South Africa 2005: Utopia. Nowhere. Close.

Brickfields Social Housing Project : Precinct D/ E
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa - Savage + Dodd Architects

The Brickfields Social Housing Precinct is located in the inner city of Johannesburg, close to the Mandela Bridge and the Metromall Taxi Rank, on the historic brickfields of Johannesburg dating back to the 1890’s. It is owned and managed by the Johannesburg Housing Company. Precinct D+E consists of 345 rental units targeted to the affordable market segment. The project was financed with both government subsidies and public private partnership funding and loans. It forms part of the Presidential Job Summit Programme that aims to promote job creation through key urban regeneration projects.

Brickfields consists of a perimeter block development with both 9 storey tower and 4 storey walk up units located around a central parking courtyard. It is a mixed use development that in addition to residential units provides retail units, live-work units and community facilities such as a crèche, community recreation room and playground areas.

A mix of unit types and sizes are provided; from 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units. They vary in planning configuration from standard type unit to duplex loft or live work units. Sizes vary between the walk up units and slightly larger units in the towers.

In the walk up condition, units are grouped around open staircases that have a shared laundry drying yard at every level. These staircases divide the space between buildings into smaller courtyard areas. In the towers the units are grouped vertically around triple volume communal spaces. These act as scaling devices within a taller building.

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