Vertical
Living
City
about.
The Vertical Living City is a multi-story regenerated building that has been transformed into a re-introduction centre in Johannesburg South Africa.
MANIFESTO
All across the world, there are people suffering from poverty, homelessness, unemployment and living a life they have absolutely no control over. There are basic human rights that so many people are going without and the problem is only expanding. The Vertical Living City is a design solution that is directly addressing the poverty cycle with the aim of boldly breaking the poverty cycle within its residents, starting locally within Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Vertical City uses a human-centric based design solution by offering not only a place to call home but providing the occupants a safe and supportive environment where they can grow as individuals, build on their skills and give them tools, that they will be able to use going forward in life and successfully integrate into a positive society. The Vertical Living City uses architectural and urban design solutions to give the occupants control over their lives again or even for the very first time, and the chance to break free from their poverty cycle.
MISSION
A shocking 55,5% of South Africans are living in poverty, more than half the population is trapped within this endless poverty cycle. It has almost become the norm to live in such a harsh contrast between the rich and poor that you almost forget about the problem. People have become so used to looking past the informal settlements or people living on the street because nothing has been done about it for so long that eventually nothing shocks you anymore and you practically become immune to these peoples suffering. A devastating truth in today’s society.
People hide behind their huge walled up houses and estates in order to feel protected and sheltered from the people affected by poverty and society just accepts the world that we are living in because ‘what else can we do?’, but how can we expect the world to change around us if we are simply hiding away from it all? Many people blame the government and expect them to make these drastic changes, make the country a safer place free from poverty, crime, unemployment, but what if we start making small changes that make one big change? We have seen that the government alone cannot make these changes and so it is up to the public and those who have the means to make the difference. The Vertical Living City is the difference and its mission is to make these drastic changes, starting off with one area and setting an example of how a human-centric design can make this huge difference.
The Vertical Living Cities mission is to embrace the problem and the people it is affecting and see what world they are living in, in order to understand the core of the issue so that it can ultimately break the poverty cycle that they are stuck in. The Vertical Living Cities aim is to take one of the dozens of derelict buildings in Johannesburg and redesign it in order to give people of the city a chance to have a new outlook on life and give them the power to change their own lives.
PROJECT AIMS
The Vertical City aim is to redesign an abandoned building by applying thought out and researched spatial and architectural solutions in order to improve the lives of the residents and potentially break their poverty cycle. The project aims to do this by providing residents with eight universal assets which comprise of spaces, natural resources, data, knowledge, infrastructure, communities, capital and power.
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Spaces: Providing them with a safe and stable place to call home.
Designing co-living spaces that are split up between genders to ensure extra comfort and safety as well as family rooms so that families do not need to be split up.
A vertical farm, which will supply constant fresh produce for the building and purification of water for both protein and vegetable groups. An activity centre, that offers residents the space to heal themselves mentally and physically with a cardio fitness room and meditation area. Children centre so that the children are always safe and have a supportive area for homework and learning. This centre has a computer room, a playground and a reading corner. The Vertical Living city also has an education centre that consists of four classrooms, a computer room and presentation area. Lastly, there is a terrace that includes two ‘chill areas’ and an interactive installation that is meant to help the residents on their journey.
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Natural resources: Unlike many people living in poverty, The Vertical City will provide filtered water as well as access to fresh fruit and vegetables through the vertical farm and an aquaponics system. The aquaponics system is placed on the terrace with a fountain filled with filtering pebbles, there is also a level of water underneath the middle of the terrace that the water filters down to, and then into the vertical farm and building.
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Data: Residents can acquire any data that they need in the educational centre via the computer centre. Various programs will be available to them whenever they need, and the residents will have constant support for any additional things that they would like to learn, or part/full time employment opportunities through learnerships. They will also be in control over their personal data and their environment as it is vital to give them the control over their own lives so that they can gain confidence and feel empowered.
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Knowledge: A huge part of The Vertical City is to provide supported knowledge, tools and skills to the residents so that they can use it to personally improve their lives as well as find work and employment once they integrate into society. There are many online skill websites that will be freely available to all residents. There will also be various classes and workshops for the residents so that they can find something they enjoy and eventually profit off or find employment with these skills. The Vertical Living City has a big focus on children’s development and so educational support will also be supplied to children so that they will not be disadvantaged.
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Communities: The Vertical City supports and aims to create a strong, safe and supported community for the residents so that they can uplift one another and instil new positive values.
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Capital: Financial knowledge will be provided to the residents in order to help them make wise and successful choices. Residents will also be provided with work opportunities where initial investment is made into them.
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Power: The Vertical City aims at empowering individuals and providing them with their rights and how to go about successfully claiming these rights.
