Architect Paulo Moreira redesigns security patrol structures into communal place of safety
In Johannesburg’s Stjwetla informal settlement, architect Paulo Moreira has redesigned security patrol structures into communal places of safety for the community. Titled ‘Safety Shelters’ the project transforms the settlement’s conventional guard hut from a closed-off, access controlled “architecture of fear”, into an open, dignified spaces that encourages visibility and protection. The project was developed in response to the community’s patroller volunteer group ‘K Stjwetla’ to address rising crime rates. The shelters were built with residents, students and community artisans, using repurposed materials to keep construction affordable and sustainable.
Two prototypes were co-created and the construction process involved an on-campus based summer school which introduced students to hands-on fabrication alongside community artisans, while on-site construction tested adaptable, low-cost techniques in the settlement’s changing environmental conditions. The resulting structures offer greater visibility, protection and a sense of community. One features a roof made from recycled steel drums, while the other takes an open triangular form with built-in benches. During the day, both become shaded gathering spaces, offering residents a place to meet.
The collaborative design-build process also established new relationships between community members, municipal officials and the Urban Safety Reference Group. Developed through the University of the Witwatersrand’s Centre for Urbanism and Built Environment Studies, Safety Shelters is a locally driven design project to alleviate urban inequality and foster safety and inclusive public spaces.
