STUDENT CITY TYGERBERG: A DESIGN LED PLANNING

APPROACH ?

Larry PokpasUniversity of Western Cape

Shahid Solomon Greater Tygerberg Partnership

On the cusp of transition: transformation and or global competitiveness?

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND YOUR STUDY EXPERIENCE TO FRIENDS? WHY OR WHY NOT?

• The sub-region is a classical site of spatial apartheid planning. It is physically disconnected from business and neighbouring communities

• Despite strategic location in the geographic centre of metropolis and proximity to transport routes the university remains inaccessible. They arrive at Bellville station and distressed surroundings, then what?

• Oppidan students spend time inefficiently in public transport so cars have become the preferred means of transport

• Pattern of growth is skewed towards high income suburbs and away from the Cape Flats where most of the poor live

Dormitory, unsafe and derelict surroundings and distressed

• Lacks residential neighbourhoods and supportive surroundings. Resident students feel isolated with hermetic experiences impervious to outside influence which effectively make them an invisible population – cut off from culture and social life

• The challenge can be ascribed to a lack of visionary leadership who fail to understand the hidden curriculum or to build vital connection between universities, neighbouring communities and the life of the city.

• In contrast: On campus only, Students build vital connections, a sense of immense pride, belonging and personal development from imbued learning and quality environment.

More than race: The parents of 69% of UWC 2010 graduates (UG) do not have any post school qualifications, 45% do not have matric

(a proxy for income, educational support and social capital)

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45 15 19 42

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

UWC UCT SU CPUT

Lower than matric

Matric

Post matric

Idealistically trying to break the rules of apartheid spatial planning

Creating an environment that represents the enduring nature and ‘permanence’ of universities and a conception and framework to help create a sense of place, mission, purpose, distinctiveness and direction

An environment able to help attract and retain the best minds, empower studentsfrom a variety of backgrounds to operate effectively in the larger society, and serve as agents of transformation.

Reversing the ongoing deleterious effects of apartheid planning in the area surrounding UWC and furthering the ideal of a “livable city” and the reintegration of S.A. society.

Established in 1959Intellectual ‘home of the left’Post 1994 - senior academics and alumni elected to public officeProducer of largest number of black scientists annuallyEngaged University

UWC is 2nd highest provider in mobility

of IUC partnerships

Can we connect to business and social community with innovative business models?

• Improved drug resistance testing in HIV (cheaper and less time-consuming routine testing)

• Engaging industry partners to make components for fuel cells backup power systems and materials for storage in area of renewable hydrogen energy

• Commissioned pilot production plant for the production of lithium-ion batteries that are safer, more durable and portable with higher energy densities.

• Developed water treatment apparatus with specialised photocatalysts to destroy harmful micro-organisms & removal of industrial organic pollutants and also for renewable energy production.

• Developed a botanical product which reverses resistance in plant pathogens when applied in combination with fungicidal and bactericidal compounds (agrochemical pesticide adjuvant)

• Digital inclusion and CodeJam initiatives

Network opportunities and joint leadership

• Create location-specific advantages that consolidates niche areas, knows the local conditions, and creates a sense of place

• Joint planning and purposive design concepts offer unique opportunitiesto reimagine sub-region and align our efforts towards a mature and growing network of active partnerships

• Help create new visions and coordinate all of these moving pieces into a more efficient and liveable address for the Greater Tygerberg: one that is synonymous with opportunity, innovation and entrepreneurship, sustainability, and able to respond to a range of lifestyle preferences.

What international network opportunities enjoy joint leadership?

“It is always about trying to make something other than what exists …

What kind of city we want to make cannot be separated from what

kind of people we want to be” (David Harvey)

What is Design to City Planning?

•Transition Led

•Geo-metric & geo-graphic

•Playful & Prototypical

City Design is transition led

• Energy Transition FROM high carbon, fossil fuel based, and inefficient TO low carbon, green/renewable and efficient

• Technology Transition: FROM ICT and traditional materials TO Bio tech and alternative material

• Social Transition FROM suburban segregated communities TO urban, networked and diverse communities

• Spatial Transition FROM road transportation, private transport, low density development, motor vehicles TO rail transportation, public transport, high density development, cycling and walking

• Economic Transition FROM dual economy, old economy TO green and inclusive economy

• Institutional transition FROM silo departmentalism TO partnership

• Ecological Transition FROM extractive TO replemishing

Corridor Transition Period World Transition Transport Driver Urban Response

1.Birth

1680 –1840

Regional Wagon Route Outspan at Hardekraaltjie

2. Urbanisation

1860 -1940

Age of Steel, Electricity & Heavy Engineering

Hard Road & Railway Line

Country Villages & High Streets

3. City Integration 1940 –1980

Age of Oil, Automobiles & Mass Production

Commuter Rail / Bus Corridor Industrialisation

Satellite Towns & Corridor Emergence

4. Metro Sprawl 1980 –2020

Age of Information & Telecommunications

N1 Regional Motor Corridor, Mini Bus Taxi

Corridor Decline

5. MetroCompaction

2020 –2030

Era of Turbulence Bus Rapid Transit, New Trains, Smart Transport Systems

Corridor Regeneration

6. Africanisation 2030 -2040

Start of Age of Biotechnology and Renewable Energy?

Fast Rail, Smart Vehicles Off Grid Satellite Towns

7. Regionalism 2040 + Midpoint of Age of Biotech and Renewable Energy?

Walking & Cycling Urban Villages

City Design is geo-metric (structure)& geo-graphic (place)

Design is a funny word. Some people think design is how it looks.But of course , if you dig deeper, it’s really how it works

Steve Jobs

THE DESIGN CONTEXT

• Bellville / Tygerberg designated as Cape Town’s Second Metro Node, with Voortrekker Road Corridor connecting First Metro Node in the Central City

• Greater Tygerberg Partnership developed Regeneration Framework to 2040 suggesting R 300 bn mega project to:

• Develop viable transit-orientated corridor of development to house 250 000 to 750 000 people in affordable high density housing

• Build a bio technology new manufacturing complex between Bellville and Cape Town International Airport

CLEAN & SAFE STREETS & HOUSING & EVENTS & NETWORKS

2013 – 2040

CATALYTIC PPP REVELOPMENT & UPGRADING: 2013 - 2016

LARGE SCALE REPACKAGING: 2013 –2020

CORRIDOR INTEGRATION

2016 -2040

NEW METRO NODE

2016 -2040

City Design is Playful & Prototypical

Design is not making beauty, beauty emerges from selection, affinities, integration, love.Louis Kahn

Analysis -driven or design –driven planning process?

ANALYSIS DRIVEN PROCESS

SURVEY > ANALYSIS > PLAN >DESIGN

READY > AIM > FIRE

DESIGN DRIVEN PROCESS

DESIGN > ANALYSIS > PROTOTYPE > DESIGN > PLAN

READY > FIRE > AIM

TRANSITION MODEL

INITIAL SPATIAL VISION

FEELING TEMPERATURE

IMAGINING THE FUTURE

DESIGN THE CITY

REGENERATION FRAMEWORK # 1

URBAN ACUPUNCTURE

CITY STRATEGY & INVESTMENTPLAN

REGENERATION FRAMEWORK # 3

URBAN ACUPUNCTURE

REGENERATION FRAMEWORK # 2

URBAN ACUPUNCTURE

TYGERBERG STUDENT CITY

THE DESIGN PROPOSITION

A powerful geometry of urban regeneration, learning and innovation can be designed around Cape Town’s planned Second Metropolitan Node at Tygerberg.With more than 100 000 students, excellent logistics and infrastructural linkages, the Student City opportunity can embrace an extended campus for:

• The University of the Western Cape

• The University of Stellenbosch: medical and business school

• Cape Peninsula University of Technology

• University of South Africa

• Northlink FET College

Ranking of the world's top 50 best student cities by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS)

+ Quality of Living+ Student Mix + Top Universities+ Affordability

THREE STUDENT TOWNS IN CAPE TOWN STUDENT CITY

Learn WorkPlayLive Connect

Transition led

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Sustaining research momentum (source: CHET 2010)

Build on the complementarity and synergy through collaborative systems around

strategic interest in research niche areas and distinctive innovation capabilities

and increase students’ epistemological access to advanced levels of knowledge

production.

Towards a differentiated university systemsource: CHET 2010

Geo-metric & geo-graphic Potentials and possibilities for weaving together an integrated matrix of learning, living, working and cultural opportunities.

Place making is seen as a central discipline in the process of developing Student City

Lattice of Live Work Learn Innovation Villages

Playful & Prototypical

REGENERATION FRAMEWORK

INITIAL DESIGN CHARETTE

ANALYSIS

BUSINESS MODEL

DESIGN FRAMEOWRK

REGIONAL INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

STUDENT VILLAGE

CITY STRATEGY & INVESTMENTPLAN

GLOBAL INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

INCUBATOR

REGENERATION FRAMEWORK # 2

GRAND LIBRARY

LAUNCHING THE INNOVATION HELIX

Tygerberg Regional Innovation Ecosystem

LAUNCHING THE INNOVATION HELIX

Tygerberg Technology Incubator

Critical questions going forward?