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 built environment 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 cellular type  built environment sketches are abit past that exact point. 

To my mind they are necessary if we as wildetecture style 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. The top down is not a design environment that engenders altruistic mindset agendas. 

With constant continued dialogue and plenty of wildetecture conceptual sketches. Maybe this process might spark a less parallel trajectory between the current informal and formal sectors in SA. Creating 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 and dialogue towards a more unified future built environment here in SA. A built environment

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 that has no traction in a selfish current world. 

These rough sketches,  like nature's simple cell seeks  to merge, unify these 2 current SA city landscape dynamics to create s 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. 

I was once accused of this very type of arrogance. When a group of influential esteemed designers using a design platform attempted to lift without any credit a design concept i had conceptualised. The head of the design forum was extremely scathing in his rebuke to me. However the design lift was acceptable, my protest was absolutely unacceptable. A lesson in life. No need to elaborate what i learnt. The design forum guru might just send me another scathing rebuke. Instead of furthering the design concept, they all sadly pulled back. The idea never went further, the prize money didnt go into the solution. I was just left with a red spanked bottom face. The mindset was dont look for credit of your design for a humanitarian solution. As a designer all you have is credit in a humanitarian solution. It certainly isnt ever going to be finance. 

We are currently now left in SA with an end product informal settlement built environment that is very badly thought out. An informal settlement built environment that is not really working. (Fact)  An informal settlement built environment which is frighteningly, Organically growing and extending with no real perimeters or plans in place. A fire, plague, human tragedy hazard enabling private landlords to profit from suffering. Slum lords who strip the masses for huge rent money. Who dont put a cent back into infrastructure.  All allowed by corrupt officials who dont really care about the people who vote for them.  

Most informal settlements are refugee type camps - Supposed to be a stop over space before the real livable formal homes are built for people to live. The reality is that the real livable homes in the formal sector are just a dream for many in this informal sector. It will never happen for many. Its a way to appease the masses whilst attempting to work out a never happen solution for most. All the while people are living and dying before formal 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 rather in the formal sector because thats where one earns a living , all the while those living in the informal settlements are not coping at all. Every other week huge fires rip through informal settlement tinder box communities killing thousands, TB is rife. Vermin and terrible unsafe, unregulated living conditions are sadly sanctioned and allowed by officials. The policing of the formal sector in SA is better than in the first world. The 3rd world infotmal settlement built arena is left to burn to the ground. Not an imposed fire regulation within the entire informal settlement built environment. 

All Designers and current architects need to sadly take ownership of where we are currently in time with this humanitarian crises hitting all major cities in SA. It's a collective mistake and deeply worrying 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 we can help try and solve this tragedy in the making. The slumlords are aggressively pushing for more land grabs. The officials turn a money palmed blind eye. The masses suffer under unregulated squalor conditions.

To my mind the solution should  be less architectural driven. Like in westernized society. And more people socio economic orientated. Emphasis on the term social engineering from bottom up. Not this current structural architectural top down 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. When individual cells suffer the hole is effected. 

The answer isn't obvious as yet, hence the constant exploring of possible answers through sketches.  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 then will the actual fires we have stoked up and happily kept burning, only then will those burning fires stop licking our very unprotected skin. Burning our collective flesh like the current inferno is doing. When one of us burns we all burn. This us and them mindset is going to be the death of all collective mankind. Short sightedness is for the limited and stupid. Why are they in control?