The Empower Shack

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) International Prize is one of architecture’s most prestigious awards.

The Empower Shack , developed by a group of local and international architects who joined forces in 2013, has now been shortlisted for the coveted prize.

The low-cost home, built in the Western Cape township of Khayelitsha, could be the answer to South Africa’s ongoing housing crisis.

Its longevity lies in the clever use of sustainable and affordable materials such as corrugated iron sheeting, steel windows, plywood and hollow-core bricks to create a double-storey structure.

Big moments at our #EmpowerShack site – the walls are going up! One of the many steps on the road to testing whether our prototype will change the course of housing policy in informal settings like #SouthAfrica’s townships. Stay tuned for more developments! 📷@crockette1

A post shared by Urban-Think Tank(@urbanthinktank) on Nov 29, 2017 at 3:57am PST

Sponsored by The Swiss Re Foundation and designed by local firm Design Space Africa, their long-term goals are to “influence a new direction in housing policy and offer much needed diversity and access to housing for the gap market”.

Coming all at once, more good news: we’re humbled and exhilarated that our #Empower #Shack project is on the long-list of the @riba International Prize, along with 61 of the world’s best buildings and projects. Adding momentum to our vision of transforming #housing #policy for South Africa’s informal settlements and beyond, we look forward to the short-list in the next weeks. 📷Jan Ras

A post shared by Urban-Think Tank(@urbanthinktank) on Dec 15, 2017 at 7:01am PST

The 2018 RIBA International Prize is awarded to a building which exemplifies design excellence, architectural ambition and delivers meaningful social impact.

The Empower Shack finds itself amongst stiff competition, and fellow nominees include the Bremer Landesbank Headquarters in Bremen, Germany, and the Wadden Sea Centre in Ribe, Denmark.

Today, another shot from #Khayelitsha. The Empower Shack #prototype designs in a pathway to formalization, providing greater certainty about tenure and future housing code compliance 📷 Jan Ras

A post shared by Urban-Think Tank(@urbanthinktank) on Feb 27, 2017 at 8:10am PST

But another feather in South Africa’s cap is the inclusion of our very own Zeitz MOCAA museum on the shortlist.

Khayelitsha is an informal township located on the Cape Flats.

Photograph

Wikimedia Commons

Visit u-tt.com/project/empower-shack/ for more details