| |
Contents
of February 1999
EDITORIAL
NEWS
LETTERS
BOOK REVIEW
INSPIRATION
Appropriate
architecture for the technology- driven vehicle industry
INSULT
Light pollution destroys ambience
TREE OF THE ISSUE
Turraea Floribunda
FEATURES
Managing an
indigenous landscape — Druggists park
Empowering a community
— East Bank, Alexandra
From conservation to sustainable use
Embodying the principles of a
green building
Vodacom Boulevard - grand
entrance to 082 VodaValley
CAD and the Red Location
Architecture Competition
-----
EDITORIAL
This issue
of The Urban Green File presents another group of finalists in our Townscape Millennium
Public Spaces Competition - nature conservation areas, in the urban environment. Read
through the entries and visit the nature reserves (see maps) if they are in your area, so
that you can help us, through voting by means of the ballot paper enclosed in the journal,
with the decisions about the winners of each category. Remember that only subscriber’s
votes are eligible. We have two more categories of finalists to publish before the winners
are named at a gala function in Johannesburg.
Please
remember that subscribers have exclusive access to the back issues of the journal on our
website while only the current issue is available to the wider public. We have had an
influx of subscriptions over the last few months which bodes well for the future of the
journal and we would like to thank our ‘participating organisations’, ILASA and
the ACTRP, for their continued renewal of the bulk subscriptions which ensure that each of
their members receives The Urban Green File.
We welcome
our new Editorial Advisory Committee for 1999 - their names are listed in the adjacent
credits column. Every year we invite a new multidisciplinary group of professionals, each
with a strong interest in environmental matters, to serve as a sounding board and give us
new ideas for the journal. We get together on a bi-monthly basis, as each issue is
published, and have a casual ‘think-tank’, which is often very stimulating,
encouraging debate amongst these members of the various professions responsible for the
urban environment. The fact that we have this committee to give us ideas does not preclude
others from contacting us with critical input. We need comment from our readers so as to
keep the journal fresh and relevant. Our e-mail address is at the top of the credits
column.
Philippa
Brown, who was with us for nearly two years as advertising representative, has left us to
pursue her interest in photography. Lucille Botha, who has many years experience in the
selling of advertising space and is enormously enthusiastic about our journal, has
replaced Philippa and she is the person to contact concerning advertising requirements.
-----
NEWS
Brochure on impacts of alien invaders
The ‘Working
for Water’ programme has published a booklet, compiled by Environmentek - CSIR, on
the environmental impacts of invasive alien plants. Of the ± 750 tree species and 8 000
shrubs introduced into SA, 161 are regarded as invaders - 44 have been legally declared or
proposed for declaration as noxious weeds, which means their removal is required by law. A
further 31 have been declared or proposed for declaration as invaders, which means their
spread has to be controlled. Top of the list of the most widespread alien invasives in SA
are syringa, pines, black wattle and lantana.
Current
estimates are that invaders cover 10 million ha and use 3,3 billion m3 of water in excess
of that used by native vegetation, every year. Invading aliens are widely regarded as the
second largest threat to biodiversity after habitat destruction. Almost 1900 of the 3435
Red Data List species for southern Africa are threatened wholly or partly by alien
invasives. Studies in the Western Cape have shown that clearing invasives from catchments
can deliver additional water at only 13, 6 % of the cost of a new dam scheme.
ILASA Merit
Awards
The National
Executive Committee of the Institute of Landscape Architects of South Africa invites its
members to submit professional work for the 1999 Merit Awards. The Awards serve to
acknowledge and promote excellence in landscape architecture and environmental planning.
Categories include ‘media’, ‘research’ and ‘projects’.
Adjudication will begin at the end of March 1999.
Landscape
Irrigation Association (LIA) Awards
The
Landscape Irrigation Association of SA (previously called TIA - Turf Irrigation
Association) introduced Awards of Excellence for the first time at the end of 1998. The
aim of the Awards is to improve the standard of the landscape irrigation industry. Along
with other factors, the adjudication placed emphasis on water conservation. The judges
were Dan Blake, who has been active in the irrigation industry for 40 years; Steve
Reynolds, a well-known irrigation consultant; and landscape architect Johan Barnard.
Druggists
Park, Sandton - contractor: Isometric Irrigation - was given an Award of Excellence in the
Commercial Category. Judges’ comments: The equipment melds unobtrusively into the
landscape and a computerised central control and weather station provides for a highly
efficient irrigation system with significant savings in water and operating costs.
Outstanding workmanship and the highest quality of neatness are in evidence concerning the
positioning and installation of valves, standpipes, sprayheads, pop-up sprinklers, weather
station and automatic controllers in compliance with TIA standards.(See article on
landscape management on page 10 of this issue.)
Nest Phuting
School, Sandton - contractor: RWS Irrigation - won an Award of Excellence in the Sports
Category. Judges’ comments: Pop-up sprinklers, pipework and valves were well
installed and an automatic controller, on a substantial, eye-level, weather protected
pedestal, was electrically linked through control gear to a booster pump and installed to
TIA standards. Limited water supply from a municipal source, which also supplies the
school and the fire protection system, resulted in the installation of a dual programme
controller to spread the water usage load.
Pretoria
Country Club, Waterkloof - contractor: Aquapro Irrigation - won an Award of Excellence in
the Golf Category. Judges’ comment: This project involved the engineering for and
installation of a new irrigation system, including the construction of the irrigation
water supply dams. All the existing equipment was discarded and a new system of pipework,
valves, pop-up sprinklers, automatic master/satellite controllers, pumps and electric
control gear was installed to the highest standard of workmanship, with clear ‘as
built’ drawings which will facilitate future maintenance, in keeping with TIA
standards.
In the residential
category:
House Voggetzer, Silver Lakes, Pretoria - contractor: Irrigate - was given an
Award of Excellence. Judges’ comments: A well planned environmentally friendly
irrigation system with pipework, valves, standpipes, sprayheads, pop-up sprinklers,
automatic controller and a rain sensor for water conservation, installed to TIA standards.
After-sales backup has been provided and customer satisfaction achieved.
House
Crewe-Brown, Johannesburg - contractor: Isometric Irrigation - was also give an Award of
Excellence. Judges’ comments: An appropriate installation for the immaculate lawn,
flower and rose beds and vegetable patch, with pipework, valves, standpipes, sprayheads,
pop-up sprinklers and an automatic controller implemented to TIA standards, with
after-sales back-up and customer satisfaction achieved.
Two Merit
Awards were given to Greenhills Landscaping for Freight Line Office Park in Midrand and to
Irrigate Mate for Trinity House School in Randburg.
-----
LETTERS
Wallers Camp,
Mavhulani
Dear Gerald,
Thank you so much for a wonderful article (The Urban Green File Sep/Oct 1998 issue, page
20). The cover was more than we could have hoped for! It was so rewarding to finally read
an editorial that picked up on all the finer details we put so much effort into whilst
planning and building.
The response
has been excellent! I wonder if you realise how far and wide your magazine travels?!
Reservations and enquiries continue to come in from all over the country.
Sean Waller - Wallers Camps
-----
BOOK REVIEW
‘A Place Called Home’
Environmental
issues and low-cost housing
Authors: Merle Sowman and Penny Urquhart
Illustrators: Henry Aikman and Piet Theron
Publisher: UCT Press
Whether
upgrading of informal settlements is used as an option for housing the poor or large-scale
low-cost housing schemes are built, consideration of environmental factors in the planning
and development process will improve the likelihood of creating sustainable communities.
Building houses and installing services has a direct impact on the natural environment and
the environment in turn places constraints on development. A Place Called Home gives many
environmental principles and useful guidelines which can make a difference and cites many
examples in the form of case studies where such principles have been ignored and the
community has suffered or where such principles have been considered and there is the
possibility of a long term success story.
The
identification of suitable land according to physical and climatic factors is of vital
import and what seems to be an obvious warning is given that "no development should
occur below the 1:50 year floodline" but there are not only informal settlements that
are located in such areas but several ‘site-and-service’ schemes, such as at
Soweto-on-Sea near Port Elizabeth and at Tamboekiesfontein in Gauteng. The example of the
poor siting of the Vale Farm community of Gonubie on land, immediately behind a primary
coastal dune, which is continually exposed to wind-blown sand and periodic flooding, makes
another important point. Many of these examples are illustrated by simple, imaginative,
diagrammatic drawings which clearly convey the plight of the householders and of the
environment.
The story of
community action at Botshabelo near Bloemfontein tells of a degraded, bleak area of open
space that has been transformed into a green and productive park, attracting indigenous
birds and small-scale poultry farming - and emphasises the importance of open space.
Service
provision is dealt with and many alternatives suggested concerning energy and water
supply, sanitation (See Nov/Dec’98 Issue of The Urban Green File page 20) and waste
management. In Midrand, Gauteng, the success of the Ivory Park waste management scheme,
set up by the local community, has led to the pursuit of other recycling projects.
This
practical, readable book will be of interest to community-based organisations and
self-help housing schemes as well as local authorities. It makes a good point about
passive thermal design of the individual unit, saying: "...after carefully designing
and building your home in harmony with the climate, sit back and do nothing while you take
advantage of natural.
-----
INSPIRATION
Appropriate
architecture for the technology- driven vehicle industry
Volkswagen
Piazza - Hatfield, Pretoria
Located on a
prominent corner in Hatfield, Pretoria, the new Volkswagen display room is, already, a
well-known landmark. The tasteful exhibitions of the latest vehicles, which are clearly
visible through a glass facade, cannot be missed by the passer-by.
This
building, designed by KSDP Pentagraph and referred to as the Volkswagen Piazza - a
prototype of the new Volkswagen dealership - receives this issue’s Inspiration. The
building, beautifully designed and detailed, does not detract from the cars displayed
inside. It focuses attention on the displays, thereby ensuring maximum product exposure.
The integration between interior and exterior spaces is extremely successful.
However, the
project also has some ‘insulting’ aspects. At this stage no landscaping has been
done and the street trees (Celtis africana) in front of the building have been removed.
Although this is probably because the road is being widened, it is a pity that the
continuity of the ‘green edge’ of Schoeman Street has been broken. The building,
which is spectacularly lit at night, would look even better, framed by majestical trees.
We assume that the landscaping will be re-instated, once the road-works are complete.
-----
INSULT
Light pollution destroys ambience
Brooklyn
Square in Pretoria can, in many ways, be described as a successful urban pedestrian spine
(the name ‘square’ is a bit inappropriate). Flanked by various restaurants, all
with tables outside overlooking the spine, the atmosphere is reminiscent of an alley-way
in a European city - a pleasant place to sip away at a sundowner, while enjoying the
superb Pretoria climate. Yet, as it becomes darker, the atmosphere is destroyed by too
many lights that are too bright. These lights - above eye level and without any reflecting
devices - cause glare, making it unpleasant to sit underneath them. There is no
opportunity to have a night time drink, staring at the stars! it feels as if you are
trapped in another brightly lit shopping mall. Furthermore, the ‘over lighting’
detracts from the spectacular lighting effects inside most of the restaurants.
Lighting at
ground level with bollard lights, or fixtures fitted to the walls, would have done a lot
to improve the situation. Sitting at a restaurant, one is oblidged to look straight into
these lights. Spotlights could also have been directed onto the stems of trees, focusing
attention on these, rather than adding another element (a light pole) to the already
cluttered urban environment. The trend in lighting design is to hide the source, so that
only the effect is visible. Where more light is required for security reasons, light
pollution should be limited with the use of reflective covers, which direct the light
downwards onto the ground, rather than up into the sky.
-----
TREE OF THE ISSUE
Turraea Floribunda
The
Wild Honeysuckle Tree
Andrea
Hepplewhite of Witkoppen Wildflower Nursery has nominated Turraea floribunda as the Tree
of the Issue. "The tree comes into flower in October/November and has an incredible
gardenia-like fragrance. We have a couple in the nursery garden and the fragrance spreads
through the whole nursery. The flowers have a delicate appearance and the whole tree is
covered in flowers just as the new leaves start to come out," comments Andrea.
"If I were a young girl getting married again, I’d use the flowers of the Wild
Honeysuckle Tree in my bouquet. The flowers of Turraea obtusifolia last well when they are
picked, so the chances are that these would also."
She says
that the tree grows quickly - up to 1m a year but that it needs to be protected in colder
areas, particularly when it is young, as it is slightly frost tender. It needs regular
watering and is sometimes multi-stemmed but can easily be pruned into a single stem. It is
a small to medium tree, with horizontally spreading, rather brittle branches, occurring
naturally in the coastal forests and riverine bush of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
The white-barred charaxes butterfly breeds on the tree and it is pollinated by hawk moths
and sunbirds.
"In the
larger landscape or parkland area, it can be used as a second storey or ‘fill-in’
tree to simulate its natural habitat. In our nursery garden, one tree is planted between a
large Acacia galpinii (Monkey Thorn) and a Dombeya burgessiae ( Pink Wild Pear) and
another serves as part of the second storey growth between two Ekebergia capensis (Cape
Ash) and a Harpephyllum caffrum (Wild Plum), in an area where we have tried to recreate
some sort of riverine ecology," says Andrea.
The fruit is
a segmented capsule which bursts open to reveal bright orange-red seeds and Andrea points
out that these are not dissimilar to the fruit of Kiggelaria africana (Wild Peach). The
seeds are favoured by birds and Andrea says that it is a battle to pick the seeds before
the birds get to them. The tree grows easily from seed - up to 1m in the first season.
-----
FEATURES
Managing an indigenous
landscape — Druggists park
Carol Knoll
met landscape contractor Nick Voigt of Landscape Enterprises on site, in mid-summer, to
discuss the implementation and maintenance of this largely ‘wild’ garden on
commercial premises, where numerous of the plant species utilised are indigenous to the
highveld - and the landscape, as a whole, comprises ± 98% South African species: forty
tree and shrub species and 150 groundcover, bulbous and perennial species. The site is
alive with flowering colour during the spring and summer months and bursts of colour
continue through the winter months in the form of unusual foliage species, autumn leaves
and winter flowering species. Compared to other office parks, there is a noticeable
increase in insect, bird, reptile and small mammal life.
SA Druggists
corporate office park is located on a site, which is in an extensive green belt, adjacent
to the fourth nine holes of Johannesburg Country Club’s golf course in Woodmead,
Sandton - where the course design concept involved the retention of as much natural bush
as possible. When landscape architects Environmental Design Partnership (EDP) went on site
at Druggists, prior to the commencement of building operations, they discovered a largely
natural landscape of grassland and granite outcrops supporting a variety of indigenous
species. Sarah Singleton of EDP, realising the value of the undisturbed plant communities,
decided that a rescue operation was needed and over 3 000 plants were collected and moved
to Random Harvest Nursery for safekeeping, until they could be re-introduced to the site.
Many of the
highveld grassland plants are becoming rarer as urban areas encroach on their habitat and
rescue operations such as this need to become accepted policy with any new development in
a relatively unspoilt area. Hopefully, the new Environmental Impact Assessment regulations
will make a difference here. Voigt commented that the rescued species had been
successfully returned to the site and even Xerophyta retinervis (‘Bobbejaanstert’),
a plant that is notoriously difficult to transplant, had flowered after being relocated.
Linda De Luca of Random Harvest attributed the high success rate of 75% with Xerophyta to
the fact that the plants were not split up but were put into huge plastic nursery bags,
totally intact. The seeds of the rare perennial herb Brachystelma barberiae (‘Platvoetaasblom’),
with its unpleasant carrion scent, were collected on site, successfully germinated in the
nursery and returned to the wilder, rocky areas of the landscape.
The first
phase of the landscaping centered around the retention of the major tree clusters, rock
outcrops and a small wetland at the highest point of the site, adjacent to the main
entrance - and here the client was willing to give up three sites, originally demarcated
for buildings, to the conservation of this strip of veld.
These
retained bush clumps include Acacia caffra (Common Hook-thorn), Rhus pyroides and R.
leptodictya, Diospyros lycioides (Bluebush), Euclea crispa (Blue Guarri), Maerua caffra (a
species that is becoming rare on the highveld) and Ehretia rigida (the well known ‘Deurmekaarbos’).
The natural
environment has been dramatised through the addition of a series of ponds bordered by
artificial rockwork. This artificial rock is set in between the natural rock outcrops and
simulates these by means of impressions taken of the rocks on site with the use of latex
moulds. The texture of the artificial rocks is carefully crafted but the interface between
water and rock is often a series of hard, unnatural lines which detract strongly from the
feature’s natural appearance. Voigt comments that the sides of the artificial ponds
are almost vertical, which means that there is no opportunity for the planting of emergent
aquatic species to soften the edges of the features. He suggests that the addition of a
simple shelf of rock on the inner sides of the ponds, below the water line, would serve to
contain the soil necessary for the planting of such marginal species.
The original
colonies of mosses and small sedge and fern species occupy pockets of soil on the natural
rock outcrops. A natural sponge has been left undisturbed. Rescued plants such as Aloe
davyana, Hypoxis, Xerophyta, Nerine, and Scadoxus (Paintbrush) species, and the delicate
little Tulbaghia acutiloba have been planted in the bush cluster, along the pathways and
at the water’s edge. Supplementary planting in this wild area comprises large
expanses of the floriferous groundcover Geranium incanum which thrives in wet areas;
clumps of pendulous, mauve Dierama (Harebell) species; swathes of Watsonias in every hue
of red and orange; striking Crinum lilies and plantings of tall Agapanthus varieties from
pale blue to deep purple. The scrambling shrub Grewia occidentalis (Cross-berry) with its
pink star-like flowers is thriving along the banks in conjunction with Cyperus species -
and numerous grass species, some of which are, unfortunately, exotic.
A fairly
shallow embankment at the point nearest to the entrance gate is grassed with Cynodon and
allows a splendid vista across an expanse of waterlilies to the natural reedbed in the
wetland, which is alive with Red Bishops, and on to the brick and slate of the buildings
below, with the golf course in the distance. On the grassed bank, wildflowers are coming
back and the small, pale-blue flowers of a Wahlenbergia added to the natural feel of the
largely man-made landscape, during this mid-summer site visit. Another wonderful surprise
in the early morning light of the bush clump was a vivid patch of Zaluzianskia katharinae,
commonly known by the rather unflattering name of Drumsticks, with the corolla lobes still
partially open and the insides of the petals pure white in the early sunshine. The flowers
were just starting to close, after their night’s vigil for the moths that serve as
their pollinators. When they are closed during the day, the long, cylindrical, dark pink
corolla tubes, ending in a ‘closed fist’ of lobes, resemble tiny drumsticks.
A shallow
grassed channel forms a continuation of the natural wetland and functions to lead
stormwater to the lowest point of the site where it is channelled into the stream on the
golf course property. This swale is planted with marginal plants such as Schizostylis
coccinea (Crimson Flag), Cyperus diffusus and Crinum and Knifophia (Red Hot Poker)
species.
Voigt
expressed his frustration with the murky water in the ponds which are reliant on
biological filtration. He has used natural filtration systems in other office parks with a
great deal of success and, until the koi (brought in from the Malbak premises) were put
into these ponds, the water was clear and provided a home for Tilapia and River Minnows.
"Koi, aside from being inappropriate in this natural environment, are bottom feeders
and they stir up sediment. Their faeces disrupt the nitrogen levels - and they are being
fed protein. All of these factors contribute to the loss of water quality and the present
‘pea soup’ appearance is the result of this disturbed ecological balance. We
have, however, introduced bags of barley hay, which I have used with quite dramatic
results, previously. Studies in the USA have shown that the decomposing hay releases an
anti-biotic which kills algal growth. Rand Water have been using barley hay with excellent
results to improve water quality below the Vaal Barrage. So, I have fairly high hopes that
the water will clear," said Voigt.
According to
Voigt, this wild area requires different management techniques: "There is the need
for a kind of randomness which means that the maintenance is a subtle process. My staff
are going through a learning curve - they never know quite when to cut a plant back or
when to leave it hanging slightly over the pathway so that the pedestrian can brush past
it. Plants obviously need to be cut back when a pathway becomes severely obstructed but we
tend to leave a bit of grass coming through the pathway and have left the odd weed
species, that is not too invasive, in the undergrowth of the bush clump. We are, however,
fighting to get rid of the Kikuyu and we pull out Khakibos, exotic Morning Glory and
Dodder. We do not use herbicides in this garden, so all the weeding has to be done by
hand.
"We let
nature take its course, to a certain degree. Here is a group of Rhus pyroides saplings
which the birds have seeded. They will eventually form a nice cluster. Anisodontea
scabrosa, for example, becomes too woody with time and starts to die back - so to prune or
not to prune is always the question. There is a delicate balance that we are trying to
achieve with our maintenance."
Preventative
spraying is strictly taboo, according to Voigt, only minimal use is made of pesticides on
a curative basis when there is a bad outbreak of some sort, but even then ‘environmentally
friendly’, biodegradable products are chosen, where-ver possible. A badly diseased
plant is often manually removed from the site, to avoid the use of poisons.
"Talking
about the implementation phase and the choice of plants, Voigt said: "Sarah left us
with a fair bit of licence. You can’t direct a garden like this entirely from a
plan."
Phase two of
the landscaping involved the planting in between the office blocks where a more formal
design has been used and interesting plant combinations, with attention to texture and
colour, abound. Both EDP and Voigt deserve to be commended for the large diversity of
species used on site - around every corner there is a tree, shrub, groundcover or bulbous
species that is different and interesting. The wholehearted support of the client is, of
course, a vital factor here. Forty different tree species have been planted on site and
the most commonly used of these are: Celtis africana (White Stinkwood), Acacia galpinii
(Monkey Thorn) and A. karroo (Sweet Thorn), Rhus lancea (Karree), and R. pendulina (White
Karree), Peltophorum africanum (Weeping Wattle), Combretum erythrophyllum (River
Bushwillow), Dombeya rotundifolia (Wild Pear), Olea europaea subs africana (Wild Olive)
and Rhus chirendensis (Red Currant). Voigt commented that the Red Currant, along with
Buddleja saligna (False Olive), Peltophorum africanum and Acacia karroo had done
especially well on this site.
In reference
to the on-going debate about the staking of trees, Voigt said: "The longer you leave
a tree staked, the less the stem is inclined to develop - the tree grows up with an
artificial support. Trees sold out of 40l bags are pushed up artificially by the
nurseryman to achieve a certain height and their stems are not allowed to strengthen. We
have already taken out most of the stakes but there are some specimens that continue to
have ‘flexy stems’ even though it is more than two years since they were planted
out. Staking of trees is a huge issue and there is still the need for good tree stakes and
tree ties."
Voigt also
commented on the value of healthy, container-grown trees which produce good growth when
they are transplanted into the garden, in contrast to trees, that have often been bought
from some farmer, taken straight out of the veld. He said these large instant trees, of
which there are a few in prominent positions on the site, had shown no growth whatsoever -
aside from the damage that their removal could cause to the ecology of the veld.
Groundcovers
on the embankments between the office blocks and along the approachways include: Asystasia
gangetica (Creeping Foxglove) - with its cream and purple-streaked, foxglove-like flowers
- which has shown healthy growth, according to Voigt, and has been used to camouflage
harsh edges and soften embankments; the low growing Rhus nebulosa creates a lush, dense,
dark green cover on embankments and along the edges of pathways; Aptenia cordifolia, a
semi-succulent which has produced a dense cover on areas of plantable retaining wall; and
the ever-reliable Geranium incanum. Amongst the many shrubs are the three Bauhinia species
- galpinii, tomentosa and natalensis which flower for long periods producing their
delicate red, yellow and white flowers, respectively, through summer and autumn.
All the
well-composted and well-drained beds on the site are covered with a layer of mulch which
serves to protect the soil in the way that nature intended, to conserve soil moisture,
enhance water infiltration, prevent erosion, suppress weeds and to add nutrients to the
soil through decomposition. Virtually no artificial fertilisers have been used on site.
Concerning
the proliferation of faunal and avifaunal species on site, Voigt commented that when the
security guards had complained about the snakes, he had replied that they should use their
torches at night. He has no intention of getting rid of creatures that are part of the
natural ecology of the site, ensuring that rodent populations are kept under control. He
said that numerous bird species had been spotted on site including three different
Kingfishers - Pied, Woodland and Giant; three different Plovers - Crowned, Wattled and
Blacksmith; Fiscal Shrikes, Paradise Flycatchers, Weavers, Bishops and all the regular
birds of the highveld.
Some
criticism can be levelled at what is otherwise a very special office park landscape. The
design of the interior courtyard and water feature in the ‘executive wing’ is
impressive but the continued use of South African indigenous vlei plants and indigenous
container plants - like, it must be mentioned, the superb potted Podocarpus (Yellowwood)
at the entrance, would surely not have been that risky in the brightly lit courtyard and
would have given a special dimension to the area.
The use of
exotic grass species on the site was specifically at the request of one of the directors
of SA Druggists who wanted to enhance the feeling of walking in the veld before the
landscape started to mature. There are some beautiful indigenous clumps of veldgrass that
have come back, on site at present - and the exotics, particularly the ‘cats-tails’
of Pennisetum villosum, seem to be unnecessary, detracting, with their inappropriate
appearance, from the natural feel of the ‘wild’ garden. Highveld grasses are
available commercially!
Kikuyu lawn
is another strange choice for a site that has no underground water reserves, when there
are so many indigenous Cynodons, that require less water, available nowadays. What a pity,
finally, that the planned ‘Medicinal Walkway’ has not been instated. Labelling
plants with traditional medicinal value would have been simple to do and a wonderful
bonus.
Sarah
Singleton was asked to comment on how she felt the landscape had matured in the two years
since its inception and she said: "I’m very happy with the way the site looks.
The indigenous combinations have worked very well, proving that indigenous plantings are
as good as the more traditional plantings. I am always amazed as to how peaceful the site
is - this is something I haven’t felt on many other sites. There is something special
here. The formal area has also worked well, showing that you can achieve that formality
and contrast with indigenous plants.
"Nick
has been just the right person for this job because he understands the concept and has
become thoroughly involved with the garden. We have allowed him the leeway of adding his
own touches. Involvement is the key to success and the site would not be looking the way
it is, without his wholehearted concern. He has been asked by members of Druggists’
staff to plant exotic annuals, like petunias, and has resisted such pressures, valiantly.
There is, however, always the need to improve and the inappropriately steep sides of the
artificial rockwork in the ponds is a relevant point. We have already corrected this on a
more recent project, so that marginal planting can be implemented. The use of Kikuyu was
related to budgetary constraints. Kikuyu is still the cheapest option. I, personally,
prefer the other grasses."
-----
Empowering a community —
East Bank, Alexandra
A
housing project on the East Bank of Alexandra sets a precedent in empowering emerging
contractors, while also providing a choice of affordable housing options.
The Urban
Green File reported in the November / December 1997 issue on the trend of developing group
housing in the form of a ‘village’, as opposed to the ‘single house per
single plot concept’. Currently a ‘village’ development is nearing
completion on the East Bank of Alexandra. It is a housing development on human scale,
sensitive to the visual appearance of the area and the psychological needs of the
community. Developed by the Gauteng Department of Housing and Land Affairs, this project
aims to create an integrated urban environment - a departure from those practices used in
the past, which produced mono-functional townships.
Architects
and urban designers, Design Workshop, have prepared a masterplan for the East Bank, which
will guide future development. It proposes mixed land use comprising high density housing,
commercial, medical and educational facilities. Christos Daskalakos, an architect at
Design Workshop explains: "The plan establishes a compact urban format with activity
nodes and commercial facilities within a five minute walk of each other. We made provision
for urban agriculture along a pedestrian spine with community facilities positioned where
the spine intersects vehicular routes. Along the N3 highway an ‘economic belt’
of light industrial and cottage industries separates the housing units from the noise and
pollution associated with the busy road."
Although the
plan is only a guideline for the future (it will not be implemented in its entirety,
immediately), a show village, with various types of housing units, is almost complete. The
housing ‘mix’ comprises double and three story ‘walk-ups’,
semi-detached houses and single units. Design Workshop has positioned the buildings to
create urban spaces, with the ‘walk-ups’ placed around courtyards - safe spaces
for children to play in, with windows overlooking the courtyards and streets so as to
establish a relationship between interior and exterior, as well as to increase
surveillance and therefore safety. This mixture in building height and form, not only adds
visual interest to the urban environment, but also offers the beneficiaries a choice of
unit related to what they can afford.
The ‘walk-ups’
have higher specifications in terms of building finishes and amenities than the units on
single plots which can be improved as money becomes available. Because Alex is a very
highly populated area, with very few open spaces, this housing development occupies only
30% of the land with 40 units/ha - the use of multi-storey buildings around courtyards
provides valuable open spaces in a community that desperately needs these. Care has been
taken to conserve the few trees that exist in these spaces. "For the show village, we
have used an incremental design approach, rather than a fixed masterplan, as this allows
for more sensitivity to site conditions. We have, for instance, changed the proposed
positions of buildings to prevent trees from being removed" says Daskalakos.
The most
significant aspect of this project is the empowerment aspect. The Department of Housing
and Land Affairs appointed 44 emerging contractors, three of them women, on a total of 280
individual contracts. Each contractor worked on approximately six different houses or
buildings and employed about six to ten people from the local community - providing
valuable jobs. However, unlike most housing projects, empowerment not only entailed the
transfer of skills such as plastering or brick laying but also training at management
level. Design Workshop trained the contractors on how to tender, to pay VAT, train their
own staff and to run their own businesses, and organised workshops to explain these
skills. Once this project is completed, these contractors can go out and tender on other
projects.
Urban design principles
Some of the urban design principles used in this project are:
defined outdoor spaces
*
two and three storey
buildings define the edges of public parks and squares
*
buildings are
orientated towards the streets with windows overlooking the streets
compact urban form
*
activity nodes,
community facilities and recreational spaces are all within a five minute walk of each
other
spatially integrated
layout
*
streets, squares and
walkways (public spaces) are linked mixed use, mixed density
*
various land uses are
integrated and linked to various forms of density, so as to create a 24 hour urban
environment
* a
variety of built forms is provided with commercial or retail space at the ground level and
apartments above (mixed use) - this provides sustainable work opportunities close to
living areas (no need for transport)
urban agriculture spines
*
productive landscaping
creates the potential to generate extra income for the community and
*
with creative drainage
design, stormwater can be utilised for irrigation
range of housing types
*
different types of
houses accommodate a range of tastes, styles and living preferences, and cater for a wide
range of affordability
Critique:
The project is successful in defining urban spaces (parks and squares) and
providing a variety of housing options according to affordability - yet, it is a pity that
no provision is made in the budget for landscaping. The planting of trees will increase
biological diversity and paving of pathways and squares will improve the appearance.
Although the buildings relate well to the human scale and create safe, secure spaces, it
is still rather depressing to live in a concrete world, covered in dust! One trusts that,
in time, the Eastern Metropolitan Local Council will address this need. The community
should also be motivated to become involved in tree planting of their own initiative.
The use of
‘green products’ such as energy efficient light bulbs, solar power, water saving
toilets and showers and more insulation - which will reduce the need for heating in winter
- would have improved the sustainability of the project.
-----
From conservation to sustainable use
The
Mapoch Ndebele Village at Klipgat
This article
is based on two papers written by Mauritz Naude of the Department of Archaeology and
Anthropology, National Cultural History Museum, Pretoria. Naude also gave an informal talk
on the subject at the conference on ‘Sustainabilty in the Built Environment’
held in Randburg, Gauteng in August 1998. Carol Knoll accompanied him to the Klipgat
village to observe and photograph what might be termed a ‘living museum’ and
compiled the article.
Naude
suggests that vernacular architecture and settlements of indigenous people can be
preserved and presented to the public without the old museological paradigms of
restoration or reconstruction. He says that the solution does not necessarily lie in the
areas of design and technology but rather in managing the existing cultural landscape to
allow for change in lifestyle and architecture, and recording the process as it happens.
The sustainability of such projects lies largely in the fact that the people will retain
ownership of the land and live in the settlements and use, and therefore maintain, the
buildings.
At the
Ndebele village on the farm Klipgat adjacent to the Winterveld region, north of Pretoria,
the Msiza family own the land and will continue to do so - and the villagers are solely
responsible for managing their own settlement. The National Cultural History Museum became
associated with the village because of their involvement with the Tswaing Crater Museum
located 10 km east of the village in neighbouring Soshanguve. (See article on trail
construction at Tswaing in The Urban Green File Sep/Oct 1997 issue page 18.) During
Tswaing’s in-depth public participation process, the community suggested additional
projects that could form part of a ‘heritage tour’ in the region and it was
decided that the nearby Ndebele village had relatively high tourist potential. It is an
example of a unique settlement type, including a variety of building styles, and the
Museum decided to act as a facilitator in assisting the residents to revitalise the
existing buildings and infrastructure so that they would have a ‘presentable product’
to attract visitors. The Museum is not in any manag-erial position and cannot take
decisions on the future of the village - its function is merely to help with capacity
building, so that the village can be managed by its residents as a tourist resource.
Such an
exercise, if it has to be tagged according to existing museological practices, could be
called an eco-museum, which is where the residents and cultural landscape remain in-situ
and the latter continue with their 20th century lifestyles. However, the name ‘eco-museum’
can only be used, legitimately, when the entire management of the village is carried out
with conservation in mind and the vision for the village is based on a conservation
management plan. Each new building should be erected according to the guidelines set out
in such a plan and new developments would, ideally, be screened by a conservation
management committee.
The Klipgat
village will not be run along these lines and, as a result, a debate centres around the
work being done at the village. Many questions have been asked by conservationists and
museologists on a practical and museological level, concerning the goal of the exercise
and the museum’s position in the future of the village. What should the village and
the initiative be called in museological terms? Should the current work at the village be
classified as ‘conservation’, ‘reconstruction’, ‘revitalisation’
or ‘sustainable use’? To some extent it is an experiment in museology.
The
preservation of vernacular architecture has always been a complex issue for museologists
because these buildings are largely constructed out of organic materials and need to be
maintained on a continual basis. When the residents leave the structures, they are left to
decay, naturally. An option is to preserve such architecture through photo-graphs and
drawings or models displayed in collections in galleries or museums. Another option is to
take portions of the buildings and display these behind glass so that they are protected.
Museology has, however, moved away from its ‘collecting’ objective towards a
communicative role in society and this involves preserving the object in its context with
related cultural information - out of this open air museums were born. In South Africa, a
number of these display vernacular settlement patterns and homesteads which have been
reconstructed on an open air site. At Middleburg in Mpumalanga, a village was erected in
the traditional style of the South Ndebele people but the village belongs to the local
authorities and the residents/workers are paid salaries to live on site or are bussed in
from their real residences to dramatise the scenes from the past. Although in a rational,
traditional context, the public is still being presented with reconstructions or models
and the entire process of living becomes manicured or artificial, following the ideas of
the curator or researcher who has been put in charge of the project. Conservationists and
museologists have been criticised for presenting these settlements to the public as ‘authentic’
reconstructions with ‘real’ people.
Klipgat
represents a unique vernacular settlement which is being sustained as a ‘living
village’ with as little scientific and museological intervention as possible and
without ‘freezing it in time’. It will probably not be possible to classify it
in the existing typology of museums. The Museum will not become the new owner or even a
tenant and therefore the residents will retain the right of admission to the site. The
museum will not be making money out of this initiative but will, initially, assist the
residents in adding value to their property which will allow them to make money out of
tourism so as to maintain their own village.
At this
stage, the museum has raised funds through sponsorships to help restore some of the
homesteads. The erection of a small information centre and ablutions facility for
visitors, sponsored by BMW - a company which has long been interested in Ndebele culture,
is the only structure, this far, which can be said to have been imposed on the site - but
it is simple and functional and a little away from the village. Some of the younger
villagers have been trained as guides and interpreters. A simple leaflet has been produced
to introduce the village to the tourist market. A bank account has been opened for the
village from which funds can be drawn to buy beads and materials necessary for
maintenance. At the same time, villagers go about the daily business of living- minding
the goats and cattle and tending the crops.
This new
impetus will, however, impact on the residents, resulting in some degree of affluence and
the importation of contemporary materials and technology. Tourism will bring changes in
the saleable artefacts produced by the villagers. The underlying principle is that the
village will be allowed to change and the momentum of change will be determined by the
residents. The only ‘conservation’ or scientific activity will comprise
researchers recording the material culture and activities.
To some
extent, what is happening at the Ndebele village is ‘non-conservation’. It is
merely the recording of change using the historic and existing fabric, the residents and
their material culture and environs, as a point of departure. Museologists will have to
confront the real reasons why buildings become redundant. It is a clear departure from
museological conservation and museologists may, at last, have a significant role to play
in promoting and executing sustainable use.
The history of the
village
The settlement at Klipgat was founded in the early 1950s as the result of the
previous government’s policy of forced removals. Its predecessor village, Kwa-Msiza,
also the home of the Msiza family, was located on the farm Hartebeesfontein on the slopes
of the Magaliesberg near Pretoria. Because of its brightly coloured homesteads, the
village slowly started to attract tourists and became known as Speelman’s Kraal,
after Speelman Msiza who was in charge of the village at the time. In 1945, Prof AL
Meiring of the School of Architecture at Pretoria University and his students recorded the
village and its buildings in a series of measured drawings and photographs. Constance
Stuart Larrabee also photographed the village between 1937 and 1949 - and in the ‘50s
the Pretoria photographer, Dotman Pretorius, photographed Kwa-Msiza from the air.
Photographs taken by the former Department of Information in the fifties were published in
the journal, South African Panorama. In the sixties, a student of architecture at Wits
University, Franco Frescura, made numerous freehand drawings of the homesteads. The entire
village has since disappeared under urban development.
It was in
about 1953 that Hartebeesfontein was sold and declared a ‘white area’ and the
Msiza family was forced to move to Klipgat, directly adjacent to the Winterveld. Meiring
played a leading role in their resettlement and he assisted the family in the construction
of their new dwellings. These ‘cone on cylinder’ dwellings are the oldest
homesteads on the Klipgat site and they resemble the huts of Kwa-Msiza. The village was
incorporated into Bophuthatswana and, once again, became a landmark for tourists. Because
they were a small group of Ndebele and not Twsana speaking people, the village was
marginalised and slowly started disintegrating. Tourists stopped visiting and the once
booming trade in beadwork virtually disappeared.
The double
linear configuration of homesteads at Klipgat is very different from the original
Kwa-Msiza village where the settlement comprised two U-shaped arrangements facing towards
the cattle kraals, in the traditional fashion. The original settlement at Klipgat was a
single linear layout also facing towards the cattle kraal but a second row of homesteads
was erected in between the first row and the kraal and facing away from the kraal towards
the entrances of the older homesteads. An explanation for this break with tradition, which
has not yet been fully substantiated, is that the village sub-consciously turned its back
towards the outside world, as a means of expressing the family’s need for social
protection. As a result of this configuration, a central spine or communal open space has
been formed along which a tourist group can move to view the two rows of dwellings and
commercial activities such as bead selling can take place.
The basis of
most of the homesteads continues to be a single dwelling in the centre of the walled
property with supporting, often rectangular, buildings at the back and sides. The oldest
rondavel huts have lower walls with no windows and smaller, lower doors than the newer
dwellings, some of which are fitted with the standard, taller doors that are commercially
available. The older rondavels have thatched roofs at a pitch of about 30 0 and their
eaves, which extend down to 1,4 m from ground level, are at almost the height of the low
enclosure walls. Later huts are still circular but the walls are higher and they are
fitted with standard doors, while the roofs have a higher pitch and the trusses are
bluegum poles. The more recent homes are rectangular with flat, corrugated iron roofs.
Most of the
homes are decorated with the distinctive, highly coloured mural art. The homes have been
replastered and redecorated many times over the years. The front walls seem to have a
decorative rather than functional purpose. Currently, the painting on the outside walls is
done with commercial PVA paint, while the traditional clay, soot and lime materials
continue to be used on the inside of the lapa walls and the walls of the supporting
buildings.
-----
Embodying the principles of a green
building
Munich
Reinsurance Centre
The façade
of the Munich Reinsurance Centre head office at 47 Empire Road, Johannesburg, expresses
the company’s rationale of "tradition with innovation" through its natural
sandstone cladding contrasted with the steel and aluminium sunscreen and balustrade
detail. The integrated design of the building addresses energy efficiency on all levels
through climatic control, life cycle costs, ease of maintenance and simplicity of
operation. A portion of the Parktown Ridge forms a large landscape reserve on the northern
side of the building and this area is gradually being returned to its natural state.
Energy efficiency
The client’s commitment to an environmentally sound building, emphasising
the reduction of energy consumption, was of foremost concern in the design of this
building. Project architect Carlyn Winch said that an integrated approach by the
professional team had been essential to fulfil the functional criteria and achieve the
energy efficiency that the client required. The building design philosophy took into
account orientation, mass, shape/form, fenestration/sun control and insulation. The
extremes of temperature on the highveld have meant that air conditioning could not be done
away with entirely but the design of the building has reduced to the absolute minimum the
need for cooling in the summer months and heating in the winter.
The true
north/south orientation of the building takes advantage of optimum natural light, while
the east/west sides are shielded from the sun’s harsh rays as there are no windows on
these facades, except for small, staggered, south and north facing viewpoints at the ends
of the main east/west access corridors, providing natural light to the circulation route.
Maximum use is made of the diffused light on the southern side by means of a clerestory
which extends the full length of the building, while the northern side of the building
makes use of reflected light, screening out any direct sunlight to avoid heat and glare.
The thermal
mass of the building determines the amount of heat stored in the structure. Heavyweight
construction, in the form of concrete with brick infil and stonework facades, is essential
on the highveld because of the extreme temperature fluctuations. This high thermal mass
means that, for example, in summer the heat stored in the mass in the day time is only
released at night time, counteracting the exterior diurnal temperature swing. The overall
effect is energy savings and avoidance of large temperature fluctuations inside the
building. All the roofs are fully insulated as are the exposed basement floors, while all
external walls are insulated with 25 mm isoboard in the cavity walls and behind the stone
cladding.
The simple
rectangular plan format based around two central atria is energy and space efficient. The
requirement for effective natural lighting and ventilation generates critical building
depth and height dimensions. A careful spatial analysis, taking into account internal
space planning requirements and basement parking, resulted in an optimum office wing of
12, 9m. This module allows the maximum penetration of natural light from the atrium area
and from outside. Winch refers to the atria as "the breathing spaces of the
building".
The primary
function of the windows is to provide views to the outside, particularly the attractive
natural ridge to the north, and to access natural, diffused light. Low window sills, just
above workstation level, provide workers with a clear view out of the building. All direct
sunlight is screened by means of canti-levered, steel and aluminium sunscreens attached to
the facade or by the solid projections of the building, while the continuous strip
fenestration is double glazed as an additional precaution against re-radiation and loss of
heat in the winter. The sunscreens are designed to achieve a maximum sun-angle protection
of 46 degrees in mid-summer, calculated according to the location of Johannesburg.
Lighting
Artificial lighting has been minimised to reduce energy consumption and this
has been possible because of the maximisation of diffused natural light from the
north/south orientation and the atria. There is the need for security lighting which also
has a decorative function but lighting at the workstations in the open plan offices is in
the form of ‘direct/indirect’, custom-designed lighting. Here the uplighters,
which reflect heat away from the occupants, are dominant but use can be made of diffused
downlighting. Both up and down lights are on dual switches allowing the worker to make use
of ‘half power’. Each worker controls his own lighting needs and many staff
members find ‘half power’ to be adequate. Winch points out that workers are
inclined to take responsibility for their own lights, remembering to switch them off when
they leave.
Ventilation and
air-conditioning
The integrated approach to the building design meant that air-conditioning
systems could be kept to the minimum. Fresh air is introduced into floor voids to function
as displacement ventilation for cooling and purging or flushing, at night, without
activating the entire system. Stale, hot air escapes into the atrium areas which act as
natural heat exhaust stacks. This is also a requirement for smoke control which works in
conjunction with a mechanical smoke extraction system in the event of a fire.
Summer
cooling is effected by means of air cooled chillers through ceiling mounted fancoil units,
while heaters mounted in the fancoil units provide for winter. These provide a high level
of individual comfort control. The open plan office areas are divided by low level
partitioning and air temperature can be controlled over relatively small areas, where
there are three to four people at work. The air-conditioning system is designed so that it
is not affected by the opening of windows.
The
integrated approach to the air-conditioning design has precluded the need for cooling
towers, ozone depleting refrigerants, minimised the size of the cooling and heating
installations, while maximising human comfort through individual control and windows that
can be opened.
Energy usage
in the building is being monitored on an on-going basis through a Building Management
System (BMS) which will, over time, report on how efficiently the building is functioning.
Aspects such as air-conditioning, lighting, plumbing, security and the operation of the
irrigation system and the pumps for the water feature are being monitored electronically.
(The Urban Green File will publish the results of the environmental performance of the
building in a forthcoming issue.)
Landscaping
A stormwater culvert bisects the site and the land north of the culvert is a
portion of the Parktown Ridge which has been demarcated by Johannesburg City Council as a
landscape reserve - and is to be landscaped and maintained to the Council’s
satisfaction. A Landscape Development Masterplan sets out certain stringent requirements
for the Empire Road Development, such as the planting of Pin Oaks (Quercus palustris) as
street trees and fencing and paving to achieve continuity. The Masterplan also provides a
recommended planting list for the actual sites.
Munich saw
the ridge area as an opportunity to create a natural backdrop to their offices and the
landscape architects were briefed to use predominantly indigenous plantings on the site as
a whole. The client foresaw that natural vegetation would encourage the return of natural
fauna species to the landscape reserve. The reserve has been cleared of most of the
invasive exotic vegetation, except for the large bluegums which are being retained until
the ‘indigenous’ trees have matured.
A mix of
three different grass species is being seeded on the ridge to guard against erosion and
for display purposes: the perennial, pioneer species - Narrow Heart Love Grass (Eragrostis
racemosa); the annual (to weak perennial), pioneer species - Natal Red Top (Melinis
repens); and the perennial ‘Rooigras’ (Themeda triandra), a species which is
dominant in healthy veld but dies out in disturbed areas. The choice of the latter has
been made because of its high canopy and ability to shade out returning exotic weed
species - but as it is not a pioneer, one hopes it will survive in this recently disturbed
area. A good maintenance regime including hand weeding will be essential to ensure good
grass cover and prevent the return of the serious alien inva-ders such as Kikuyu, ‘Olieboom’
and Mira-bilis jalapa, a South American ‘garden escape’ which is difficult to
remove because of its long tap root and literally covered the site during the wet season.
The landscape architects intend to return the ridge to as close to its natural state as
possible - with time.
A small,
aesthetically pleasing area of lawned parkland has been created immediately north of the
stormwater culvert for use by Munich’s staff. The parkland is linked to the developed
portion of the site by means of a bridge across the culvert. The trees in the strip of
parkland, which butts up against the ridge, are a mixture of indigenous and exotic. Its
proximity to this supposedly ‘natural’ area makes a tree like the exotic Karob
(and other exotic plant-ings) a questionable choice.
Landmark
Studio assures The Urban Green File that the plantings around the office building and on
the landscape reserve are ‘predominantly’ indigenous, according to the request
of the client - with 72 - 75% indigenous in area and 55% indigenous in species. Plantings
around the impressive water feature in the entrance courtyard of the building comprise
predominantly appropriate plants such as Arum lilies, sedges and reeds. Exotics have been
introduced here, and on the eastern side of the building where the large exotic oaks have
been retained but, except for the inappropriate exotics in the parkland and the
incongruous choice of exotic Sword Ferns tucked under the wooden deck area, in the
plantable retaining wall, there is, largely, a logical, gradual transition from exotic to
indigenous as the natural ridge is approached.
The
irrigation system is linked to the BMS and this will provide limited monitoring of water
consumption which could be expanded upon in the future. The water feature and its pumps
are fully monitored to guard against water wastage.
Green principles
Other ‘green’ principles - relating to the impact the building has on
local and global environments
*
The building is set
well back from the busy Empire Road, at a splayed angle, with a large entrance forecourt
and an external water feature which not only celebrates the entrance to the building but
helps to mask the traffic noise. Staff and client comfort is of primary concern to the
client.
*
Double glazing not
only acts as insulation but serves to cut down noise from the busy arterial.
*
Solid balustrading
blocks the view of Empire Road from the client dining rooms.
*
Every effort has been
made to stop the building from generating any noise or pollution which could affect the
immediate environment, adversely. This is of particular concern to the client. The
building and its landscape act as a buffer between the residential area at the top of the
ridge and the noisy, polluted Empire Road.
*
Whites and greys have
been used in the office areas because they are reflective colours and increase ambient
light. Use has been made of natural timber and touches of colour as feature accents.
*
Pause areas are
provided - where workers can rest and make a cup of tea.
*
Staff are encouraged
to use the staircase for circulation (exercise) which is feasible in this low rise
building.
*
It is a ‘no
smoking’ building, except for a dedicated veranda area, to protect the health of
staff and clients.
*
There is a separate
single storey building for the staff canteen (the staff are provided with a full meal and
snacks during the working day) and recreation and training purposes. An outdoor wooden
deck area looks out onto the natural ridge (landscape reserve area).
*
Chairs have been
chosen for their correct ergonomic design - robust and comfortable.
*
Fire escapes on the
east and west sides are solely for emergency purposes.
*
An attempt has been
made to source materials and craftsmen locally. Boardroom table carpentered by two-man
local business. Workstation lamps custom designed by local manufacturer (Gauteng) for
direct/indirect lighting. Partitioning locally made (Cape). Stone cladding from local
quarries. Large terracotta planters locally made.
*
A storage facility
(cold room) provides for wet waste, which is compacted and baled on site, in the basement
of the canteen area. The Council collects the waste from behind the closed doors of the
yard. There is plenty of room in the facility to separate waste, in the future.
*
Dual flush toilets (4l
/ 8l) serve as a water conservation measure.
*
The large, old trees
on the property have been retained for their aesthetic and shade value. (This is also a
requirement of the Empire Road Landscape Development Masterplan.)
*
Water consumptive,
alien invasive vegetation is being removed from the ridge.
Project team
Client: Munich Reinsurance Company of Africa
Project manager: EC Harris South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Architects: Stauch Vorster MOM Architects
Quantity surveyors: Walters & Simpson / HOA
Structural and civil engineers: Ellmer Partnership
Mechanical engineers: Spoormaker & Partners Inc
Electrical engineers: Claasen Auret Inc
Fire consultants: Morgado & Bagus
Plumbing consultants: SJ Franklin & Associates
Acoustic consultant: Dr E Smith
Landscape architects: Landmark Studios
Interior design: SV MOM Architects in association with Marion Allen Interiors
Town Planners: Steve Jaspan & Associates
Main contractor: Basil Read Building
Landscape contractors: Real Landscapes
-----
Vodacom Boulevard - grand
entrance to 082 VodaValley
The
monumental boulevard leading to VodaValley has been designed to impress the visitor by
dominating the natural landscape, yet care has also been taken to conserve a natural
wetland.
Vodacom
Boulevard, the newly constructed, double carriage-way leading to VodaValley in Midrand,
was specially built to improve access to the precinct. Explains Rinus Strydom, head of
properties at Vodacom: "People were driving right past the site on the N1 highway,
but did not know how to get there as access was via a few narrow roads." Now, the new
Vodacom Boulevard is providing an impressive and very visible approach to the precinct,
improving legibility and placing the otherwise ‘foreign’ building shapes into a
context.
The
boulevard forms part of VodaValley - the ultimate branding exercise by Vodacom. The
precinct comprises Vodaworld - the one stop cellular shopping mall (see The Urban Green
File March/April 1998), the new Vodacom Head Office, a chip-and-putt golf course, a Health
and Raquet Club and the boulevard. The street number? O82 of course! The result of this
development is awe-inspiring. The ‘communication revolution’ grandiosely
celebrated. Architect Bridget Grosskopff of Manfred Hermer Grosskopff Lombart Architects
describes it as a monument to the cellular industry.
So serious
was Vodacom about improved access and aesthetics that they bought two properties adjacent
to Vodaworld and paid for the construction of an 800 m landscaped boulevard. The road has
two lanes in both directions with a landscaped median and is strategically placed in the
undulating landscape - the visitor enters the boulevard from a higher vantage point, where
he/she has a clear vista across the valley to the buildings on the opposite slope. Driving
down into the valley, the buildings appear even more imposing as they dominate the
horizon.
The
boulevard, lined with Populus nigra var. italica trees - chosen for their columnar growth
- and preferred above conifers because of the diseases conifers are prone to, sets the
monumental scale of the entire precinct. This choice of tree, although
evident in
the area, is completely foreign to existing landscape designs in Midrand. "I decided
on a tree that would stand out in the landscape and create a unique context and identity
for VodaValley," comments landscape architect Neal Schoof of Eksklusiewe Tuine. The
edges of the boulevard are also defined by hedge planting of different colours and
textures in flowing forms.
The
boulevard terminates in a striking water feature with a sphere, inspired by the Vodacom
logo, ‘floating’ on the foam created by fountain jets. Around the sphere, water
dances on a slate stone platform. Extreme care has been taken with the positioning of the
nozzles - a grid of pipes was positioned on a concrete layer and covered with a second
layer of concrete and then clad with tiles. Visitors drive around the road island and
water feature which functions as a decision point - a pause area where they have the
opportunity to choose their destination.
"We
have designed the entrance to be as dramatic as possible," says Schoof. The traffic
island around the water feature is grassed with All Seasons Evergreen so that it stands
out from the surrounding area, especially in winter. The lawn is interspersed with
Escalonia hedges and the surrounding pathways lit with low bollard lighting, ensuring that
both the pedestrian and motorist have a clear view of the sphere at all times, especially
at night when it is spectacularly lit.
The hard
landscaping corresponds to that of the Vodacom Head Office and Vodaworld, creating a
uniform identity throughout. Footpaths are paved with cobble-stones - adding texture to
the landscape - and the water feature is finished with the same slate tiles that have been
used on the building. The bollard lights are repeated in front of the head office.
Because the
boulevard intersects a natural wetland, Vodacom appointed an environmental consultant to
prepare a scoping report. According to the Integrated Environmental Management (IEM)
procedure stipulated by the Department of Environmental Affaris and Tourism (DEAT), it is
necessary to conduct a scoping exercise or Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) when a
change in land use is proposed from agricultural to any other - as is the case with
Vodacom Boulevard.
The scoping
report defined the site as ‘highly disturbed’ and colonised by many exotic
species, especially by the invader Verbena brasilliensis, a common weed that grows in
moist and disturbed areas. However, it recognised the importance of the wetland as a
sensitive second order stream which feeds into the Rietspruit and Hennops River and
eventually into the Hartebeespoort Dam.
The report
recommended the revegetation of the wetland with suitable indigenous species and proposed
the planting of indigenous trees on the boundaries of the parking areas to create a
transitional zone between the developed and natural areas.
Some of the
key recommendations in the scoping report:
*
surface water quality:
individuals should be employed to remove litter and monitor the water quality on a monthly
basis during construction and bi-annually there-after.
*
surface water
quantity: an increase in run-off from hard surfaces will raise the flood line downstream.
The design should provide for adequate drainage and prevent erosion and siltation.
*
functional and
aesthetic values of wetland: construction dust and noise will impact negatively on the
functioning of the wetland. Construction areas should be watered to limit dust and working
hours limited to reduce noise at inconvenient times. Topsoil, from all the areas cleared
of vegetation during construction, must be retained and reused as it contains the valuable
seed bank of the area.
The
landscape architects emphasised the importance of the wetland by creating a break in the
poplar-lined avenue where the wetland intersects the road. Indigenous plants like
Combretum erythrophylum, Ilex mitis, Typha capensis, Phoenix reclinata , Kniphofia sp,
Zantedeschia aethiopica and Crinum sp have been planted in the wetland itself, as well as
Gomphostigma virgatum - a plant known to improve water quality. Unfortunately, the latter
has not been used on a large enough scale to make any significant difference. The poplar
trees are the less invasive type, but extra care will be taken in the maintenance
programme to ensure that the wetland is not invaded.
The
electrical engineers specified 250 W high pressure sodium street lights - a yellow light
used to create a contrast between the road and the bright white metal halide post top
lights in the parking areas. In this way the boulevard is defined as of ‘major
arterial’ status, even though the traffic volumes do not necessitate it. The lights
around the water feature are 70 W metal halide bollard lights. Surrounding residents asked
that light pollution should be limited and therefore lights in the parking areas are only
3,5 m high. The choice of gas discharge lamps is appropriate as they have long life spans
and are effective energy users.
Critique
VodaValley is situated in a species rich grassland area. The soil is extremely ‘active’,
with many bulbs present. Although the mass planting in the boulevard is visually striking,
it is a pity that the biodiversity is reduced in this way. Already indigenous bulbs can be
seen coming up amongst the monotonous mass of Phormiums. In general, more care should be
taken on the highveld to incorporate the many indigenous species in the landscaping - this
will provide a habitat for fauna, especially birds that are dependent on these species.
One resident
complained about the absence of a Midrand Macro Plan. Although Vodacom has made a positive
contribution to the development of the area by providing an infrastructure of roads, at
its own cost, developers should not, in general, be allowed to build any size road or
building anywhere, without relating it to the urban context. The cumulative effect of many
developments on the sensitive wetland areas in Midrand is of concern. Increased run-off
means higher flood lines, which can change the species composition and diversity of the
wetlands. Space for retention ponds and artificial wetlands should be provided for, in a
masterplan for the area.
An
opportunity exists to construct a bird hide overlooking the wetland. A walk down the
boulevard reveals many bird species and Vodacom could add urban birding to the
recreational opportunities offered at VodaValley.
The project
creates an extremely effective, monumental landmark - driving down this road is an
experience, and as the trees grow, the genius loci (sense of place) will become even more
dramatic.
Project team
Project managers: SIP Project Managers
Architects: Manfred Hermer Grosskopff Lombart
Landscape architects: Eksklusiewe Tuine (for Top Turf Group)
Environmental consultants: Strategic Environmental Focus
Electrical engineers: Brintek Consulting
Town planners: NewTown Associates
Civil engineers: VNJ Incorporated
-----
CAD and the Red Location
Architecture Competition
During
November of 1998, a Pretoria based team of architects headed by Paul Munting and Karlien
Thomashoff was awarded the third prize in the nation-wide Red Location Architecture
Competition in Port Elizabeth. The competition consisted of a proposal for the upgrading
of an existing township in an old part of New Brighton, where the simple houses, with
their corrugated iron roofs, were painted red. The first phase involved the upgrading of
the houses, while subsequent phases included an introduction of an ‘apartheid museum’,
an art gallery, a community hall and a music centre and open air restaurant.
The decision
to use CAD was made because both the design architects had access to Micro GDS as a
platform for developing the proposal. Ideas were transferred from hand-drawn development
sketches to CAD, so as to save time. The flexibility of the digital information allowed
design changes to happen at a very late stage in the competition. Approximately 40 entries
were received and, of those, five were chosen to complete the more detailed second round
of the competition.
"Often
computer developed projects are characterised by sterile and ‘mechanical’
plotter images. We tried to change that by cutting and pasting scanned photographs and
hand-drawn sketches", says Munting. The proposal also included a variety of 3D images
developed on Micro GDS. Both architects worked on different portions of the project and
the whole was assembled and laid out in the week before submission. Text was added and the
drawings plotted on a high quality coated matt paper. The result was a collage of
different media and information collated and channelled through the CAD software into a
neatly plotted, professional end-product - an effective presentation medium.
An
interesting aspect of the entry was that the concept for the new buildings was based on
‘passive design’ - with input given by Braam de Villiers who studied passive
design in Arizona, USA - including climatically rela-ted features such as the creative use
of
natural
light in the dry, warm conditions of Port Elizabeth. The landscape architects in the team,
Green Inc, produced a sensitive yet practical and robust concept where the landscape
responded to the buildings. It was important that the vegetation be given a chance to
establish and to achieve this a technique of free-standing structures was used which left
certain areas free of traffic, so that the indigenous grasses could come back naturally
and establish themselves. Street trees in front of the houses were loosely incorporated
into the properties by means of hard landscaping designs - so that each tree appeared to
be part of that home, making it less likely to be vandalised. |
