Abstract
South African cities have experienced rapid urbanisation and subsequently, the extensive burial and culverting of natural streams, primarily to accommodate infrastructure expansion and manage flooding. While these interventions have supported urban growth, they have also contributed to severe ecological degradation, increased flood risk, and diminished public access to natural systems. In response to these challenges, this project proposes the daylighting and ecological restoration of the Walker Spruit stream in Brooklyn, Pretoria, as a regenerative urban design intervention aimed at integrating natural systems into the urban landscape.
The project proposes an arts, cultural and educational centre alongside the uncovered river system on the South Easterly corner of Brooklyn Mall. The clients of this project include Growthpoint Property Developers (owners of Brooklyn Mall) and the City of Tshwane Municipality. The Stakeholders include the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, WWF, and local community organisations. The project seeks to re-establish the stream as a central, organizing feature of the neighbourhood and aims to move away from conventional grid-based urban layouts. Instead, allowing the natural watercourse to inform spatial planning, layouts and public space development.
The proposal integrates key elements such as regenerative design techniques, green infrastructure, community participation, and sustainable materiality. The programme consists of an urban ecology learning centre and library (for local University students, community members and schools), multi-purpose community centre, marketspace and workshop, an art gallery and studio and walking and running trails throughout the site. These interventions aim to enhance the environmental systems in our cities whilst simultaneously improving social interaction, community engagement, social well-being and overall quality of urban life.
Situated near Brookfield Park and Brooklyn Mall, along the existing path of the Walker Spruit River, the site offers significant potential for ecological restoration and regeneration of natural urban waterways. The design process is grounded in a comprehensive methodology involving research, precedent and site analysis, interviews with built-environment professionals and the exploration of infrastructure and socio-economic dynamics. This project aims to develop a replicable framework for urban regeneration that prioritises the integration of urban waterways, public accessibility, and resilient city-making in the South African context.
