Studio AT Denver
Overview
The Denver area mostly
comprises of a light industrial area with a residential sector that is located
to the east of Johannesburg CBD and is surrounded by a broader industrial band
along its boundary. Main Reef Road is located towards the north of Denver which
borders Johannesburg’s historical gold mining belt. Surrounding settlements,
such as the Denver Hostels, surfaced within the area during the development of
Johannesburg in order to house the migrant workers entering the city. This was
also managed by the planning of the infrastructure that was developed during
the apartheid era.
Due to the amount
of poverty that is evident in KwaZulu-Natal, some of its locals within the province
moved to Gauteng in search of job opportunities and a better quality of life.
The community of
Denver mostly speak the isiZulu language and follow the conventional
hierarchical structure of their decision making within the area. The informal
politics within Denver chose that one head chief that makes all the decisions
within the community and allocates tasks to his subordinates which then manage
the tasks that are given to the residents. This form of hierarchical ranking is
part of the Zulu tradition and forms the basis of their culture. Due to this
sense of order existing within Denver, it is difficult for the neighbourhood to
have complete ownership over their own space and therefore it affects the
individual’s form of decision-making. The spatial changes are only made relative
to the region’s social structure.
The communal
spaces within Denver offer the community a space where they can gather and socialise. These spaces offer the community a sense of ownership and are
therefore kept clean. These courtyard areas are the support level in Denver and
the settlement buildings around these spaces are adjusted according to what the
community needs.
The government
promised Denver’s residents that they would be granted suitable housing and
when this was not met, they told the community that they would be relocated to areas
with affordable housing but none of this was provided. Denver’s inhabitants reside
in the ever-growing informal settlements and encounter unhealthy living
conditions as their waste is disposed within the main storm water channel. The
build-up of waste within this area causes the channel to flood during the rainy
season and is seen as a neglected area where there is not sense of ownership. The
public toilets are also in poor condition and the drainage channels do not have
a decent infrastructure to control the outflow to a designated area. The electrical
power lines hang low within these parts which prevents any trucks or waste
removal vehicles to enter the area and is also a danger to the residents,
especially the children. The quality of the laundry areas, which are by the
water points, do not have an adequate drainage system and there are no
designated safe areas for the children to play while the mothers wash clothing.
These neighbourhood support levels need to be retained in order for the
community to have a better quality of life.
