Better Living Challenge

News

Toolkit Workshop

Mar 04, 2019

The Better Living Challenge recently conducted a Toolkit Development Workshop to take the next steps in a second iteration of the Better Building Toolkit for builders.  

As one of the project activities of 2017/18, a Better Building Toolkit 1.0 has already been developed and it provides useful information on how to improve all aspects of an informal dwelling – foundations, floors, walls, windows, ventilation and insulation (more on toolkit here: http://betterlivingchallenge.co.za/toolkits/).

The toolkit has been designed for communities and small-scale builders in particular, and aside from providing technical information, aids in developing visual and spatial literacy and an appreciation of passive design principles.The latest workshop was designed to develop the Better Building Toolkit 2.0 which adds contextual issues and will address the building and upgrading of dwellings taking into consideration aspects like roads and access, neighbourhood shared spaces, spacing between buildings, placement to accommodate services, how to build for resilience, as well as ‘adding on’ and ‘going up’.  

The Toolkit Development Workshop was attended by a diverse community of designers, architects and building professionals who shared insights about this important toolkit. In our next newsletter we will share more information about the Better Building Toolkit 2.0.