Alex Shed: Transforming waste into art and awareness in Alex
- Wits University
A striking new structure made from reclaimed river waste showcases the power of architecture and community-driven projects.
In a collaborative effort, students and staff of the Wits School of Architecture and Planning (SoAP), the Alexandra Water Warriors (AWW), and local artists from Stjwetla in Alexandra, Johannesburg, worked together to build a temporary structure known as the ‘Alex Shed’.
The shed is built from reclaimed materials salvaged from Johannesburg’s Jukskei River, and erected in the courtyard of the John Moffat Building at Wits University to draw attention to the ongoing pollution along the river.
The more than 300 tins and dozens of plastic bottles ‘serve as a tangible reminder of the environmental degradation affecting the riverbanks while offering a creative vision for how architecture can promote sustainability through repurposing,’ says Dr Paulo Moreira, coordinator of the project, and Centennial Postdoctoral Fellow in the Centre for Urbanism and Built Environment Studies (CUBES) in the School of Architecture & Planning.
The students, community members, and local artisans built the shed over a three-day workshop from 3-5 September 2024. They transformed the tins and bottles into a unique shading feature that defines the structure. The project also incorporated materials like metal, partially sourced from Stjwetla and local Alexandra suppliers, with all elements unified by a vibrant red colour.
“More than just a design experiment, the Alex Shed is a reminder that creative, community-driven projects can spark conversations about environmental sustainability and social justice, while inspiring future efforts to address urban challenges. The structure will remain in place for two to three months before being returned to Stjwetla, where it will continue its life as part of an artists' workshop and community garden,” says Moreira.
Participants included students Aemena Vally, Chisom Okafor, and Jason Hanger, along with members of AWW Mpho Tefo and Dineo Sithole. Their efforts were supported by local artists Claude Mtanho, Necessary Chapfuruka, and Philip Nzwenya, who shared their expertise in assembling and welding the materials.
The project is part of the Kelvin-Alexandra-Frankenwald City Studio, an interdisciplinary research initiative focused on a 3km radius around the Marlboro Gautrain Station. It addresses the persistent and deepening challenge of urban inequality in Johannesburg and South Africa by identifying parametres of spatial justice and reciprocities within this fragmented site while promoting collaborations with local stakeholders.
Moreira expressed his gratitude to everyone involved, highlighting the importance of support from the leadership, patrollers, and local representatives in Stjwetla to the team behind the pioneering initiative of the Alexandra Water Warriors. Special thanks to Anerí Heukelman, Beathur Mgoza Baker, Brigitta Stone-Johnson, Dirk Bhamann, Professor Marie Huchzermeyer, Professor Nnamdi Elleh, Sandra Felix, and Professor Sarah Charlton. The workshop was made possible through the Planning and Housing Graduate Funds, SoAP.