W. CAPE DESIGN PROJECT IN FINALS FOR US$85000 HUMAN CITY DESIGN AWARD

A Western Cape design project that
encourages innovation and affordable solutions in low-income housing is in the
running for a prestigious US$85,000 award.

Known as the Better Living Challenge
(BLC), the project is in the finals for the Human City Design Award, organised
by the Seoul Design Foundation. The winner will be announced on Thursday 26
September in Seoul, South Korea.

The BLC project is funded by the Western
Cape Department of Human Settlements and the Western Cape Department of
Economic Development and Tourism. It has been managed by the Craft and
Design Institute (CDI) for the past seven years and was a flagship project
during Cape Town’s tenure as World Design Capital in 2014.

The Human City Design Award recognises
projects that contribute to a more harmonious and sustainable relationship
between people, society, the environment, and nature. It is hosted by the Seoul
Metropolitan Government, in partnership with Human Cities Network, the
World Design Organisation, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (of which the
City of Cape Town is a member) and the Korean Federation of Design
Associations.

“It is a great honour to have one of our
projects nominated for a top global design award,” says CDI Executive Director
Erica Elk, who will travel to Seoul for the ceremony.

“This project is an excellent
example of how design-led processes can unlock new thinking and ways of doing.
It has been a great experience to watch the BLC take shape and grow over the
years and continue to produce innovations. Over time, these will catalyse
better living conditions for thousands of families living in low income
communities.”

The first phase of BLC took the form of
a competition challenge to manufacturers, inventors and entrepreneurs to design
innovations that meet the needs and increase the choice of products available
to the home improvement market, specifically in low income areas.

The project supported the development of
affordable and environmentally-friendly products for home improvement: water
saving and harvesting, insulation, fire warning systems, alternative materials,
and off-grid energy use.  Three
professional and two student winners were selected from over 130 entries; and
the winners received bespoke support to commercialise their products to the
value of R500,000.

The second phase, still in process, has
involved extensive research and user-testing using design process methodology, with a focus on
how to create an enabling environment for the incremental upgrades of homes in
informal settlements. The
research revealed that people needed home improvement products, systems and
services as well as access to information (how to improve their homes
and where to access support) and skills development (how to build
better, how to design better building processes, and how to use different
materials and solutions effectively).

Phase two culminated in a pilot two-week
Design + Build Incubator. This offered 15 small-scale builders working in
the informal housing sector the chance to develop their technical design and
building skills, as well as their business acumen. The goal was to help them
design and build better structures in local communities and to improve their
livelihoods.

This training programme brought together
industry experts such as local community organisations and architects to share
their insights with the small-scale builders. The incubator covered various
subjects, from financial management and basic building skills, to marketing
skills and personal development. All these subject areas were designed to
assist small-scale builders with skills they could use to improve how they
work, and more importantly, to improve how they build.  

 All 15 participants continue to be
supported through a mentoring programme, says Elk.

“The BLC team is currently securing two
pop-up builds in rural communities. This will give the current participants the
opportunity to pass on their skills and knowledge to another cohort of
small-scale builders. This brings to life the South African adage of
‘each-one-teach-one’.”

In addition, a Materials + Tools bank prototype is being tested. This
includes the development of a mobile application with an international
engineering firm; and specifications for an on-line Knowledge Platform,
enabling the ongoing dissemination of information to small-scale builders and
home dwellers.

“The most recent work we have done with
the 15 local builders, who are still highly engaged and motivated in their
learning and development process, is inspiring,” says Elk.  “The network of stakeholders and the active
involvement of our funders, partners and enthusiastic supporters ‒ who
generously give of their time and expertise ‒ is what continues to drive us to
deliver this programme.”

See more
about the Award here: Human City Design Award

More details on the
BLC project: Better Living
Challenge and its Design + Build Incubator