The Westbury Transformation Development Centre has emerged as the winner in Architectural Design: Mixed Use Architecture at the 2019 Architecture MasterPrize (AMP) awards.
The awards honour designs in the disciplines of architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture, with the goal of advancing the appreciation of architecture worldwide. The event, celebrating the award winners, will take place at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Spain, on 14 October 2019.
The upgrade of the centre, designed by award winning firm, Ntsika Architects, as a “high spec” public building, is being implemented by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) on behalf of the City of Johannesburg.
The soon-to-be completed state-of-the-art centre will consist of facilities for sports and recreation, Early Childhood Development, old age care, retail, a bakery and sewing rooms. These facilities are set to benefit the community of Westbury and adjacent neighbourhoods. The centre boasts the tallest green screen wall and incorporates green building elements, such as double glazing and rain water harvesting.
In partnership with the Department of Social Development’s food security programme, the community around the centre will be taught how to grow their own plants and vegetables.
The breath-taking multipurpose centre upgrade is an inspiration that will provide opportunities for social interaction and cater for different sporting codes, such as soccer, hockey, cricket, volley ball, netball, basketball and aerobics etc.
"These sporting codes will also contribute to empowering and motivating youth and sports enthusiasts to participate in sport, improve their life style, and will promote healthy living amongst the whole community,” says MMC for Community Development, Cllr Nonhlanhla Sifumba.
The centre will also include the elderly by having a day care facility which will have daily activities to keep them stimulated, as well as provide them with hearty meals.
The childhood development centre was also refurbished to increase capacity. A number of retail opportunities will be identified to accommodate a bakery and sewing room.
“The JDA gives much emphasis to precinct-based development, working with stakeholders to enhance communities, and address the local challenges and needs in a sustainable way through our capital investments. This award is, again, recognition of the JDA’s role in the development of resilient, sustainable and liveable urban areas in identified transit nodes and corridors,” MMC for Development Planning, Cllr Reuben Masango says.
