Human Settlements Review - Parliamentary Monitoring Group

Human Settlements Review, Volume 1, Number 1, 2010
and small local industries in the fit-out/infill
levels and full on-going participation by
residents and users; it may be possible, with
innovative design, to successfully include the
poor within the city on land traditionally thought
of as too expensive for lower income housing.
Different income levels can be accommodated
within the same support structures as the
infill level allows for variety not only in shape,
layout and form but also in costs. Thus the
relevance of Open Building to South Africa is
emphasised as a means to allow for different
tenure forms and affordability levels within the
same area, leading to the achievement of a
residential mix.
Mixed residential options may
be grouped together in the
same development where it is
evident visually that there is a
difference between the costs or
tenure of the residential units.
However, they may also be incorporated
into a development
where it would not be possible
to easily distinguish between
the different housing options.
Mixed use may also imply that
the different functions are in the
same building or in seperate
buildings.
There are negative consequences of uniformly
grouping low-income people in the same
housing developments. Income mix, race mix
and tenure mix would probably better help meet
the restructuring goals of BNG. The objective
of achieving an income mix should also be
accompanied with a corresponding grading of
quality levels – however what is argued here
is that all people irrespective of income level
or payment capability should benefit from a
robust, permanent and high quality support
level. This support, primary structure or base
level of the environment then becomes the
structuring framework for neighbourhoods
(and perhaps cities).
3.2.2 The public realm as the primary
structure, support or base level
The public realm could become the formal
framework (the “support” or “base”); a
permanent, long-term “structure” that allows
for informal activity and interventions to
occur within its parameters. In other words,
allowing for the unexpected. This process
would distribute the levels of decision making
in the environment and separate them so as
to reduce conflict and allow for the organic
processes of human intervention to occur
(what Hamdi refers to as emergence). Housing
projects become catalysts for environmental
transformation and structure and define
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