Abstract
The Interwoven Haven reimagines an abandoned municipal nursery in Malusi, Pretoria West, as a regenerative wellness hub where physical and mental health are understood as interdependent aspects of collective wellbeing. Centrally located between Malusi 1 and 2, the overgrown site retains mature trees but no formal structures, offering an opportunity to transform neglected land into a living landscape of healing and connection. In a settlement with limited healthcare access and few dignified public spaces, the project responds to urgent social and emotional needs through nature-integrated architecture that nurtures safety, belonging, and restoration.
At the heart of the design lies the Sanctuary Grove, a space dedicated to mental and emotional recovery. Grounded in the principles of wellness architecture and relational wellbeing, it invites people to heal through the interplay of architecture, nature, and care. The Grove unfolds as a layered journey, from open sensory gardens to private zones of reflection, integrating counselling rooms, group-therapy areas, and multi-sensory healing environments. At its most secluded edge, a small refuge for survivors of domestic abuse offers short-term accommodation designed with dignity, privacy, and proximity to professional support.
Co-design principles guided the process, enabling collaboration between the municipality, local organisations, and residents. Through these interwoven systems of care, The Interwoven Haven becomes a place of collective healing, where wellness is reframed not as an individual condition but as a shared, relational state that restores balance between people, place, and nature.
