Student housing: Possible bankable project?

*JAN WAREUS | Thursday August 8, 2013 00:00

The article can be read in if you missed it. The article about my critics on the authoritative Master Plan (an issue also brought up by Joe Noero and Leta Mosienyane) unfortunately wasn't there, probably due to the frequent power cuts.I have some serious concerns about our Gaborone CBD area. One issue not mentioned at the seminar was the fact that the implementation of the CBD area started in earnest around 2010, long after land allocation had been made and decades after expensive infrastructure was constructed thus costing years of interest on the money invested (reflected in the price of the land).

Furthermore, the prestigious central area was, also decades ago, subject to an in-house so-called 'detailed planning' by DTRP, severely 'lacking capacity', as often stated in Terms of References for proposed consultancy projects of the time (and even today). And we can't agree more!The Master Plan above it looks to me like a Walt Disney cartoon. Embarrassing for professional planners and implementing architects but still a condition for sale of plots and thus binding in the eyes of scrutinizing bureaucrats! This is the US situation that CNU fronted around the same time as the Master Plan was made and subject for my interest lately (see Mmegi).

We understand why the cadre of engaged architects gave up and concentrated on narcissistic 'dress party' designs of individual buildings - the old 'house-in-middle-of-plot' concept and the basis for the Control Code and Urban Standards.  And that will neither give us the quality urban design nor possible collaboration with neighbours (e.g. for streetscape and wholeness). In short - the 'Art of Urban Design' wasn't the issue for the inexperienced and ignorant author of the Master Plan.Of course, the naive zoning plan (excessively modernistic and puritan) should have been followed up by an architectural competition or (as normally happens in developed countries) a kind of pre-qualifying architectural stage or some aesthetical beauty/cultural board being operative in a situation when a possible 'landmark' is being created.

Conclusion: inexperienced and unqualified planners cannot be trusted for prestigious projects in towns and cities! We are halfway into the US planning situation, if this state of affairs continues, which is what James H. Kunstler wrote about in Requiem for Detroit (Mmegi of July 26, 2013). I often take a stance in my experience of old times in my country of origin, Sweden. There, until the end of the 1940s, everyone looked to the government as the provider and people did not do much apart from demanding action by politicians, which was a very impotent way of having change, then. Today it's definitely not a creative way for change because when government is handcuffed by loans and conditions in economical treaties, there is no way out of this dilemma. Projects are presented to the private market in official physical Master Plans and investors, the construction industry and financial institutions are reduced to simple recipients, bowing and expressing their gratitude to planners.

The future has changed, as it looks from a financial point of view, and a more active role is expected from the sector still with some money in the purse. Thus, we have to look for so-called 'bankable projects,' a prerogative for risk-taking finance. And now over to Student Housing - an issue that I'm sure offers bankable projects.In my old country, the new era of student housing started in the early 1960s. The majority of university students organised themselves, took the housing issue in their own hands and went into partnership with the building industry. The housing concepts of the time didn't work for students - monotonous suburbs were constructed on the basis of one standardised dwelling per person/family and the m2 per person was improved in what was called 'the Million Dwelling Programme'. The backlash was a chock to the politicians - people were against the kind of standards that were measured in m2s only! Where is the community we used to live in became a popular question among ordinary citizens and students also started asking for more community oriented solutions instead of rented cells in the housing market far from their institutions and fellow students. In 1963/64, I was a member of the housing committee at my university and I realised many interesting alternatives for a sustainable and acceptable living room the young ones all over the world. I'm convinced the same will happen here too, but possible solutions and alternatives must be discussed first.

So, what kind of conceptual alternatives do we have to satisfy students in need of social training and supervision as well as a functional/feasible study environment? This problem also arose during my days at university, so it is not peculiar to Botswana.Basically there is a growing demand for alternative housing concepts. For example, with elements of shared spaces or expanded influence for the tenants - factors that are enhancing the community spirit similar to the traditional lifestyle of extended families and influence of elders at the Kgotla that are so excluded from our attempts at 'high density housing' in Botswana.The demand for a shared household concept is frequent in today's post-industrial world. And it all starts with young people when they are students. This is a market that the real estate people here haven't realised when it is so common in the so-called developed world.But it will come here too and we must prepare for it. And it is quite 'bankable,' if deals can be struck with authorities for financial backing. BHC, Time and Universal et al must step in and show that it can be done within normal business ethics and co-operation with UB and the Ministry of Education.

Firstly we have to look into the basics. Who are the students of today? What are their age groups, the social backgrounds and aspirations, not forgetting the modern 'dependency syndrome' that is playing havoc with most projects in this country. We notice in astonishment that most students are straight from secondary school and are thus only half grown. We see that from the childish 'radical/rascal' behaviour when they are obviously in the 'destructive mode' of social immaturity. Very clearly, they have no experience of the real world.In my earlier days, we had one to two years of compulsory military service and often a compulsory work experience of at least one year before higher studies (some males could extend military service for another year and become reserve officers instead). So, as a male student, if you happened to have an aching tooth, the dentist could be the girl in front of you in high school. Very unfair, we males thought.

So what kind of example can I illustrate this with? I take one from the late 1950s and from Stockholm where I lived in this house for a few months in 1959 and can guarantee that it worked well. And I know that the estate and construction market of the time actively made this kind of project 'bankable' (i.e. opted for solving problems for councils and government). It worked then and will work today if we act and don't wait for 'master plans.'

Nyponet (the Rosebud) - layout of a storey:A typical floor at Nyponet (10 stories) is indicting:*Single rooms - but only three freshmen   per floor;*Two roomed flat + kitchenette for mar  ried students, remember that we were   quite older than students here today;*Two rooms and kitchen for junior lecturers and researchers;*Sound proof study cells;*Tea kitchen;

This concept worked very well with a restaurant at the ground floor that (initially) also had a porter's office for mail and assistance. In the basement there was space for luggage, a small gymnasium, bikes and laundry.A nursery home was available in the next house for children, and cleaning was part of the rental. My wife (then) and I lived in a similar house for four years during our study time. Because nothing was for free, a low interest student loan was available to cover for living costs (that were quite high already then). I only paid it off at an age of 42 despite that 25% was reduced on successful completion of studies. But, I have to say we were almost certain of decent jobs then. But that soon changed and became tough in Sweden just as it is here today.However, I see it as a necessary way of maturing into adult life and I'm sure that the Mininstry of Education here will soon understand that the model of student housing is part of the equation. Therefore, I recommend the private market to start thinking of ways of actively creating bankable projects instead of being spoon-fed by stupid Master Plans.

* Kindly send comments to Mmegi and/or janwareus@yahoo.com and find earlier articles at janwareus.blogspot.com.