DE(attach)ABLE CITY

Gentrification and the displacement of urban poor is a major contributor to social injustice in the City of Johannesburg, South Africa. Although there is a common consensus amongst space makers that the need to address socio-spatial inequalities is crucial, little or no emphasis has been put on the inner city. Johannesburg City currently consists of several Abandoned Buildings (or bad buildings) and numerous homeless people. To the naked eye, the solution seems a simple one, why not house the Homeless in abandoned buildings and create a symbiosis? With a majority of these abandoned buildings being owned by private entities whose long-term ambitions are to transform these buildings into profitable spaces, the State cannot simply provide these buildings as sustainable housing solutions. The project, DE(attach)ABLE CITY, aims to seamlessly create the connect between Abandoned Buildings and Homeless people by creating a beneficial solution for both Building Owners and The People.
The concept of ‘Impermanence’ was highlighted in the build up to the solution. The strategy to upgrade these buildings by private cooperation’s and house homeless people at the same time can be achieved by housing people on the façade of the abandoned building during its refurbishment stages. With the idea that the people housed, are active in the refurbishment in the building a bond is created between ‘Landlord’ and ‘Tennant’. And when the building is fully upgraded, the system is detached and reattached to another Bad Building.

Transferrable pods are inserted into a scaffolding frame and are used as impermanent building material which attach to the North facing façade of the building without permanently scaring or imprinting on the building. The simple scaffolding structure uses the supports of the existing building and minimally cantilevers off the façade creating an almost attached extension to the building.
Prior to the Attachment of the scaffolding to the faced of the building. Four shipping containers are situated on the roof of the existing building close to the edge where the attachment is proposed. The four containers house the four services that run through the scaffolding and ultimately through the entire infrastructure. A container for electrical supplies and cable (Yellow), a container for
Grey water system (White), a container for fresh water (Blue) and a container to pump waste out (Green). These four containers also act as counter weights to allow the structure to be rolled down the façade. The attachment of this system is made in four stages . Firstly, a Primary structure of scaffolding members is raw bolted into the Existing building, this act of bolting into the building is the only permanent imprint left on the building after the system is removed. The primary structure is constructed from top to bottom with the system being systematically tied into the building at the cross joints. At the top the primary structure is connected to the containers situated on the roof. The Primary structure is recognized by the colour combination, each vertical member running the length of the building houses a the different services. These services run up and down the inside of the scaffolding but never meet. Secondly, The Secondary structure is connected to the primary frame by specialized scaffolding details. The secondary structure is cantilevered off the primary structure and is tied back into the building at the first floor. This stage hosts both the service stairs on the far East and the corridor which runs in-between the existing building and the new attachment. Lastly, The Pods are inserted into the frame strategically.
The Pods are positioned on every alternate floor of the building and spaced in intervals to allow light and warmth into the existing building. The arrangement is such that the service stairs connects these alternating floor via corridors. The pods are categorised into Living Pods and Communal Pods. The Communal Pods are situated on every alternate floor and host communal eating and entertaining facilities . The Living Pods are housed on a railing system which allows them to be pulled towards each other to create Family Pods with interlinking doors, two adjacent Single pods make a family pod. By pushing the Living Pods away from each other, Rooftop gardens are unveiled, which are situated on the roofs of The Communal Pods. These inner-city, Sandwiched, roof gardens create a sense of pause and interval in the cluster around them. These roof gardens are only situated on The Communal Pods which are immovable to restrict un wanted access and prevent injury.
Materiality is imperative in the design of DE(attach)ABLE CITY with members being transported from building to buildings after an Abandoned Building has run its refurbishment stage. Light weight and cheap materials were used in the design of the scaffolding frame and the Pods. The Pods are constructed of every day found materials in Johannesburg City, such as plywood, polystyrene and zinc sheet metal. Fresh water pipes, grey water pipes, waste pipes and electrical cable are run through independent scaffolding pipes, thereby concealing them and also allowing them access into the Communal Pods.
Whilst the Scaffolding might be State or privately owned, the people are to take ownership of the pods, thereby allowing them to modify it, prevent theft and vandalism and create a sense of belonging. The Pods ait on a set of wheels not only to allow them to be pulled towards and pushed away from each other but also to be wheeled from one Building to the next between refurbishment stages.
The ground floor is free of any scaffolding members with the Load of the system pushed back to the building at the first floor. This freeing up of the ground floor allows for the everyday street edge to retain its charm. Johannesburg Street edges are characterised by informal traders who inhabit the space. The sale of everyday
items is a common occurrence which provides economic opportunities for its inhabitants. This informal trade is encouraged by this project, which creates the platform for which consumable goods and clothing’s can be hung off of by hawkers.
Although these impermeant structures cause very little harm to the building itself, building owners seek some compensation for their act of housing homeless people. With this project, The Concept of a ‘Gold Star Rating’ system is hypothesized. Like the ‘Green Star Rating’ system, which is rating system based on the sustainability of the building, the Gold Star Rating system is recognized as a socially based rating system. With the prestige of a Gold Star rated building comes incentives from the State, such as reduced interest rates and taxes. A Gold Star Rated building would bare the slight imprint of the scaffolding bolted into its faced. This imprint would be used by the public to recognize that the building and its owners are socially active in the proposed upliftment of the city.
There is a potential to adapt this concept to suit cities around the world. Although cities in Asia, Europe and America might not face the common predicament of homeless and abandoned. Places like China and India face problems of overpopulated cities and a need for housing. DE(attach)ABLE CITY could provide a more permanent solution by attaching itself onto building facades enduringly. Cities looking to develop office blocks into multi programmed buildings could utilise this system as additional housing quarters. The adaptability of this system is limitless.
Conclusion
Buildings in general are parasites on the city, draining the land and its people of their resources. DE(attach)ABLE CITY aims to transform the way Johannesburg’s urban environment, and later cities around the world, deals with displaced people and an ever changing environment. It attempts to integrate the living conditions of displaced people and infrastructure. All whilst treating a long standing urban challenge with humility.