Concept Design

Concept Site Plan

Concept Cross Section

Concept Longitudinal Section

Concept Perspective - Rehabilitation landscape and commercial/retail

Concept Perspective - main route through building

Concept Perspective - wetland

Site integration

Landscape rehabilitation, along with the stitching/linking of several layers on the site, will integrate the site into its context, while creating new opportunities. Furthermore, how the development of refuse disposal brownfield sites can benefit local communities and ecologies. Reclamation and remediation based design principles are used to propose the remediation of contaminated soils, wetlands and landscapes.

 

 
This thesis aims to challenge the contemporary perceptions of refuse disposal landfill sites, transforming the site from a hidden, inaccessible open public land, into an integrated, rehabilitative, multi-use and accessible site – with value to ecology, economy and culture. Ultimately questioning how architecture plays a role in the abovementioned, connecting ecology and culture.

 

Paradox Landscape

A void in networks, break in connections, closed-open space and unsafe terrain – an epicentre of paradoxes and opportunities. As topographically and topologically dynamic landscapes, landfills exist as a unique paradox of public space which is not easily accessible or visible to the public which created them.

The final resting place for most refuse/solid waste, landfills, have become underappreciated and often an overlooked form of public space. The contemporary perception of landfills, and refuse disposal, is that these landscapes should be concealed from public observation. This perception removes the link, and subsequent understanding, of where the waste that they create goes to ‘die’.

Urban Scale

Main Reef Road

Towns, open spaces, water bodies and arterial routes along Main Reef road, passing the site.

The site is a void between Melville Koppies Nature Reserve and Albert’s Farm Nature Reserve. This provides another layer to the site, to link the nature reserves through a programme on/in the site. The site is also adjacent to the north of Westbury, which is currently undergoing an Urban Design upgrade. One significant part of this upgrade is along the road which extends into Newlands, and along the western edge of the site. This could be seen as a catalyst or finger on which to intervene at an urban scale.

Site (Newlands) and Westbury

Green Open Spaces

Public transport routes, pedestrian routes, Corridors of Freedom, urban upgrades, links and proposed links

Proposed grid and amalgamation of urban design informants

Urban Vision

Urban Principles

Thesis Site

26°10'10.1"S 27°58'20.0"E

The site is situated in Newlands, Johannesburg, South Africa. It is a refuse disposal site that has been closed for over three and a half years. 

Since 2006 the site has received a revamp, promises of a public open space with a soccer pitch, an upgrade to recycling and disposal facilities, a shopping centre, permanent closure, proposed mixed land-use development, and the site for the proposed townships of Albertville Extension 5-12.

With the history of a refuse disposal site, in conjunction with the river and wetland on the north edge of the site, provides the opportunity for a landscape rehabilitation intervention. 

In contrast to this landscape intervention, the site is home to tens of ‘Work Seekers’ (men that wait all day, every day, in the hope of finding piece work). This also creates the opportunity for a socio-economic intervention – or societal rehabilitation. It is the juxtaposition and amalgamation of these two distinct intervention opportunities, each exciting in their own right, which gives this site and project the value that it has.

 (click the image below)