Khayelitsha, the second largest township in Cape Town, South Africa, is also one of the most impoverished urban areas in the region. The neighborhoods are full of informal settlements and improvised housing that are unsafe, both in terms of structure and security, so Urban-Think Tank has developed a low-cost housing alternative.
The new set of 16 housing units were erected to demonstrate the efficacy of Urban-Think Tank's system in Khayelitsha, and the design strategy collective hopes to build them on a far larger scale in the coming months. The homes use readily available materials from the surrounding area and can be constructed relatively quickly, making them an effective way to deal with the housing crisis in Khayelitsha as well as other slums throughout South Africa.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Affordable Housing
- Developing low-cost housing alternatives using readily available materials from the surrounding area to tackle housing crisis in slums.
- Sustainable Home Design
- Developing sustainable, innovative designs for housing with a focus on safe, eco-friendly and energy-efficient solutions.
- Community-led Development
- Encouraging community-led design and development to create housing solutions that meet the specific needs of the local people.
Where This Applies
- Construction
- Opportunity for construction companies to build affordable housing in slums using innovative and sustainable designs.
- Real Estate
- Opportunity for real estate businesses to invest in the development of affordable housing in slums and support sustainable, community-led projects.
- Architecture
- Opportunity for architects and design firms to create innovative, sustainable housing solutions that address the specific needs of disadvantaged communities.
