Source: Google Earth
Gated Community
Gated and walled cities have a long history and are nearly as old as human urban settlement itself. Based on this old concept a relatively new architectural trend was created, the gated community. In South Africa exists two types of gated communities: the security villages and the enclosed neighbourhoods.
Security villages are physically walled or fenced off and usually have a controlled access point with a security guard. Roads in security villages are privately owned, and the management and maintenance of such roads is usually carried out by a private management body. They include lifestyle communities which provide their enclosed residents with schools, offices, shops and golf courses.
Enclosed neighbourhoods are existing neighbourhoods that are closed off through road closures, and the erection of fences or walls around the entire neighbourhood. The roads within enclosed neighbourhoods generally remain public property. The local council usually remains responsible for the provision of public services, such as electricity, water and garbage collection, to communities living within enclosed neighbourhoods.
Source: Google Earth
Township
The township Soweto, an area of about 63 km2, is located about 20 kilometres away from the city centre of Johannesburg and is home to about two million people. The name Soweto is an acronym for South Western Townships and is the most populous black urban residential area in South Africa. Back in 1904 the township was a product of segregationist planning. It was created to house mainly black labourers, who worked in mines and other industries in the city, away from the city centre. Homelessness has been a perennial feature of Soweto since its inception. With its uniform four-roomed matchbox houses, hostels and landscape without trees, Soweto looks drab and grey. With its high unemployment rate, the area has also spawned many gangsters and been a seedbed of criminal activity.
In recent years Soweto became a site of massive development projects and a major tourist attraction in the country. Thanks to its proximity to Johannesburg, the economic hub of the country, it is also the most metropolitan township in the country - setting trends in politics, fashion, music, dance and language.
Tasks:
1. Describe the images and their differences.
2. Summarise in your own words (max 50 words) the definition of Gated Communities and Townships.
3. Think about and discuss why Gated Communities and Townships developed. What were the reasons?
4. Collect the problems and challenges of a Gated Community and a Township.
