Ockert van Heerden, Corobrik director of sales, said that Little Manhattan had definitely raised the bar when it came to the provision of affordable accommodation within South Africa's continually growing urban built environment.
Although the initial reason for the choice of this product was its durability and need for little, if any, maintenance, clay brick - and face brick in particular - came with a desirability factor and status. This introduced the concept of quality of life into the entry-level housing sector.
In keeping with government's vision for affordable housing, Little Manhattan moves beyond being an aesthetically pleasing environment to being a blue print for an integrated human settlement. It has been described as a truly sustainable empowerment project that has been intentionally designed to incorporate the likes of convenience and accessibility - concepts that would not ordinarily be assigned to affordable, rental accommodation.
The first three phases of this R2,4bn project have been completed and the total of 410 units are already occupied.
Van Heerden said he believed that the success of projects such as Little Manhattan hinged on a good balance between aesthetics and practicality. Face brick had exactly this combination and was hard wearing, required little maintenance but still had aesthetic appeal.
"Positive characteristics include affordability, longevity, and structural strength, flexibility in design and application, natural sound proofing qualities, incombustibility, natural resistance to fire, solidity and security. The enduring natural earthy colours and textures of clay face brick walls significantly reduce maintenance costs," he said.
He said that five overseas and three South African studies indicated that clay bricks promoted healthy living which was particularly important in an environment populated by young families. "The inorganic qualities of fired clay deliver mineral content that guarantees a nearly pollution free indoor air quality which is particularly relevant in a home environment. A natural propensity to absorb and release humidity from the atmosphere provides a good moisture balance inside apartments and protects against mould growth which is widely recognised as a contributing factor to sick building syndrome."
Van Heerden added that one of the most important attributes of clay brick was its good thermal performance. Scientific research has demonstrated that clay brick structures are warm in winter and cool in summer and, as a result, cut energy usage substantially.
Van Heerden concluded: "Sustainability requires that we continue to build projects that are able to endure, with little maintenance and definitely no materials replacement, way beyond a 100 year lifecycle. Clay brick is the one man-made walling material that has proven to be more than up to the task."
