The project’s focus is the neighborhood of Mabopane in North-West Pretoria. As a remnant from Apartheid planning, the green space in Mabopane is undeveloped for recreation despite being the only green space close to many local residents. The green space is threatened by open space encroachment, flooding, and illegal dumping of waste

The area faces several challenges, such as flooding during extreme cloudbursts, pollution, drought, health issues, and social deprivation.

Together with local students and researchers, SLA is devising a series of pilot projects to reimagine and reactivate the area’s main green spaces, enhance the local biodiversity, and restore and clean the local river.

The aim is to re-activate Mabopane’s green areas both on a policy level and a practical level; to make the green spaces more healthy, biodiverse, and resilient; and to help locals reconnect with their nature and natural heritage.

CONSUS is a four-year project funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Danida Fellowship Centre and consists of researchers from Aarhus University, landscape architects and ecologists from the University of Pretoria, local South African practitioners, and our core public partners City of Aarhus / Aarhus Vand and City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.