.
The main
house will be used for executive offices and training facilities on the upper level, with
reception, a formal dining room, library and boardroom downstairs. This means that the
building will be used not only by executive management but also by all Hollard staff. The
music room will be adapted to become a conference facility which may also be made
available, on occasion, to other institutions.
Meyburgh
points out too that Villa Arcadia will house the Hollard art collection – mainly of
emerging South African artists – and that it is particularly well suited to this
purpose.
The Phillips
were well known for their patronage of the arts and their home was designed – in some
instances quite specifically – to display their own collection of fine art. (Lady
Phillips was also instrumental in driving the development of the original Johannesburg Art
Gallery, designed by Edwin Lutyens.)
The gardens
at Villa Arcadia are to be reinstated as far as possible. This will include the removal of
alien species that have invaded the ridge behind the house and new planting of indigenous
species. Although in the more formal gardens north and east of the house some exotic
species will be planted – in the interests of restoration – the overall emphasis
is on use of indigenous plant material.
The new
entrance to the property, from Federation Road to the northeast, will allow visitors to
experience the gardens and the original villa from this approach.
Hollard House at Villa
Arcadia
The new office building to the west of the main house provides a floor area of
12 000 m2, on three floor levels, above two basement parking levels.
In order to
meet the client’s requirement for wide floor plates – that allow for flexible,
openplan office space – the building is articulated around a central, triple volume
atrium. The atrium, which is open to the office space around it, will be equipped with a
sports floor – suitable for various sports and games – and a stone-faced
climbing wall is already in place.
The new
building is quite separate from the original house and a formal, sunken garden, with a
planned koi pond, forms a mediating space between the two. At its eastern end, the new
building stands just two storeys high. Using the natural fall of the land and some
excavation to accommodate the basement levels as it extends westward, it is designed so
that its highest floor level matches the main floor level of the original house. Thus the
roof height of the new building remains well below that of the villa.
The
‘precedence’ of the original house is also acknowledged in other ways – in
the arched bays and pronounced vertical rhythm of the north and west elevations of the new
building; the hipped roofs; the selection of materials and colours and the use of stone
cladding, which reduce its impact to a degree, in spite of its mass. In addition, the
floor plates of the office wings, which branch to west, northwest and southwest of the
atrium, are about 18 m wide, of similar width to the H-plan of the villa.
Entry to the
office building is from the south, where the new driveway provides access to a parking
forecourt for visitors, and a link to the original driveway and a new three storey parking
garage to the south of it – up against the ridge and screened by the jacaranda trees.
The entrance
lobby defines a strong cross-axis through the building and carries the memory of the
lawned ‘green way’ once a feature of the gardens at Villa Arcadia.
The team
Drawings and computer images courtesy of GLH & Associates Architects
Original drawings of Villa Arcadia are copied from the Conservation Management Plan.
Professional Team
Client: Adampol (Pty) Ltd
Architects: Grosskopff, Lombart, Huyberechts & Associates
Arc Architects
Project Managers: Duncan Rhodes (Pty) Ltd
Conservation Consultants: Osmond Lange Architects & Planners
Heritage Resources Management
Interior Designers: Head Interiors
Quantity Surveyors: LWA Quantity Surveyors
Consulting Civil & Structural Engineers: LC Consulting
Consulting Electrical Engineers: Claassen Auret Inc
Consulting Mechanical Engineers: Adaptive Resource Engineers
Landscape Architects: Green Inc
Town Planners: Steven Jaspan & Associates
Main contractors: Giuricich Brothers (Villa Arcadia
-----
From the Parktown & Westcliff
heritage trust
Urban
Green File asked Flo Bird of the Parktown & Westcliff Heritage Trust for her view on
the way in which the development of the Villa Arcadia estate has been resolved. Mrs Bird
responded:
“You’ve
caught me on the wrong day! They’re now pushing for more space, another 3 000 m2,
that’s the area of 120 parking bays.
“My
concern is that some years ago, when development of the site was initially being
considered, we (the Parktown & Westcliff Heritage Trust) undertook a study to
ascertain the extent of development that the property could reasonably accommodate. The
Hollard development already exceeds that.
“When
the Hollard proposal came forward, we were particularly anxious to secure the house and
its future. There had been fire after fire blazing across the grassland and the terribly
overgrown garden.
Although
none, fortunately, had reached the house, it was at risk. So we welcomed the proposal,
which presented the chance for the house to be restored.
Villa
Arcadia is outstanding architecturally and very interesting historically.
“On the
whole our negotiations with the development team were fairly amicable.
Some aspects
of the proposal were surprisingly insensitive to the site’s history and the heritage
buildings, but alternatives were considered and agreed to.
Other issues
have arisen as the development has progressed, but these too have been resolved. On the
whole, the terms of the agreement have been upheld – there is nothing built in front
of the house, or behind it; the new development is tallest towards Oxford Road, away from
the house.
“We’re
told that the second phase of the development will be a call centre – and we’ve
yet to see what form that will take.
“We are
thrilled that the garden is also to be restored. It’s been neglected for many years.
When we used to take tours to the property, we focused on the house; the garden was
already overgrown and it’s a very large property. More recently, when I walked the
site with the landscape architect, we discovered features that I didn’t even know
were there.
“There’s
talk that tours of the property, as a heritage site, will be allowed to continue, by
arrangement with the new owners.
I sincerely
hope this will be the case. “We’re considering the idea of a garden tour along
the ridge – taking in the gardens of several properties which have been excellently
restored and maintained.
Gardens, of
course, are an important aspect of the heritage of Parktown. It was the first garden
suburb in Johannesburg. Prior to that, residential development was in townhouses, which
were built fronting onto the street edge, with the gardens behind the houses.
When
Parktown was laid out, the building lines prescribed large front gardens –
encouraging a shared green space along the streets. That’s also changed today –
with all the high walls constructed – but there are still some beautiful gardens. We
used to walk through the gardens along the ridge as far as The Wilds. It would be
wonderful if we could reinstate that kind of walking tour.”
-----
Rejuvenating
Greenside’s village ambience
An
old ’30s building in Gleneagles Road is undergoing refurbishment.
Developer
Michael Canfield describes the refurbishment work that he has done on the old ’30s
building in Gleneagles Road as adapting the building for reuse, within the context of the
regeneration that the old suburb of Greenside in Johannesburg is undergoing. He has
preserved what he was able to and replaced what was necessary, with largely locally-made
products and recycled materials.
According to
Canfield, the neighbourhood of Greenside, particularly the ribbon development along
Gleneagles and Greenway, is in its second phase of rejuvenation. The first phase began
when a number of new and interesting restaurants took occupancy along the road and this
attracted what he called “trendy people with vision”. The second phase has been
about adapting more parcels for retail and office development, while the third phase is
about the conversion of previously semi-derelict residential flats into upmarket housing.
Canfield
commented that he was one of a number of small entrepreneurial developers working in
Greenside who were keen to take advantage of the natural ‘village’ atmosphere,
in the form of true mixed use development – with entertainment, retail, office and
residential components: “As developers, we communicate in a spirit of loose
collaboration to preserve the village character, yet improve its value and
convenience.”
The original
14 Gleneagles Road was built in 1936 and served as a general dealer and tea room at street
level, while the first floor was the owner’s residence.
Over the
years, a number of ad hoc additions had been made to the building and the first thing the
developers did was to, in Canfield’s words, “demuddle” the building –
strip it down to see what aspects… what good details should be retained. He said
there was nothing of importance architecturally, but some of the details like the pressed
ceilings, the oregon pine floors and the doors with their nickel art-deco pressed handles
were of value.
“The
challenge was to make the best use of the space …to keep the positives and address
the negatives, including the staircase access to the first floor which was a really dark,
uninviting space. We needed light and practical access to the first floor and whatever we
were going to add had to be in keeping with the perceived character of the neighbourhood
– a small ‘village’ within a big city,” he elucidated.
The old
staircase was removed and the entire façade of the building was moved forward about 1,5 m
towards the street. The generous new staircase has opened up the volume of the space,
encouraging access to the first floor.
The
refurbishment of 14 Gleneagles has been kept simple with the use of natural materials such
as locally quarried sandstone and slate for the exterior façade. The ceramic tiles for
the bathrooms are locally manufactured, as are most of the light fittings. The flooring on
the first floor was reused and damaged areas were repaired by removing the oregon pine
planks from other areas and replacing those floors with screeded concrete – so that
the floors upstairs are half of oregon pine and half of epoxied screed. The epoxy is
locally manufactured. Old ablution fittings such as toilets and basins have been reused
where possible.
Finishes to
the suites upstairs have been left ‘raw’ so that incoming tenants can make their
own choices. “We have left the old doors and door surrounds in place and the walls
are unpainted – those walls that are not bearing walls can be removed by the tenant.
We saw no reason to complete the finishes as tenants invariably want changes of their own
choice. We did finish one suite upstairs to demonstrate potential,” explained
Canfield.
Canfield
commented humorously that as developers they had become victims of their own “might
as well” syndrome: “We thought we might as well replaster and so most of the
space has been replastered. The same applied to the plumbing and the electrics and so the
building has been replumbed and rewired, when it might not have been entirely
necessary.”
There are
three suites or ‘spaces’ upstairs and the one at the rear, which has been
conceived as a studio space, has had its ceiling raised exposing the old wooden beams,
whereas the other two have the much soughtafter pressed ceilings.
In between
two of the spaces and over the stairwell is an atrium area which fronts on the street and
this will be planted up with indigenous species in attractive containers, in what
Canfield
envisions as a Japanese style garden with a quiet running water feature and sculptural
South African plants. The glass wall of the atrium will mean that the planted feature will
be visible from the street. A bare expanse of wall on the east side of the building will
be covered with trelliswork and
colourful
indigenous creepers, and Canfield is hoping to replace the streetfront trees with
appropriate indigenous species.
The ground
floor shops are already occupied by a video/internet/games centre, a food store and a
pizza restaurant.
The Wild
Olive food store was the first of the new tenants to move into the building and owner
Julie Lindheim also rented the back courtyard area for an outdoor restaurant. She
collaborated with the developers on the design of the finishes and shopfittings for her
shop and she designed the ‘recycled’ courtyard.
Canfield
said the outdoor space behind the building had been an unusable wasteland of garbage with
only limited access: “We needed to make it attractive and the strong architectural
elements are the privacy screen and the arch leading to the outside wrought-iron stairs to
the first floor. The arch was dictated by an old door that we found in a junkyard in
Bertrams. The french doors leading from the food store to the courtyard are another
recycled set from a demolition yard in Florida. The choice of the outdoor furnishings and
plantings was made by the tenant.”
Canfield
points out that the project has been highly cost effective.
The close to
400 m2 of space will come out at a finished cost of approximately one third of
similar projects in Gauteng, based on a comparison with rates published by the Master
Builders Association.
“One of
the reasons the project has been so cost effective is that we did our own project
management and general contracting,” concluded Canfield.
EPA special achievement
award
When Michael Canfield was resident in the USA, he initiated the rescue of
Sandwich, the oldest town on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, from unprincipled opportunist
developers. The town comprised the largest collection of Pilgrim Century buildings in the
USA. Development of a large warehouse type shopping centre, which would have reconfigured
the entire historic town square, was on the cards: the developers were trying to steamroll
the plans through Council. Canfield exposed the development, which also had the potential
of interfering with groundwater and a fragile ecosystem. The entire town was put on the
National Register of Historic Places and Canfield was given a special achievement award by
the Environmental Protection Agency. He is also a Fellow of the Society for the
Preservation of New England Antiquities.
Popular
refurbishment project
In August
this year paid-subscribers of€ Building Africa and Urban Green File magazines will be
afforded the opportunity to vote for their favourite refurbishment project. The winner
will be announced at the Afribuild 2005 exhibition at the Sandton Convention Centre
(September 17 – 19). Refer to page 31 to see which other projects have been selected
for this competition.
Project team
Developers/project managers/main contractors: MC Co
Projects: Michael Canfield and Tony Bath
Owner: Neophron Investments: John Woodnutt
Town planner: Dave Gurney
Architects: LA Architecture: Bobby Allem
-----
Plastics recycling:
challenges to consumers and councils
Providing
facilities for waste disposal (by consumers) and collection (by recyclers).
The
scope for plastics recycling within South Africa is surprisingly large. Many companies
participate and municipalities play an active role in providing facilities for waste
disposal (by consumers) and collection (by recyclers). Engela Meyer investigates.
Litter (or
post-consumer waste) is a major, as well as a highly visible, environmental problem in
South Africa. The eyesore of plastic containers and bags in our otherwise beautiful
landscape is a concern to many. The very same properties, which make plastics so useful to
humans i.e. low mass to strength ratio and durability, also causes plastics to be a highly
visible blemish in both our urban and rural landscapes. As plastics are widely used in the
manufacturing of disposable packaging, questions are often asked regarding the current and
future state of plastics recycling in South Africa.
According to
the Plastics Federation of South Africa’s 2003 statistics, the local polymer
consumption (virgin and semi-finished) is 1,1-million tons per annum while the local
recycled material consumption is 150 000 tons per annum. There is obvious scope for an
increase in the latter figure.
The plastic
converting sector has approximately 88 private companies of various sized operations.
South African recycling is done for its economic viability. Douw Steyn of the Plastics
Federation of South Africa says that this country’s mechanical recycling methods and
outputs are very competitive in terms of world standards. The percentage of recycled
plastics in South Africa is up to five times higher than in most other countries. This
might be ascribed to the fact that a large section of users see no problem in using
articles manufactured from recycled plastics.
The quantity
of post consumer plastic waste recovered and recycled each year equates to approximately
13% of the virgin polymer converted (nearly three times the level achieved in first world
countries) and over 30% of the actual packaging polymers used in South Africa.
Attitudes towards
recycling
The issue of waste management and, particularly, recycling received
considerable media attention with recent legislation on the minimum thickness of plastic
vest type carrier bags. The South African consumer was challenged (for the first time?) to
become more environmentally conscious and to consider his or her individual contribution
to our nationally agreed quest for sustainable development.
Recycling
and waste minimisation have been prominent on political agendas across the world and,
although controversial, South Africa’s move in terms of the plastic bags has been
hailed as a first crucial step in co-opting ordinary citizens in the drive for more
environmentally sustainable practices.
But, the
issue of recycling is not only moral in nature as it could also be an opportunity for
entrepreneurial innovation. Recycling plastics and recovering valuable metals and minerals
is a major business and with legislation backing the responsibility of citizens to recover
and recycle whenever and wherever possible, there is a financial as well as moral
incentive to the activity.
Although the
industry is relatively well established, recycling of waste is not necessarily viewed as
an essential part of waste management in South Africa. Consequently, no standard mechanism
exists for implementing and funding plastic recycling efforts. The majority of recycling
initiatives have been developed on an ad hoc basis and have been funded by the private
sector, with minor financial inputs from the public sector.
National policy
initiatives
The national Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) takes a
two-pronged approach in that they campaign for both waste minimisation and recycling. The
Department adopted a variety of measures from 1999 onwards aimed at facilitating and
co-ordinating more widespread implementation of waste minimization and recycling
initiatives. The overall objective of the National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS), as
drafted and managed by the DEAT, is to reduce the generation and environmental impact of
all forms of waste and to ensure that the health of the people and the quality of the
environmental resources are no longer affected by uncontrolled and uncoordinated waste
management.
Municipalities
would obviously be instrumental in the realisation of the goals set out in national
policy.
Local challenges and
current initiatives
Recycling centres and garden waste drop-off centers have been established in
some of the metropolitan areas, into which waste is separated e.g. glass, paper/cardboard,
cans, scrap metal, plastics, garden waste and other waste. There are no regular systems
for source separation of waste in South Africa, although various trials are underway. Due
to the large quantities of recyclable materials arriving in the waste at landfill sites,
informal salvaging is widespread in South Africa. This practice leads to unacceptable
health and safety risks for the salvagers, as well as operating problems for the landfill
manager.
The Plastics
Federation of South Africa has launched the Green Cage Project, which entails the
positioning of large, green cages at conveniently situated sites around the country. These
cages provide individuals with a facility in which to place all plastic waste.
This project
is primarily focused on education and raising of awareness. The collected waste is usually
given to entrepreneurs at no charge. These entrepreneurs then sell the various types of
plastics to specialist recyclers. Over a 12-month period, an average of 12-million items
of waste are collected, including carrier bags, plastic piping, milk bottles, beverage
bottles, margarine tubs and dustbins. There are currently about 80 cages placed nationally
in major cities.
Johannesburg
At the local level, Pikitup, the utility company contracted by the Johannesburg
Metro, has the broad goal of turning Johannesburg into one of the cleanest cities in the
world, while supporting the national vision of ‘Zero waste to landfills by
2022’. Each year, the city generates a total of 1,4-million t of waste. Approximately
0,6 kg to 1,6 kg of waste is generated per person per day. The current rate of waste
generation is aggravated by poor - or lack of - waste management facilities, illegal
dumping and littering, limited facilities for hazardous waste disposal, low levels of
recycling, and lack of accurate waste data. Apart from the Green Cages provided by the
Plastics Federation, no specific provisions are made for plastic recycling.
‘Buy-back'
centres were established in an attempt to deal with the separation of waste, while
providing employment opportunities to local people. Pikitup has initiated this project in
partnership with recycling companies such as Mondi Recycling, the Glass Recycling
Association and the Plastics Federation, who have undertaken to buy all recyclable
materials collected at the centres.
There are
buy-back centres in Soweto, Sandton, Yeoville, Alexandra and Robertville. Established in
2000, the Dobsonville buy-back centre is managed by a local entrepreneur, collecting and
sorting more than 200 t of waste per month, and employing 12 people on a permanent basis.
Cape Town
In May, 2000, the Integrated Waste Exchange (IWEX) website was developed and
launched by the City of Cape Town, in a bid to reduce hazardous and general waste material
going to landfill.
The website
service provides an electronic market place for unwanted and wanted waste resource
materials. IWEX forms the information interface between companies and communities willing
to trade waste and lists all nationally available and requested waste materials where
special emphasis is placed on reducing hazardous waste volumes and expanding traditional
recycling markets in and around Cape Town. Community organisations on the IWEX listing
include: community drop-offs, buy back centres, shelters, havens, community up-liftment
and job creation centres. In 2002, IWEX received an ‘Impumelelo Star Award’ for
its contribution to the community.
Another
programme aimed at promoting waste separation at source is the Yellow Bag programme in
Marina da Gama. This household source recovery and collection project is operated by the
City of Cape Town, in partnership with recycling company Enviroglass and Waste. It
encourages residents to separate their recyclables (all valuable packaging waste materials
including paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, tins, etc.) from normal rubbish and place it
in a yellow bag, which is provided to the participating households free of charge. Each
household receives one bag on a weekly base. Residents are kept informed of the project
progress via regular newsletters and specially erected display boards informing them of
the weekly rate of participation. According to the City of
Cape Town
Integrated Waste Management Plan of 2004, the Yellow Bag initiative has been recognised as
a flagship project for the City, since valuable lessons were learnt. Another project,
following the concept of the Yellow Bag, has also been implemented in Sea Point to recover
recyclables from large flats and housing complexes.
Mixed success
The vast difference in the types of plastic materials that can be recycled is
the recycler’s largest problem. While, in general, all plastic can be recycled, the
degree of contamination and the receipt of mixed plastic types at the washing and
processing plants is a complicating factor. Pre-consumer material is sourced from the
manufacturing and industrial sector and post-consumer waste from the municipal solid waste
stream or waste generators.
The efforts
of various municipalities have achieved mixed success. According to one recycler, quoted
in the City of Cape Town Integrated Waste Management Plan, the attempts by the Plastics
Federation in the last few years to encourage the collection of postconsumer plastics
through the Green Cage project has failed dismally, as there are not many in operation in
the Cape Town area.
The IWEX
website also faces some significant challenges.
Malcolm
Smith of the City of Cape Town says that it is difficult to monitor success, as feedback
from the various companies is virtually non-existent. In addition, the issue of ownership
of the website also came forth as a challenge, as there is a lot of mistrust between
companies and any services that is provided to them by municipalities.
The future
Nearly all policy documents in South Africa are underpinned by a vision of
environmentally sustainable economic development. This vision promotes both a clean,
healthy environment and a strong, stable economy. Preventing, minimising, and controlling
pollution and waste protect the environment from degradation, while at the same time
creating entrepreneurial opportunities. For entrepreneurs, it provides job creation and
financial gain, and for local authorities, it assists in extending their landfill sites.
In total,
the South African plastics industry contributes in excess of 4% to the South African GDP.
The sheer size of the industry suggests scope in terms of diversification. But, according
to Chandru Wadhwani of South African Polyester Recyclers (Pty) Ltd, one of the major
challenges for expanding the industry would be the availability and reliability of an
end-buyer. All recycling efforts would be in vain if there were not enough manufacturers
geared for utilising the recycled waste.
The
responsible and efficient expansion of the plastics recycling industry depends largely on
information, research and public education.
If the
nature of plastic is understood by the man on the street then polymers can be used
correctly and discarded wisely.
Further
research into the properties of plastic materials can lead to innovative applications for
recycled material in the future.
Who takes
responsibility?
The public sector, and specifically national and provincial departments’
responsibility for facilitating and coordinating various initiatives is obvious. The aim
is to ensure that the generators of waste in both the public and private sectors have
sufficient incentive to adopt waste minimisation practices and to undertake recycling
initiatives, have access to information on the benefits of, and techniques for, waste
minimisation and recycling and have sufficient capacity to implement waste minimisation
and recycling initiatives.
In the
current dispensation, the role of local government as a developmental agency is
continuously emphasised. Combined with their responsibility for general waste management
planning at the local level, the issue of recycling plastic waste would become
increasingly important for municipalities. Within these initiatives are the provisions for
recycling centres, promotion of partnerships with local entrepreneurs and small-scale
recyclers and the collection of data required for regional waste information systems.
But, yet
again, a conflict of interest could arise, since waste disposal charges are an important
source of revenue for municipalities and these financial interests may counteract
activities which encourage the public to minimise and recycle their waste, rather than
dispose of it. |
