Visi – August 2019

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NOMFUNDO NKAMBULE

NEXT LEVEL

ArchitecturestudentandDesignIndabaEmergingCreativeThabiso

Joyisa is driving the process to transform academic and social spaces.

evelSix DesignTankis an architecturalstudent
movementaimedat improvingthe current
academicspaceat DurbanUniversityof
Technology.“Ourvisionis to adda newfloorto an
existingbuildingfor a schoolof architectureon the SteveBiko
Campus,”saysThabisoJoyisa,whospearheadsthisambitious
project.“Thistiesin withthe university’sfocuson improving
facilitiesandinfrastructure,andwe believe this idea will
improvestudents’experience.”
LevelSix exhibitedits workat DesignIndaba
2019.“Wereceivedinputandadvicefrom
a cross-disciplinarygroupof people,which
wasinsightfulandencouraging,”saysThabiso.
Now,the proposalhasbeenapprovedby the
university.Sincethe totalestimatedcostof the
projectis R25million,LevelSix is searching for
an externalfunderfor the project.
AndThabisoisn’tstoppingthere.“Studying
architecturehasempoweredme to challenge
myself – and challenge issues in my community

suchas crime,unemployment,povertyandpoorlocalschools.

Sincedesignwasusedto marginalisecommunities,I believeit

canalsobe employedto elevatesociety.I am alreadyworking

withmy community,proposinga totally new system that will

enablethemto livea dignifiedlife.”

In orderfor socialhousingto be considereda success,

Thabisobelieves,“It hasto be a multi-disciplinaryeffort.

Therefore anengagedpracticeis idealin the designsphere,

involvingarchitects, environmentalists and

socialworkers.”

He hasworkedon a projectthatshows

howsocialhousingcanbe a solutionfor

a community.“Webuilta housein Umbumbulu

for a familywithphysicaldisabilities.It was

tailoredto suitthe family,andwe builtit to

includean economicsystemin the formof

a crèche.Thehousehasbecomenotonly

an incomegeneratorfor the family but also

a resourcefor the community.”

[email protected]

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