wildetecture - rough sketch cellular built environment solution.

we have a wildetecture office whatsup group chat, because we all work remotely,  its necessary to keep the work dialogue going on projects, so ive decided to air a few thoughts sent to this group recently - nothing major really.

Sometimes we work blindly in the dark, creating design conceptual ideas not linked to any current design conversations that we are aware of. this can be to my mind more powerful than designing with all the lights on, being influenced by the accumulative thought processes of all around one. that very quiet space when its your own thoughts, aligning with ones many influences. 

The above cellular city scape rough sketches are Abit of theoretical analysis. There is a point between our extended imagination and the now reality,  which we can currently try and design towards.  These very rough conceptual sketches are abit past that exact point. 

To my mind they are necessary if we as wildetect designers want to open up solutions that go beyond big box, small box, big budget, no money architecture. We need to really start unpacking our SA built environment issues. 

At the moment in SA our architecture and our socio economic differences are not remotely going in the same future direction. the erxell concept tried to address this in a very minor way - however never really gained any traction. the idea of creating constructive dialogue from the bottom up was linked around the erxell concept.

with constant continued dialogue and plenty of wildetect conceptual sketches. Maybe this process might spark a less parallel trajectory between the current informal and formal sectors in SA. and create a trajectory  that looks to at least intersect some valuable point down the line.  

That's really the point of this constant  barrage of very rough wildetect sketches. 

To try create further discussion towards a more unified future built environment in SA .  

that will be more inclusive of the informal and the formal SA building landscapes. 

At the moment these 2 very divergent  habitable spaces are unfolding within one city space. 

 a form of Old wise Africa crashing into modern flash and cash ideals. Africa's age old ideals include "abuntu" which is not a mindset found in many places around the world. this concept alone was streets ahead of where the rest of the world has been. sadly with the meddling of the rest of the world - abuntu is just an age old very wise concept in Africa. 

These rough sketches,  like nature's simple cell seeks  to merge, unify these 2 current SA city dynamics to create dialogue for one seamless city space. 

Social engineering first, architecture second. Nature's way.

wildetecture is a think tank. Each of those participating in this design discussion comes with a unique skill set. Each approaching a design problem from a very different live in Africa perspective.

Trying to Do away with the arrogance within the design process. yes, difficult for designers , as we all seek the limelight. only through time and humility does one realize its less about personal attention and more about collective solutions. 

Because  currently we are left with an end product built environment  that is very badly thought out. a built environment that is not really working. (Fact)  a built environment Which is frighteningly, Organically growing and extending with no real perimeters or plans in place. 

most informal settlement are camps - a stop over space before the real livable homes are built. the reality is that the real livable homes in the formal sector are just a dream for many in this sector. it will never happen for many. its a way to appease the masses whilst attempting to work out a solution. all the while people are living and dying before built environment utopia is reached. its a human disaster on such a massive scale ones mind stops computing the extent of the suffering - designers turn to working in the formal sector because thats where one earns a living , all the while the living are not coping.

All Designers and current architects need to sadly take ownership of where we are currently in time with this humanitarian crises hitting all major African cities. It's a collective mistake and issue. only then  can we start to design an improved future city landscape for all. if we recognize the issue as ours and not theirs. 

To my mind the solution will  be less architecture driven, like in westernized society. And more people orientated. emphasis on the term social engineering,  Not structural engineering. 

Each and every person should be important to the whole. Like how natures simple cell operates. (refer to sketches) cell living pod city sketches above. 

The answer isn't obvious as yet, hence the constant exploring of possible answers through sketch.  Who knows we might just stumble upon that spark that ignites a revolution of future thought. that spark that starts an inferno of love , kindness.  this need to stop the dialogue that says mine, mine and to start to change the dialogue to ours, ours. 

only them will the actual fires we have stoked up and happily kept burning, only then will those burning fires stop licking our very unprotected skin.