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A Celebration of Diversity through Architecture, The Wivine Towers
South Africa
Media
Drawings, plans, elevations
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The Wivine towers are a mixed income high rise that seeks to represent what's Africa is about. In other words, a mix of both complexity and simplicity, a meeting between built form and nature. The chosen site is the Warwick junction, Durban. This area is known as a node was multiculturalism and African diversity is expressed daily at multiple levels. In order to achieve that, the design looked at 6 points. 1.Social diversity: Each level of the building is design based on this idea of “inclusivity”: The residential levels are mixed income and range from low cost to luxurious mezzanine units. Universal accessible units at each level insure that disability isn’t barrier to this idea of a diverse community at each level. A Prayer room on the last level is key feature that insure a concrete response to the on-growing Muslim community which prayer is an important part of their lifestyles. themed outdoor spaces targeting different category of people insure social interaction is as diverse as possible 2.Economic diversity: The site is mostly characterized by the controversial relationship between formal and informal trading. The promotion of both formal and informal trading in the proposal was achieved through understanding spaces, existing movement pattern and transitional spaces. The informal market between the revamped taxi rank and the remaining retail areas is a key element to that. 3. Materiality: A mixed of Tectonic feels that expresses the connection between a variety of materials, is contrasted with smooth and colorful finished internally units. This is again to emphasis this idea of diversity as richness and not a problem 4.Built form and context: The building form is designed to reinterpret the ideas of verticality giving it a unique look. This was inspired by the natural growth of a plant which grows verticality in a non-rectilinear way. The language gets carried way on a horizontal level giving it the surrounding pitch roofs appearance. 5.Movement: The urban proposal set around the Wivine towers focused on a harmonious relationship between vehicles and people. This was achieved from understanding the existing movement patterns around the site. The revamping of the existing taxi rank and a pedestrian route leading to the early morning market contributed to it. 6.Sustainability: The two towers have two roof areas. The smaller roof is public spaces for residents, while the bigger one is dedicated to urban framing which feed the market box on the ground floor. The space between the roofs has solar panels that contribute to minor back up electricity. The market box on the ground floor collect water from the roof and reuse is for public bathroom and external tapes. Hence, as shown above this Design try to look at different as aspects of architecture which are Social diversity, Economic diversity,Materiality, Built form and context, Movement and Sustainability to achieve what we consider as an architecture of diversity and authenticity in a continent that represent these values.
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