Hypothesis / Problem Statement:

What is the nature of a civic building within a township?

Context:

Sprawling informal settlement - a legacy of Apartheid oppression and planning for segregation of people and space. 

Design Response:

The design sought to challenge the common perception and precedent that a building within a poor area should warrant low capital investment and lack quality.  It is a pilot project that set out to serve the social needs of the public and will be influential for the buture development of the central business district. 

In the absence of the urban design framework, it was necessary to to develop and spatialize a building that responds to environmental patterns and behaviours.  MDL examined the use patterns of the area on aerial  photographs - a technique of observation borrowed from environmental research design in order to map the existing social fabric. 

MDL continues to break ground with an innovative architectural building set to serve the community of the informal settlement of Khayelitsha for years to come. The project is a key component of two residential urban renewal nodes and pushes construction and design standards for the industry as a whole. The architectural program incorporates an internal sports court, offices, gallery space, and a proposed urban public park.