Henry Mathys Presents Social Inclusion and Placemaking Strategy
After breakfast, we welcomed Henry Mathys to the podium as our guest speaker. Henry is Programme Manager: Social Inclusion and Placemaking at the V&A Waterfront. His current focus centres on socio-economic inclusion and eco-system development with a view to create an enabling environment for innovation, job creation and economic growth.
Development Vision: Linking the City to the Sea
We were incredibly privileged on Friday to listen to a fascinating address by Henry Mathys on the Development Vision of the V&A Waterfront linking the City to the Sea, placing a strong emphasis on a connected, legible and well-defined public realm that links to the water and public amenities, both physically and virtually (see slide above).
Granger Bay Expansion: R20 Billion Marine Reclamation Project
The Waterfront and Growthpoint are busy with several projects, including the Granger Bay expansion, marine reclamation, a new super-luxury hotel, and a luxury mall expansion, among others.
Henry shared that the V&A Waterfront has already commenced work on its ambitious more than R20 billion expansion towards Granger Bay, which will see the reclamation of roughly 3.2 hectares of land from Table Bay. This is the equivalent of nearly five football fields (see slide above). This public amenity will include areas for marine education, coastal pedestrian walkways, tidal pools, a slipway, fixed quayside, boating, snorkeling and kayaking.
Shared Value Business Model: Creating Economic and Social Impact
“We are most likely to DO WELL in business if, at the same time we are also DOING GOOD for society. In other words, success hinges on creating economic value for ourselves in a way that simultaneously produces value for society by addressing those needs and challenges that intersect with business. The ‘eco-system’ dimension of our strategy recognises that in a precinct such as this, almost unlimited opportunities exist for mutually beneficial collaboration – the 1 + 1 = 3 principle. This means that every decision we make as a business will be measured against how it maximises the positive impact for all the stakeholders in our business ecosystem.”
Small Business Impact: 50% Women-Owned Enterprises
Henry also eluded to the impact that small business was and is having. Crafting was a new kind of business. 50% of small business were owned by women.
Traffic Solutions and City Collaboration for Development Success
On conclusion, one of the questions raised was how traffic congestion could impact this development.. Henry assured us that they were working with the City to ensure these challenges were addressed. Spiro thanked Henry sincerely for an exciting, informative presentation. 👏👏
