A quantitative analysis of interstitial spaces to improve climate change resilience in Southern African cities

ABSTRACT

Globally urbanization is accelerating, especially within developing countries. This often results in vulnerable urban conditions with limited adaptive capacity to respond to climate change-induced hazards. In response, employing innovative solutions that lever existing unused and underutilized interstitial spaces within the urban fabric for climate change adaptation and mitigation purposes are needed. Essential to this strategy is a better understanding of the quantity and type of potentially available interstitial space. Using a mixed-method approach, this paper analysed the spatial and material condition of unused and underutilized interstitial spaces within a Southern African city. This study organizes these interstitial spaces according to programme, zoning, access, spatial definition, microclimatic characteristics and material use. It undertakes a quantitative assessment identifying seven specific interstitial space types, found in the total study area. Underutilized parking spaces and rooftop spaces are identified as the most prevalent space types with significant climate change adaptation and mitigation potential if appropriately retrofitted. Retrofitting these spaces are relatively effortless, and can ultimately improve the climate change resilience of these cities.

KEYWORDS:

• Climate change
• adaptation
• mitigation
• urban voids
• urban morphology

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the student group that participated that documented the Hatfield neighbourhood, Dr Christel Toskie-de Bruin for her feedback and guidance, and the anonymous referees for their helpful comments and feedback.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jan Hugo

Jan Hugo lecturers at the University of Pretoria with the specific research focus on sustainable and resilient architecture and urban environments as well as Climate Change adaptation and the retrofitting potential of urban environments. He has completed his M(Prof)Arch at the University of Pretoria in 2010 and is currently a PhD candidate researching the climate change adaptation of building- integrated agriculture as retrofitting strategy in developing cities.

Chrisna du Plessis

Chrisna du Plessis is Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Architecture, and Chair of the School for the Built Environment, University of Pretoria, South Africa. She holds graduate and post-graduate degrees in architecture and sustainable development from the University of Pretoria, a PhD from the University of Salford and an honorary doctorate from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. Prof du Plessis is Board Member, Chair of the Programme Committee and Leader of the Priority Theme Sustainable Construction of the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB) and member of the International Standards Organisation working group on resilience of buildings and civil engineering works. Her research concentrates on developing the principles and guiding frameworks for the practices of sustainable construction and human settlement development, with a focus on resilience and regeneration.