Ridges
This design retains the functioning of the current informal settlement by providing only a framework for the same neighbourhood which to inhabit under much safer conditions. This framework prioritizes the respiratory health of the occupants, with each indoor space acting as an air filter to rid the interior condition of airborne particles from the mine.
Project Score
PUBLISHED ON 13th November 2020
Comments (2)
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The overall approach and interpretations are based on the quality of the current informal settlements, and the main aim to improve the health conditions of these living spaces are profoundly admirable. Incorporation of passive ventilation, use of local and sustainable materials, detailed design solutions for the ergonomics of the spaces as well as the individual and collective living scenarios of the project are all found very successful. While there is a multi-scalar approach, ranging from material details to living spaces, from common areas to urban schemes, the proposed expansion plan or phasing does not bring a cohesive solution for the future of this settlement. The urban template lacks strategies for growth over time and also infrastructural and public amenities.
The readings and interpretations on the current ecologic constraints and conditions of the location are greatly appreciated. The use of sustainable and adaptable solutions on different levels and scales are found successful and the potential of scalable solutions in the project, as well as the use of local materials, are key components of the overall proposal. However, the interior spaces rendered could show the diversity and intensity of the proposed urban life. Understanding the project as a continuous an evolving process that can accommodate uncertainty over time, is key for the future success of Ikemeleng community.