RAIN AS RESOURCE: Rainwater Harvesting and Social Interaction

Abstract

This project was carried out in collaboration with Melusi Youth Development Organisation, MYDO, a youth center located in the informal settlement Melusi in Pretoria, South Africa. The area is shaped by significant socio-economic inequalities and limited access to essential services such as sanitation, electricity, and clean water (IIED, 2022). MYDO provides both a safe and supportive study environment for children, as well as training programmes for youths to strengthen their skills and improve future employment opportunities (MYDO, 2026). The aim was to co-create, together with MYDO, a scalable and adaptable intervention that addresses water management challenges while improving social spaces. Through a frugal design approach, emphasizing locally resourced materials, the prototype shows how simple and effective solutions can inspire similar initiatives in other contexts. Codesign and co-building methods played an essential role throughout the project, with workshops and meetings strongly shaping both the design process and the final outcome. The water harvesting bench is a modular structure designed to serve multiple functions, including rainwater harvesting, social interaction, and gardening. Constructed from reused materials sourced on site, the bench can be adapted and replicated in different scales and variants.