MechChem Africa May-June 2021

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In light of the masterplan for the proposed Lanseria Smart City, Carshif Talip, Zutari’s urban planning and land infrastructure specialist, talks about the importance of robust planning for Smart Cities and the need for an integrated and flexible approach. Smart cities promote best practice in urban sustainability

A ‘smart city’ is much more than a city that is digitally enabled and brimming with technology; it is a city that leverages innovation to achieve its desired outcomes – and here innovation does not necessarily mean only technology. Thi s i s the v iew of Carshi f Ta l ip , Expertise Leader, Urban Planning and Land Infrastructure at Zutari. “A smart city is a city whereopportunity, amenity, safety, resilience, inclusivityandprosperityare imperatives, and innovation across financing, design, construc - tion, operations and governance is embraced by all stakeholders to achieve these impera- tives,” he says. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced in his State of the Nation Address on 11 February 2021 that the masterplan for the proposed Lanseria Smart City had been completed in November last year and is now available for public comment. The project is a joint initiative of the Presidency, theOffice of theGautengPremier, Tshwane, Johannesburg and Mogale. It is based on best practice in urban sustainability and the principles under- pinning the smart city concept. The fact that innovation is such an inte- gral part of smart cities makes for a natural fit between smart cities and sustainability, according to Talip. The emphasis on digital

platforms also enables data collection, and the availability of large data sets is one of the first steps towards optimisation. “While there are benefits in chasing low-hanging fruit, I believe that a more holistic approach is the more appropriate first step.” Talip asserts that proper planning is the answer to rapid urbanisation, inadequate infrastructure and polarised development. What is equally important is an integrated approach, as with the Lanseria Smart City. “A siloed approach, whether that be across the various spheres of government, the private and public sectors or even within a municipal entity itself, needs to be eliminated if we are to be successful,” urges Talip. Each stakeholder needs to have its role and contribution clearly defined and have the necessary resources to deliver. Finally, a measure of agility and fluidity needs to be built in. “Planning, in essence, is designing a path based on a predicted future. If that fu- ture changes, and one just has to look at how unpredictable2020wasdue totheCOVID-19 pandemic, the plan needs to be sufficiently adaptable to respond to change,” argues Talip. In terms of the impact of COVID-19 on futureurbanplanning requirements, oneposi- tive outcome has been that flexible working arrangements are now possible. “The need for large swathes of office spacewill certainly

be challenged, and tenantswill demandmore flexible arrangements from their landlords,” he notes. While there will always be a brick- and-mortar component to retail, there is certainly a move towards online retail. These twophenomenacouldchallengeplanningcon- cepts such as centralising commercial areas, andeven theconcept ofwhat aCBDlooks like. “This might have a profound impact on what cities look like in the future,” he suggests. Anothermore subtle impact ofCOVID-19has been the disruption of global supply chains. What will be interesting to see in the long term is if governments around the world – who anticipate more severe pandemics in fu- ture – shift towards self-reliance rather than global imports. Therefore, governmentsmight consider reigniting primary and secondary economic sectors such as mining, agriculture and manufacturing. “Should this happen, we could expect shifts in urban migration that could impact planning requirements,” predicts Talip. Zutari’s capabilities within the built environment encompass civil, structural, electrical, mechanical, fire engineering and wet services design, aswell as urbanplanning. This is supported by a proficiency in environ - mentally sustainable design (ESD) and an advanced digital capability. These multidisci- plinary services areprovidedacross theentire project lifecycle, from risk analysis, planning and feasibility studies to engineering design, documentationand construction supervision, as well as operations and maintenance. Teams deliver projects across both the public andprivate sectors andhavean impres- sive track recordofmixed-use developments, integrated human settlements and various offices, retail and leisure facilities. Some of Zutari’s award-winning projects include the Discovery head office in Sandton, the Menlyn shopping centre refurbishment in Pretoria, Atrium on 5 th , Newtown Junction in Johannesburg, 16 on Bree, 35 Lower Long in CapeTownandtheSolPlaatjeUniversitylibrary inKimberley. “Zutari prides itself on finding the delicate balance between cost, durability, function, sus- tainability, safetyandpracticality,”Talipassures. www.zutari.com

The Discovery Place precinct in Sandton, Johannesburg, part of an award-winning Zutari project, incorporates modern urban trends that are likely to become part of future Smart Cities.

40 ¦ MechChem Africa • May-June 2021