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REJUVENATING THE WEST COAST Rocherpan Nature Reserve’s Phase 2 accommodation follows in the gentle footsteps of its Phase 1 development predecessor. While increasing the offering to guests visiting the reserve, Phase 2 also includes upgrades to the rainwater harvesting system and provision for universal access – all while maintaining a sensitive ecological footprint. W O R D S MARY ANNE CONSTABLE I M A G E S CAPENATURE/ARCHITECTURE CO-OP

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PROJECT: ROCHERPAN NATURE RESERVE PHASE 2

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bout 200km north of Cape own lies the West Coast – miles of pristine beaches, indigenous strandveld, and strangely ubiquitous white-washed Mediterraneanstyle “Cape Dutch” cottages that rise high on the edge of the sand dunes claiming the best views over the ocean. Tese characterise the typical tourist accommodation of the area, yet 25km beyond Velddrif, the Rocherpan Nature Nature Reserve breaks this monotony. monotony. Its salt water vlei stretches over 6km north towards Elands Bay. Here, sensitively designed eco-cabins perch low on the horizon, almost hovering over the landscape like birds, nestled seamlessly in their n atural context.

RESERVED FOR NATURE Te heart of the 930ha Rocherpan Nature Reserve – the seasonal pan – is usually dry between March and June, and originally formed when farmer Pierre Rocher closed off the mouth of the Papkuils River in 1988, forcing the water to flow behind the dunes, thus creating a buffer between the sea and strandveld. Te strandveld, which is endemic to the Western Cape coastal areas, areas, is an endangered end angered species and one of CapeNature’s CapeNature’s priorities is to protect this precious part of the West Coast’s natural heritage. Te reserve was relatively unknown until it was earmarked for redevelopment by CapeNature, which completed Phase 1 of the development on an existing site within the reserve in 2012. Rocherpan’s unique location, its untouched stretch of coastline and its abundance of natural birdlife, as well as its unmatched beauty, makes it an attractive location for local and international tourists. Leisure activities at the reserve include birdwatching, mountain biking, hiking, fishing, beach walks, and a swimming pool. Te busiest season is when the pan is full, generally between August and December, when visitors are attracted attracted by the rich birdlife and the blooming of the West Coast flowers. ourism manager Ramese Mathews says Rocherpan signified “a good candidate c andidate for




A PHASED DEVELOPMENT Te development was phased to minimise its impact on the sensitive surrounding environs, Mathews explains. Te Phase 1 accommodation (see earthworks issue 10) was built on the footprint of existing dilapidated buildings, which contained a lot of asbestos materials. Tese were replaced with two staff houses, four new cabins, and a new office building and stores. stores. A rainwater harvesting system with storage tanks was also installed to provide water to the off-grid site. Phase 2 was completed toward the end of 2015 and included four more cabins, additions to the offices, a new roofed parking area, a new picnic area with bird hide, braai area and ablutions, and a 400m-long raised boardwalk. With the increased roof area, upgrades to the rainwater rainwater harvesting system were implemented and a new swimming pool was completed at the beginning of 2017. As Phase 2 included adding new buildings and infrastructure beyond the existing footprint, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was required, explains architect Justin Cooke of Architecture Co-op. Co-op. A key consideration consideration of the EIA

was building within the existing impacted area, which is fairly close to the road. Mathews says this requirement did not limit the design layout – “the new units themselves are in a prime location, with views of the pan”.

THE LIGHTEST TOUCH “Te key was to minimise the impact on the existing ecosystem, on a footprint basis but also from a visual point of view,” says Cooke when discussing the “language” of the design concept. Te units are single-storey low-level lightweight timber-framed cabins, slightly raised from the ground, appearing to “float” surrounded by the 1.5m strandveld vegetation. “Te idea that one makes a building that air can circulate around helps with its environmental control,” Cooke adds. Te modest structures are clad with grey corrugated sheeting, combined wi th timber latte screening and a corrugated roof with a low rounded ridge. Te choice of corrugated corru gated aluminium cladding was guided by the need to make a durable building envelope in a harsh coastal environment and be easy for CapeNature to maintain. “A flat surface,

PHASE 1

PHASE 2

NUTSHELL Location • Rocherpan Nature Reserve, West Coast between Velddrif and Elands Bay, Western Cape Total property size • 930ha Accommodation site area • 0.5ha

PHASE 1

PHASE 2: Development dates: June 2014 - November 2015 (January 2017 for swimming pool) Accommodation: Four new 130m² units (including deck) 100m² parking area and storage 50m² refurbished existing store



The new units are single-storey low-level lightweight timber-framed cabins slightly raised, appearing to float surrounded by the strandveld vegetation. The waterless toilet (as seen on the left here) features a black box which heats up in the sun. As the moisture evaporates it is drawn up and out through a chimney.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM – A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE Sustainable tourism maintains a balance between tourism needs and the environmental needs of a specific place, which results in long-term enjoyment for future generations. Efforts to consider and maintain the natural ecology and biodiversity of an area result in an opportunity for tourists to deeply experience beautiful natural environments without impacting them negatively negatively.. “Sustainable wilderness-based eco-tourism is about properly integrating people's experiences with a particular landscape and a particular place. It gives people a profound first-hand experience of the uniqueness of each place as opposed to a branded offering,” says Justin Cooke of Architecture Co-op. Sustainable tourism also means creating

officer, ania Beattie says creating minimal impact also means limiting the number of units on a site, keeping the accommodation offering small (maximum 36 guests at Rocherpan). On the contrary contrary,, private developments don’t always prioritise this. Australia leads leads the pack worldwide worldwide with its Ecotourism certifications for sustainable tourism products. Ecotourism, in conjunction with Eco-tourism Africa, has audited and certified certain sites in South Africa, three of which belong to CapeNature (Kogelberg, Gamkaberg and Robberg). Te Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) does not yet have a rating tool for tourism buildings. A number of private concerns around around the country are driving sustainable su stainable tourism, with public entities such as CapeNature and




like traditional white plastered and painted brick, stands out in the landscape,” explains Cooke. Te ribs of the corru gated sheeting create shadows on the surface of the buildings, which helps to camouflage them. Cooke also refers to Australian architect Glenn Murcutt, who in his work drew on the Aboriginal proverb to “touch the earth lightly ”. ania Beattie, Rocherpan’s tourism liaison officer, says almost every part of the units can be dismantled and removed with little impact on the ground. “If you were to come come with a giant forklift and and pick one up, there would almost be no residual.” Te Phase 2 guest units were designed to be the same as the two staff houses built in Phase 1. Te new cabins are larger than those of Phase 1, accommodating up to five adult guests. Cooke says the Phase 2 cabins only differ from the two staff houses in the installation of solid precast concrete floors and a large universal access shower in the bathroom. More attention was paid to the water collection system and solar pumps were added and retrofitted to the Phase 1 uni ts. Te rainwater harvesting system was expanded to include collection of the run-off from the new roofs. Cooke says Phase 2 is all about universal access via raised timber boardwalks. By being raised, the biodiversity on the ground below is further protected.

NATURAL BY DESIGN Cooke says each building is first and foremost a passive entity. Te environment on the West Coast is harsh, with hot sun during the day, strong cold winds at night, and lots of moisture in the air in the mornings. Cooke says: “Te buildings are properly insulated and oriented [north] so you get sun when you want and shade shade when you don’t want sun. Te Te roof canopy shades the north side of the building and the screen on the southern side protects from the wind.” Cross-ventilation is created by tall slotted windows that act as fins when open, scooping in the air from the south and quickly cooling down the space. An efficient fireplace in the lounge area can be used to heat the building when required and the large openings on the nor th side allow in plenty of natural light. Te timber is locally grown, FSCregistered South African pine and easy to replace. Although a small amount of electricity is used for the lights and fridge, the geyser runs off solar power and the stove runs off gas. Beattie says she is slowly replacing the electrical kettles with whistling stovetop kettles as the stock ages, further reducing the electricity burden in the units.

A WATER SCARCE ENVIRONMENT

Both Cooke and Mathews say water scarcity was one of the project’s project’s greatest challenges. Beattie explains that the reserve is currently trucking in water Each unit features solar geysers on the roof and two 5000 ℓ rainwater storage tanks. from nearby Dwarskersbos Raised wooden boardwalks protect the vegetation below, and allow for universal access. (a 25km round trip) with their 5000ℓ transportation tank. Te lowest rainfall on record in the past 10 years was just 258mm and with the Western Cape’s current drought, prospects for rain are not looking good. “We are actively exploring alternative methods of acquiring and preserving the water resource at Rocherpan Nature Reserve,” says Mathews. “Over the next few years, we intend to trial several innovative technologies at the reserve.” reser ve.”




are ten 10 000ℓ tanks outside the offices and each cabin features two 5000ℓ tanks. “Water is pumped into the cabins at approximately approximately four bar pressure, and a self-regulated pump delivers a steady supply of water on demand,” explains Mathews. Te cabins also feature dry composting (waterless) toilets, which further reduce water consumption by at least 30% (compared to conventional flush toilets). Te waterless toilets by Enviro Loo are hygienic and odourless and feature an external black box that heats up in the sun . Te moisture from the waste is drawn upwards and outwards through a chimney. A mechanical fan can be switched on on to aid this process during the colder months. At intervals the dry solid material must be raked off the drying plate and taken to the sludge fields at the Velddrif Velddrif Waste Water reatment reatment Works, where it degrades back into the ground. Beattie says the solid materials are a very small percentage of the original bulk mass. Mathews says at Kogelberg Nature Reserve near Hermanus, where CapeNature first introduced the waterless toilets, they were especially well received: “We sometimes get concerned clients asking how we are going to manage the smell but they are always pleasantly surprised to find there is in fact no smell.” A large poster on the wall next to the toilet clearly explains to the guests how to use the toilets correctly. Te greywater from the older units is filtered through soakaways, and grease traps in the newer units. It then runs out via a pipe under the unit and back into the ground. Water meters have been installed in each unit for guests to observe their water consumption. Beattie says they are talking about limiting guests’ consumption to a certain number of litres per day/stay, thereafter requiring guests to pay for more. Tis will encourage guests to be mindful of water usage. Beattie says the water for the swimming pool, which has a salt water chlorinator, is groundwater

SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES • Passive design features – north-facing, overhangs and timber screens for shading, large openings for ample daylight • Natural cross-ventilation through vertical slotted windows that act as fins • Materials – FSC-certified SA pine used for timber frame structures • Water – Dry composting toilets, rainwater harvesting, water meters in each cabin, greywater soakaway. Two 5000 ℓ tanks per guest unit • Energy – Solar geysers, gas stove, wood fireplace for efficient heating • Swimming pool – salt water chlorinated, filled with groundwater from wind pump, reflective cover, artificial grass instead of waterthirsty lawn • Strandveld rehabilitation

pumped by the nearby windmill. Te water’s iron content is too high for it to be drinkable. Te pool now has a special reflective cover. “Before we installed the cover, we were losing 4000ℓ of water per week to evaporation,” evaporation,” she adds.

CLOSE COLLABORATION Cooke has worked with CapeNature on a number of projects now, including the multi award-winning Oudebosch camp at Kogelberg Nature Reserve. “CapeNature’s “CapeNature’s tourism team is ver y open to looking at new technologies and trying something innovative on each project. All of these things have come about because of a unique collaboration collaboration between us,” he says. “It’s great to see CapeNature’s readiness to engage with managing the ecological impacts of their projects in a sensitive way. Every design process is one of discovery. You have to find solutions that work for those specific locations. Tis process helps you understand constraints constraints and make decisions that that respond directly to the ecosystem. You then tailor the design to suit that.” Mathews says that in a few more years and after a few more developments in their reserves, CapeNature hopes to “lead the pack” in environmentally sustainable tourism.

SOURCEBOOK (PHASE 2) Architect: Architecture Co-op, Justin Cooke, [email protected], [email protected], www.architecturecoop.co.za, www.architecturecoop.co.za, 021 761 4455 Client: CapeNature, www.capenature.co.za, 021 483 0000 Programme manager, tourism management: Wilfred Williams, [email protected], 021 483 0071 Tourism manager: Ramese Mathews, [email protected], 021 483 0075 Tourism liaison officer: Tania Tania Beattie, [email protected], [email protected], 079 203 1092 Contractor: Bambana, Giovanni D’Ambrosio, [email protected], [email protected], 021 386 5400 Engineers: De Villiers Sheard, Case Bakker, [email protected], 021 689 2377 Quantity surveyors: AMPS QS, Heren Mannie, [email protected], [email protected], 021 551 3141

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