Empower Shack is an interdisciplinary post apartheid housing development directed by the Urban Think Tank (ETHZ) and NGO Ikhayalami, in collaboration with the BT-Section (Site C) community of Khayelitsha, Cape Town and associated local and international partners.
Through innovative design and organisational models the project aims to upgrade informal settlements through the development, implementation and evaluation of four core components: a two-story housing prototype, a participatory spatial planning process, integrated urban systems and economic solutions. The pilot project consisting of four houses was completed in December 2015 and is currently undergoing user evaluation. The next phase will commence in February 2017 and include the incremental clearance and development of the settlement with 72 units, a community centre, water management system, landscaping and a pilot feed-in tariff solar installation. Livelihood programs include construction and upgrade facilitation apprenticeships, and community urban management. 280 residents will directly benefit from the project. Current discussion are under way with the Western Cape Government to scale up the project, as an alternative to the current Government issue solution to the housing crisis.

Credits:
- ETHZ - ARCHITECT - HUBERT KLUMPNER
- IKHAYALAMI - COMMUNITY FACILITATOR - ANDY BOLNICK
- ETHZ - ARCHITECT - SCOTT LLOYD
- ETHZ - ARCHITECT - ALFREDO BRILLEMBOURG

Credits:
- Urban-Think Tank, ETHZ - Hubert Klumpner
- Urban-Think Tank, ETHZ - Alfredo Brillembourg
- Urban-Think Tank, ETHZ - Scott Lloyd