City of Tshwane Redevelopment

The 2014 Master Plan for the Tshwane Inner City, compiled by a consortium under the leadership of Arup, was commissioned as an ambitious, overarching framework document to guide the evolution of the entire city.

Co-Arc collaborated as urban designers for the master plan, and as previous co-authors of the Integrated Urban Design Framework for Marabastad, Co-Arc was tasked with revisiting this area as part of the West Capital Precinct Plan design.

In the development of this urban plan, Co-Arc aimed to retain much of the core of the original Marabastad study. However, areas were revisited to build on the area’s future as a major transport interchange, to enhance retail opportunities and new developments, specifically in the historical Marabastad. Certain interventions aimed to ease traffic flows and facilitate unobtrusive taxi access whilst unlocking new development land, which would increase investment in the area. Additionally, vacant land that became available in Marabastad was proposed for mixed-use development such as inclusive housing, student housing and amenities, while taking care to ensure the correct urban densities within the area.

Essentially, the aim of the design was to preserve the best aspects of the historical Marabastad and surrounds, including the cultural and social successes of the community, while facilitating construction of physical upgrades to amenities and infrastructure and the proper functioning of the area as a part of the greater city; and ultimately the incorporation of Marabastad into a new dense urban mixed-use environment where the residents are the community.