SCHOOLS, HOMES & ORPHANAGES :

ST. JOSEPH’S INTERMEDIATE PAEDIATRIC CARE

Project Background

The site for the St. Joseph’s Home project is located on Pallotti Road in Montana, Cape Town, approximately 17 kilometers east of the city center. This intermediate pediatric care facility, situated on a vast and exposed plot, faced the challenge of a limited budget. The brief was to create a diverse play environment that offers a stimulating escape from the hospital wards for children of various ages and conditions.

Design Philosophy

The design focused on creating a safe and engaging environment for natural play that promotes learning and healing. Planting included Cape Town’s native species, such as grasses, bulbs, and succulents, as well as wetland plants in rain gardens. Sensory garden spaces were designed with plants selected for their touch, sound, and smell attributes.

The project complied with National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) standards for vegetation clearance, topsoil and tree management, stormwater management, and surface upkeep.

Completed Tasks

Planting plans

Section drawings for tender submission

Planting palette and methodology

Tree management plans

Challenges and Lessons

This project provided extensive knowledge of South African environmental legislation and implementation guidelines. I gained experience designing play components that comply with SANS standards for children with disabilities and managing sandy soil conditions. The project deepened my understanding of creating needs-driven, diverse play environments and working with strict endemic and indigenous plant species. Additionally, I learned about the complexities of designing for children with disabilities and the importance of creating a therapeutic and engaging play environment.

PROJECT INFO:

Location: Cape Town

Project Type: Reapirs, Renovation & Rehabilitation

Project scale: 12500 m2

2019