Re-Modelling of Living Spaces in La Rochelle - Designing for Adaptable Living Spaces in Johannesburg South
Date
2014
Authors
Mavuso, Nkosilenhle
Mavuso, Nkosilenhle
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Abstract
Sub-Saharan Africa is currently faced with the situation of rapid urbanisation where large populations are migrating into cities from rural areas within their countries as well as across international borders (Jenkins, 2012). This ‘demographic bulge’, which is occurring in what, is “arguably a uniquely weak political and economic context” (Jenkins, 2012, 5). Coupled with largely low–income economic statuses and mobile populations (large portions of the residential occupants seek temporal living spaces), these residential typologies are developing to allow for flexibility, affordability, increased access to the benefits of the city, and to generate income through renting and/or subletting. The City of Johannesburg (CoJ)is developing this form of urban and morphological growth within some of its former ‘white’ (in terms of apartheid planning) inner-city and peri-inner city suburban areas, that now contain elements of both conventional and non-conventional (so called informal) dwelling types.
After the official fall of the apartheid system in 1994, the city of Johannesburg has experienced rapid urban change, both demographically and physically (Crankshaw, 2008). Many of the white minority that occupied the inner-city and its immediate surrounds during apartheid, ‘fled’ to peripheral suburbs and gated communities to the north after the regime was abolished, leaving the inner city open to habitation of all kinds of people (Simone,2004). What became unique about this urban change was the physical transformation of settlement patterns and living spaces of the city’s old suburbs located on the periphery of the inner-city. In what Simone (2004) calls a case of the South African townships moving in, formation of make-shift ‘informal’ type living spaces began to creep into former white ‘formal’ suburban neighbourhoods, with migrants from within South Africa and other parts of Africa seeking residential spaces to rent.
Areas such as Yeoville, Rosettenville and La Rochelle were amongst those where this living trend developed to greater magnitudes, with abandoned houses being occupied informally as well as small rooms being built in the backyards of single dwelling houses for rent. These emerging types of living space design largely happened outside the recognition of the state, in this case being the CoJ government. What seems prevalent in the formation of these informal forms of living within formal residential areas is the need for affordable living spaces in close proximity to economic opportunities found in the nearby city centre of Johannesburg. However, the low density single dwelling type design of these areas meant that there would be limited space to accommodate the increasing demand for residence in the areas. It is in this that the trend of informal living space sharing in the area emerged and has sparked my interest in investigating how these spaces are physically structured and administrated.The aim of this research report therefore is to investigate how La Rochelle’s residents and property owners have self-designed and self-administered their living spaces through remodelling their main houses and providing backroom dwellings to accommodate more occupants. The study, in a broader sense, investigates the organic growth of human settlements in Johannesburg, using the case study of La Rochelle, and try to determine the sustainability of the current housing remodelling and backroom development trend that is bringing in occupant numbers that are higher than formally allowed within single dwelling vicinities in an a settlement that was initially designed for low densities. Its main focus is on the idea of shared living spaces as an important aspect to how migrant communities live in the area and how they design their living spaces to allow for it. It looks into housing densities and how housing spaces are remodelled or reconfigured to allow for these densities and investigates whether there are suitable infrastructure facilities available in the area to sustain these densities. It further assesses the area’s adaptability and/or resilience to the changes (socially and physically) that were brought about by this growing housing provision trend, with the ever increasing cross-border and domestic migration that is said to be occurring in the City of Johannesburg.
The research also looks into the proposed housing densification plan that the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) has for La Rochelle, as outlined in the Turffontein Strategic Area Framework, under the auspice of the Corridors of Freedom project, and assesses it with the current housing and living conditions of the area. In doing this, it provides bases for a critique of the plans that the CoJ government has for the redevelopment of the area, particularly with regards housing provision and densification strategies and draws conclusions on the possible impacts the new housing may have on the current residents of La Rochelle and based on my findings come up with recommendations on how the housing plans can be better conceptualised to suit the needs of the current occupants of and landowners in the area.
Description
Planning Honours Research Report 2014, Wits University
Keywords
rental accomodation, housing, urban resilience, informality, rental accomodation, housing, urban resilience, informality
Citation
Mavuso, N (2014). Re-Modelling of Living Spaces in La Rochelle - Designing for Adaptable Living Spaces in Johannesburg South, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg