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South Africa > Outline
Meeting on Sept. 16, 2008 at National Capital Planning
Commission Offices
 Come Play with BIMStorm at
the National Capital Planning Commission offices, virtually or in
person.
Schedule for Participants
Leading up to the live event, there will be a series of virtual and
live presentations to prepare participants and material for the live
events in September.
- 9/9/2008 - Course to learn how use LEEDS, CPTED, Smart
Codes etc.
- 9/16/2008 - BIMStorm Live from the National Capital
Planning
Commission offices, Washington DC. Live Webinars throughout the day.
Schedule to be announced.
Concept Sketch for Tshwane - Kenneth Walton of NCPC
Participants and delegates are encouraged to propose ideas as part of
the BIMStorm.
Tshwane BIMStorm - Program Overview
Introduction and Background
The Tshwane BIMStorm charrette was conceived by NCPC, Onuma Inc.,
and the government of South Africa as a component of the Capitals
Alliance conference to be held in Washington, DC from September 15-18.
Capitals Alliance is an international forum for capital city planners.
The Alliance enables a valuable exchange of information on issues and
challenges that are unique to national capitals.
The Tshwane BIM Storm is an online charrette for Tshwane (also known as
Pretoria), the capital city of South Africa. The South African
government has decided to consolidate the national government in the
center of Tshwane from several cities, including Tswhane, Cape Town and
Johannesburg. One of the goals of the government building program is to
spur private sector development throughout underutilized areas around
the inner city.
Primary Objectives
Identify public improvements, particularly sites for national
government facilities, parks, and infrastructure
Create/facilitate opportunities for private sector development
Propose solutions that promote a more environmentally sustainable city
Team Assignments
The BIMStorm will recommend capital and open space improvements for the
inner city of Tshwane, roughly bounded by the shaded area in image 1.
Particular focus will be placed on four (or five?) development
districts. The South African government selected these districts
because they represent key opportunities to establish an identity to
the South African capital and spur the development of underutilized
portions of the city.
Because of the size of the study area and the variety of opportunities
and challenges in the area, teams will focus on one theme or district.
However this doesn’t preclude any team from contributing to
other
aspects. The individual assignments have been identified as follows:
- Parks and environmental improvements (entire study area)
- Transportation improvements (entire study area)
- District 1: Geological Gardens
- District 2: Church Square
- District 3: Marabastad
- District 4: Salvokop/Gautrain Station
The goals, opportunities, challenges, assets, and
constraints for each assignment are summarized in the following
section. Background documents can be found at: ftp://www.tshwane.gov.za/shapefiles_BIM
*Benchmarks*
South Africans have established a three-fold vision for Tshwane defined
by the following:
- The seat of government
- Environmental, functional and institutional excellence
- Custodian and showcase of South African culture
To achieve this vision, the government identified seven building
blocks:
- Define the capital core
- Strengthen the government precinct
- Support mixed-use private sector development
- Develop cultural identity and tourism
- Create a quality public environment
- Provide for integration of movement
- Ensure effective city management
Based on the government’s identified goals and using
standards from other world capitals, BIMStorm organizers have
identified a set of quantifiable and achievable targets for this
charrette (specific number have not yet been identified).
A. Building Space
- Government Office - 1.2 million square meters
- Commercial Office– ## square meters
- Mixed Use - ## square meters
- Residential - ## square meters
- Cultural/Entertainment - ## square meters
B. Environmental Sustainability
- Parkland - ## acres of publicly-accessible open space
- Stormwater retention - % of pervious versus impervious
surfaces
- Environmentally-friendly buildings - ## of (LEED)
certified buildings
- Transit-accessibility - % of blocks less than ¼
kilometer from premium transit
- Bike-accessibility - % of blocks are less than
¼ kilometer from a bike lane
- Density - ## of office space per square mile / persons per
square kilometer
- Green roofs - ## of buildings with green roofs
- Tree canopy - % covered by trees
C. Other
- Trails - ## kilometers of interconnected bike/walking
trails
- Transit - ## kilometers of dedicated transit
- Memorials/Museums - ## sites
- View corridors - ## corridors
Overview of Site(s)
Inner City Tshwane
General
- The inner city is generally framed between two east-west
mountain
ranges and two north-south rivers. Most private development has been
invested in the eastern portion of the city. The government hopes to
leverage public development to spur private development in the western
and southern portions of the city.
- The government has determined that Church Street and Paul
Kruger Street constitute the “Axis of Expression”
and should become
prominent boulevard streets. Four “Capital
Anchors” are envisioned at
the termini of these streets (see Map 2).
The government would like to increase and improve the
city’s parkland and public space opportunities, particularly
along the
Apres River, around Church Square, and the Axis’ termini.
- Currently, the inner city has a range of building heights
with a
couple buildings reaching approximately 30 stories. For the future, the
government envisions buildings between 10-15 stories in the central
portion of the city, with building heights generally declining as one
gets further from the center of the city.
- The government would like to develop cultural identity and
tourism potential in several areas including Marabastad, Museum Park
(immediately north of Salvokop), and the along the Apies River.
- The government would like to make Tshwane a
“24-hour city,” partly by enhancing retail
opportunities
- Enhancing connections in the city, including the various
neighborhoods, open spaces, transportation assets and employment
centers is another important government goal
Government Sector
- The executive mansion is located in the Union Buildings in
the
northeastern portion of the inner city. The legislative assembly is
located in Church Square. The nation’s high court is
currently located
in Johannesburg (although local officials are encouraging it to move to
Tshwane). Other nationally significant judicial buildings are near
Church Square.
- 35 national government departments are split up in 1.2
million square feet of space. Two thirds of the space is leased. The
government has determined that its accommodations are of
“poor and
inconsistent quality, fragmented and inappropriate, and of questionable
value for money and cost effectiveness of leases.”
- The government’s primary objectives for its new
spaces are
to: improve the physical work environment, promote shared facilities
(mixed-use), and improve service delivery.
- There is a substantial amount of existing
buildings—primarily concentrated around Church
Square—that should be
preserved, rehabilitated, or reused (see “Site
Classification” document
for exact locations).
- Secure government facilities are envisioned in the
Salvokop and the Geological Gardens Districts.
Transportation
- The government would like to enhance and integrate
transportation
modes (including pedestrian, cycling, Bus Rapid Transit, and rail
transit) within Tshwane and between neighboring cities.
- Preliminary Transit plans propose several east-west and
north-south Rapid Bus routes; which are available in the background
documentation.
- Johannesburg, about 50 miles to the south is the primary
airport for Tshwane.
District 1: Geological Gardens
- Just south of the Pretoria Zoo, the Inner City’s
northern terminus should become a gateway location.
- Most of the site is underutilized; very few buildings need
to be preserved. This site is underdeveloped because it formerly was
slated to be the center a large highway interchange that will no longer
occur.
- Important district landmarks include the court where
Nelson Mandela was tried and a historic synagogue.
- The site should incorporate a new Nelson Mandela museum
District 2: Church Square
- Representing the heart of the city, this site includes
many
important buildings, including the legislative assembly and prominent
churches.
- Since this district is largely built out, the focus of
this
district will be on improving the public space and other urban design
qualities.
District 3: Marabastad
- Named after a popular King, this area currently is a
“highly
neglected area” in between the city’s core and a
neighborhood of
single-story residences to the west. A large farmers market lies to the
northeast of the district.
- The “derelict” and
“underutilized” land is within walking
distance of most of the Inner city’s employment opportunities
and its
two rail stations.
- The government is suggesting (but is open to ideas) that
this site become a master-planned residential neighborhood of 3-4 story
buildings and a cultural component.
District 4: Salvokop/Gautrain Station
- Salvokop, just south of Gautrain Station is a greenfield
development zone.
- The major challenge with this district is to overcome the
rail and highway barriers to connect the central employment area with
Salvokop and parkland to the south.
- The ample open space represents an significant opportunity
to enhance the city’s open space assets, which is already
anchored by a
prominent overlook site in Freedom Park.
Scheduled events in Washington DC during the Live BIMStorm
- 9/14/2008 - 5:00PM-6:30PM - Welcome reception House of
Sweden
(Swedish Embassy) 5pm to 6:30. Delegates from various capitals as part
of the Capitals Alliance Conference.
- 9/15/2008 - 9:00AM - National
Press Club. Keynote Address Herbert Girardet (film maker).
Green theme speaker.
- 9/15/2008 - 10:30AM - 12:30PM - National Press Club. Panel
Discussion. Green theme speakers.
- 9/16/2008 - 8:30AM-5:00PM - National Capital Planning
Commission Offices. BIMStorm Live.
- 9/16/2008 - 5:00PM-7:30PM - National Capital Planning
Commission Offices. Reception and Poster Session.
- 9/17/2008 - 8:30AM-11:15AM - Workshop with various topics
and speakers from each country.
- 9/18/2008 - 9:00AM-11:30AM - National
Building Museum. Impact of Green Design on Architecture and
Public Space.
- 9/18/2008 - 1:00PM-2:30PM - National
Building Museum. Lecture Building cities that foster green
goals .
- 9/18/2008 - Evening - United Arab Emirates Embassy.
Closing Reception.
Some events by invitation only. Sign up to get more information.
 
2009-10-19 16:25:02 |
