The Future of Public Space III: Jacques van Embden

1. WHAT DOES URBAN
LIVING MEAN?

2. // The Challenge
There is a lack of
clarity amongst people
living in cities in
South Africa

3. // Personal Experience
• Moved from a suburban house in Higgovale (18 yrs)
• To a high rise in Mouille Point (7 yrs)
• To a suburban house in Woodstock - but flatter with a
stronger sense of community
• To a high rise in Sea Point
• Only now do I understand what it means to live in a city

4. OPPORTUNITY CHANGE DIVERSITY

5. Your Home.
Inside and Out.
To many South Africans, urban
living traditionally meant being
confined to a small box with no
garden and limited choice of
schools, parking and space.
Blok aims to change all of this
by creating beautiful homes in
thriving urban neighbourhoods.
Neighbourhoods that are alive
with energy and opportunity.
It’s our responsibility to educate
and inform as well as build a
brand that stands out for it’s
fundamental courage to rethink
urban living.

6. // Why?
Design
Urban
Homes
Urban Living
Blok does not sell a product,
we create opportunities.

7. // Why?
Empathy
Flexibility
Adaptability
Home doesn't stop at
the front door.

8. // How?
Yes, we like to take the difficult route. To question and test every
facet of our daily business. To shine a light in Fear’s face and ask
him directions to the next on-ramp.
If it ain’t broke, improve it.

10. 51 Regent Rd, Sea Point sales@blok.co.za +27 87 752 66 77 blok.co.za
Not all
heroes wear
a cape.
At the heart of the connected urban communities Blok
calls home are the people who make them unique. Not
just the residents, but also the neighbourhood heroes,
whose businesses are more than just businesses, but
extensions of their personalities and passions. Sea
Point’s Up Cycles perfectly defines this ethos, “ped-
dling” bikes to rent for you to rediscover that youthful
exhilaration of cruising around your ‘hood discovering
new places and visiting favourite hangouts with the sea
breeze in your hair. The world outside should be an ex-
tensionofyourlivingroom,sogetoutthereandexplore,
because finding yourself at home while being out and
about, is the essence of contemporary city living. Con-
tact us for more information on how to become a Blok
home owner and share in our journey to creating the
perfect urban living experience.
Meet the
Neighbours
51 Regent Rd, Sea Point sales@blok.co.za +27 87 752 66 77 blok.co.za
At the heart of the connected urban communities Blok calls home are the people who make them unique.
Notjusttheresidents,butalsotheneighbourhoodheroes.TheyrepresenttheBlokphilosophyofmeasuring
life in steps not kilometres. We asked Andrew Brauteseth, a photographer living and working in the city, to
document a day in his urban life. Andrew specializes in pictures, paragraphs and pinot noir and is one of
many neighbourhood heroes that make every Blok community so uniquely special. Contact us for more
information on how to become a Blok home owner and share in our journey of creating the perfect urban
living experience. To view more of Andrew’s work visit guywithcamera.com or follow his work on instagram.
com/guy_with_camera.

11. ROCHESTER
ROAD PARK
AVENUE ST.
LOUIS PARK
ST. JOHNS
ROAD PARK
CLIFFORD ROAD
PARK
ROCKLANDS PARK
BEACH ROAD PARK
FRERE ROAD PARK
NORTHUMBRIA
PARK
MOUNT NELSON
ROAD PARK
THE COMPANY’S GARDEN
HOPE STREET PARK
DE SCHMIDT STREET PARK
UPPER BLOEM STREET PARK
WATERKANT STREET PARK
WESSELS ROAD PARK
MAIN ROAD PARK
GREEN POINT PARK
THE PROMENADE
MOUILLE POINT PARK
PAVILION
ROTARY PARK
NORMAN ROAD PARK
THORNHILL ROAD PARK
KLOOF STREET PARK
BURNSIDE ROAD PARK
CAMDEN STREET PARK
ST. MICHAELS ROAD PARK
POYSER STREET PARK
BRYANT STREET PARK
MACKENZIE STREET PARK
MACKENZIE ROAD PARK
FREESIA AVENUE PARK
GLADIOLUS CLOSE PARK
LOWER PYPIES PLEIN PARK
DE WAAL PARK
LEEUWENHOF
CRESCENT PARK
ORANJEZICHT CITY PARK
VAN RIEBEECK PARK
ROCKLANDS AVENUE PARK
RUGLEY ROAD PARK
WEXFORD ROAD PARK
HOMESTEAD PARK
YASUF DRIVE PARK
UPPER LEEUWEN STREET PARK
GARDENS SKATE PARK
VREDEHOEK
SPORTS CLUB
GARDENS TENNIS CLUB
MOLTENO RESERVOIR
LONG STREET BATHS
GRASS BOOTS
FOOTBALL CLUB
DEER PARK TRAILS
ORANGIA TENNIS CLUB
SEA POINT
SWIMMING POOL
FRESNAYE
SPORTS CLUB
CAMPS BAY
SPORTS GROUND
CAMPS BAY
FOOTBALL CLUB
LION’S HEAD
OUTDOOR GYM
OUTDOOR GYM
METROPOLITAN GOLF CLUB
HAMILTONS RUGBY CLUB
GREEN POINT
STADIUM
GREEN POINT
CRICKET CLUB
ATLANTIC ATHLETIC CLUB
TANABARRY SPORTS FIELD

12. // The Opportunity
To create meaningful, tangible contributions to the urban fabric
of Cape Town and to disrupt and challenge public open space,
mobility and urban architecture.
Urban Interventions

13. // Thornhill Park
Assessing the performance of public spaces: radar diagram F Assessment categories: composite scores
SCORES
ENVIRONMENT WATER
ENERGY
WASTE
SITE
MATERIALS
ECONOMY LOCAL ECONOMY
ADAPTABILITY
ONGOING COSTS
CAPITAL COSTS
SOCIETY SAFETY AND SECURITY
PARTICIPATION AND CONTROL
LAND USE MIX
INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS
USER COMFORT
ACTIVATION
HEALTH, EDUC. AND WELLBEING
PUBLIC-PRIVATE COOPERATION
ACCESS UNIVERSAL ACCESS
PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY
TRANSIT USAGE
PARKING PATTERNS
TRAFFIC
CONNECTIVITY
SCALE
7
5
5
9
5
2
4
3
8
9
9
7
4
4
0
2
1
3
4
2
2
3
2
10

16. // Regent Road Parklet
Design Response to analysis | FoRm
The Design aims to create a flexible space that
is able to function for different activities and
users. This incorporates:
• Seating
• Raised counters
• bicycle parking
Addendum 6
seating
Counter
greening
providing for varied users
and activities
Visualisation of the Design in Context

17. REGENT ROAD PARKLET / ELEVATIONS SCALE 1:50 @ A3
1500mm GALVANISED
METAL BARRIER RAIL
450mm HIGH PLANTER
BOX
METAL RAIL TO FORM BIKE RACK
AND COUNTER TOP
TIMBER SEAT / BICYCLE RACK
EXTENSION
PAINTED GRAPHICS
VIEW FROM SIDEWALK
VIEW FROM CLARENS ROAD
VIEW FROM ST ANDREWS ROAD
VIEW FROM REGENT ROAD
1500mm
1100mm
450mm

19. // Bicycle Parking
4
Site Map

20. BLADE_PROTOTYPE SPECIFICATIONS_V3
SIDE VIEW_INDIVIDUAL RACK PROPERTY OF NORTH
SUPPORT & LOCK CABLES
850mm
LOCK CABLES
850mm
SUPPORT CABLES
850mm

21. // Sea Point Library Square
Assessing the performance of public spaces: radar diagram
Radar Diagram I
performance area:
environment - uneven (water,
landscaping)
society - lack of activation,
public-private cooperation
access - set back from
street, often locked, no
connectivity (wifi)
economy - little capital
budget, but library performs
important economic role
locally (jobseeking, study)

23. HERE
COMES
THE
NEIGHBOURHOOD