I participated in the Nature-based Design studio for the 4th year students, run by PhD candidate Tania du Plessis and Prof Ida Breed from the landscape architecture program at the Department of Architecture in 2024. The studio was focused on co-designing microscale “nature-based solutions” in conjunction with the Mabopane, Region 1 community. As someone who has lived in Mabopane my entire life, my perspective might come across as a bit raw—perhaps even tinged with a hint of bias.

The RFP Honors students for the nature-based design studio 2024, with Prof. Ida Breed, Ketla Madileng and Tania du Plessis

In this project, I served as the “local ambassador,” a term we jokingly coined because of my deep ties to Mabopane. My responsibilities included managing general logistics: advertising the workshops, following up with participants who hadn’t RSVPed, arranging catering, putting up posters, and even serving as a tour guide for Mabopane, among other tasks.

I am a Pretoria girlie—born, bred (or should I say “bread”), buttered, and toasted in Mabopane. This green belt has been a constant backdrop to my life, from childhood through my teenage years, when I attended confirmation classes during the week. As a child, I swam in that river—something my parents never knew! On Sundays, after heavy rains, my sisters and I would cross it on our way to church, playfully spooking one another with imagined “animal sounds.” Nostalgia at its finest.

An SMS from a young lady from Block C, who we have interacted with and grown quite fond of.

A text message from Simon, who single-handedly restores the bridge crossing between Block C & Morula View using sandbags.

Now, I am part of a team working on a project centered on a piece of land that many of us in the community have taken for granted. When I was first introduced to the site, I couldn’t stop thinking about everything that could go wrong. Would anyone care about this “thing”? Would we be safe from robbery? Why this place? These were my initial fears, shaped by years of living in Mabopane. For instance, the street bordering the green space is part of my local running route, but I carefully time my runs so I never feel isolated. To my surprise, my concerns were quickly laid to rest.

Over the years, open green spaces in many townships have devolved into dumping grounds, and our project area is one of the worst examples in Mabopane. During one of our site visits, a gentleman recounted a chilling story: a newborn’s body was once found in a bucket, discarded in the dumping area near the bridge. This is just one of many grim memories tied to the space.

River crossing entrance. These heaps are dumped rubble that bulldozers have pushed back.

On the brighter side, this project allowed me to meet and collaborate with incredible individuals from the community—people I might never have interacted with otherwise. It wasn’t snobbery that kept us apart, but fear. Through this work, I’ve learned humility; for all our education, we don’t know it all. I also gained a deeper appreciation for my neighbourhood, discovering basic things I should have known! For example, I found it fascinating to learn about totem origins, their meanings, and how some clans are linked by totems—common knowledge for many but new to me.

Students discussing with Simon and his neighbour at the bridge he built with sandbags.

Throughout four interactive workshops in Mabopane (August-Sept 2024), the community came together to explore their shared needs and challenges surrounding the Mabopane River Corridor - a large green space around the ODI stadium. Guided by a spirit of collaboration, residents worked alongside UP landscape architecture and architecture honours students to design practical, nature-based small-scale prototypes that reflect sustainable practices. From turning building rubble into functional features to composting green waste and creating versatile shade structures, these designs are rooted in circular principles and the unique wisdom of the Mabopane community.

The interactive location map was a great ice-breaker and a way to get to know the community plights.

The enthusiasm was contagious! Residents not only embraced the opportunity to resolve their challenges but actively shaped nature-based designs that will grow their vision of a resilient, shared green space. Together with the UP honours students, they’ve set the stage for a thriving, community-centered transformation!

What stands out most from this experience is our impact on the community. It’s deeply humbling to be thanked and embraced by people for the collaborative work. As I’ve told the students, this shouldn’t just be about designing a project to earn a qualification. It should be about making a difference and leaving a lasting impression.

Post-exam photograph of the landscape architecture students with Dr. Karen Botes, Tania du Plessis, and I. You can sense the relief on the students’ faces, wrapping up 2024.