Adventure Time in Jo'burg

Check out this fun project in Johannesburg, South Africa.

At the end of February the eleven-storey, 375 bed, student accommodation, 'Mill Junction' opened. Situated in the Newtown district of the most populated city in South Africa, the housing is accessable to pretty much every school including, University of Witwaterand (Wits), University of Johannesburg (UJ), the ADFA Film School and a number of colleges such as Birnam Business College, the Damelin and the City Varsity via the nearby train station.

Built by the student housing association Citiq Students, the building consists of a burnt out mill and five abandoned grain silos with 50 storage containers piled on top which, you have to admit, looks pretty rad.

The building is separated in to single and double dorm rooms inside the containers, and apartments inside the silos. The building is not just housing though, it includes studios and libraries, multi-media suites, public lounges, bar, communal kitchens, gym (including climbing wall), panoramic rooftop terrace, free WIFI and 24hour reception. Phew! As expected from educational housing, all the spaces are distinguished by the use of bright colours both inside and outside the building but the developers hope that the flashy colours wont distract from the urban regeneration it offers. The Mill Junction is is described by it's fans as “sustainable to the power of three”.

The first level being the environmental one. Apart from the salvage elements paired with new tech insulation, heat pumps produce all hot water and heating for the building. The architects claim that thanks to these simple details the building uses half as much energy as one in a similar category, of similar size and function.

The second is regarding the local economic component. The very low building costs have been passed on to the cost of the services offered. Staying in the building is relatively cheap with respect to the average income in the city.

Thirdly the student housing association realized that a shortage of student housing was creating a process of delocalisation and segregation. People where having moving to other parts of town that had better infrastructure leaving others unable to study or causing them to abandon their studies. This building services many schools and in taking only twelve months to complete, is a reflection on the exciting social focus of the initiative.

Paul Laphman, head of Citiq, is optimistic about this project and the future. He sites the potential to utilise disused structures with no real identity in a similar innovative way across various university cities. He hopes that Mill Junction will inspire a string of long-sighted entrepreneurs to begin a process of urban regeneration that serves the community.

I like that idea too Paul. More power to those adventurous sorts.