Liesbeek Lake The Liesbeek Life Plan is a recently formed collaborative effort between the Friends Of the Liesbeek and UCT’s Urban Water Management research unit to contribute to plans and designs for restoring and offering better support to social and ecological life of the Liesbeek River. |
Aims |
The primary aim is to provide a framework plan which will guide the building of ecological and social resilience in the Liesbeek River catchment while providing an “insurance policy” in order to safeguard and enhance the Liesbeek. This framework will also aim to address the relationship between ecology and human behavior by enhancing amenity and social value of the river.A secondary aim is to work together in a community of practice where we explore new ways of thinking from the knowledge and experiences of participants. This community of practice will include the knowledge and resources from various academic and professional bodies as well as from first-hand knowledge with community groups. |
Objectives |
The Liesbeek Life Plan will use the concept of “Landscape Urbanism” as a means to allow social and ecological interactions to be translated into design. In this manner it will consider the urban, natural and social processes within the catchment and will aim to align them through design interventions at a framework level with associated principles and guidelines. These interventions will then be designed further as applicable at a site specific level so that plans and designs can be implemented in a practical manner. Emphasis will be placed on design which guides interventions in an appropriate and holistic manner rather than a prescriptive set of constraints.Reference will also be made to precedent examples elsewhere which illustrate the manner in which the “Urban River Syndrome” is being managed in other parts of the world. |
Newsletters about the concept and progress of the project
No 1. Making room for an urban river The Liesbeek Life #1
No 2. The urban river syndrome – what could be done about it? Liesbeek Life Plan #2 August 2014 (2)
No 3. AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES Liesbeek Life Plan #3 September 2014
No 4. Landscapes that enrich and enable public attitudes and actions The Liesbeek Life #4
No 5. Leading change in urban water management Liesbeek River Life Plan # 5