Salt Architects

Aquifer Recharge Plant

Aquifer Recharge Plant 

SALT Architects

Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers

ARCHITECTS
Salt Architects

DESIGN ENGINEERS
Water & Wastewater Engineering

PROJECT MANAGERS
Jg Afrika

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS
Jg Afrika, Wa Structural Design

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERS
Peregrine Consultants

FIRE CONSULTANTS
Pmc Consultants

CONTRACTORS
Stefanutti Stocks

PHOTOGRAPHS
Karl Rogers

AREA
15865 M²

YEAR
2024

LOCATION
Cape Town, South Africa

CATEGORY
Industrial Architecture

Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers

Text description provided by architect.

The Cape Flats Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) plant is a pioneering response to Cape Town's water crisis, offering a sustainable solution to safeguard the city's future water supply.

Situated within the False Bay Nature Reserve in Pelican Park, this facility addresses the need for sustainable water management by purifying treated effluent to potable standards and recharging the Cape Flats Aquifer.

Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers
Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers

The site, a flat sandy expanse bordered by dunes, endures strong prevailing southeasterly winds and corrosive coastal conditions, all of which informed the design approach.

At the heart of the project lies the innovative process devised by the civil engineers, of recharging the Cape Flats Aquifer, a critical water source for the region. Treated effluent is purified to potable standards and reinjected into the aquifer to maintain its levels.

Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers
Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers

This process unfolds through a series of four linear filtration buildings, carefully arranged along an artificial slope to facilitate a gravity-fed filtration system. The journey begins at the highest filtration building and descends to the lowest, where the purified water is redirected to the aquifer.

The long east-west facades of these buildings feature angled brick fins and narrow south-facing windows, creating a "gilled" aesthetic that filters light while preventing algae growth in the filters.

Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers
Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers

These facades act as membranes—not for water but for sunlight—transforming filtration into both a functional and symbolic architectural element.

The administrative building, located at the highest point of the site, serves as the "head" of the facility, standing as a marker of human interaction and management within the industrial complex.

Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers
Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers

Integrated into the first filtration building, it adopts the language of the gilled facades but introduces a subtle shift in rhythm. Here, the fins peel away to form a loose brise soleil, creating a porous, screen-like structure that filters not only light but also the transition between inside and outside.

This gesture signifies the administrative building's role as a human interface, orienting visitors and signaling arrival. Behind the brise soleil, a double-volume glazed atrium provides a light-filled yet protected entry space, welcoming users and guests.

Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers
Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers

Inside, the administrative block is organized for efficiency and comfort. The ground floor accommodates practical spaces for plant operators, while the first floor houses offices, meeting rooms, and the plant's control room.

These spaces are designed to support productivity while offering a sense of care and value to those who work here.

Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers
Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers

The project's design acknowledges the significant embedded energy inherent in the extensive concrete structures required for water retention - with walls and floors up to 600mm thick - sustainability was approached with a focus on durability and long-term resource efficiency.

Durable face brick was selected for the facades, its warm tones harmonizing with the sandy context while ensuring minimal maintenance in the corrosive environment.

The emphasis on timeless construction not only ensures the buildings' longevity but also fosters the potential for repurposing, reducing the likelihood of demolition at the end of their lifespan.

Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers
Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers

Smaller, thoughtful measures complement this approach, including reusing dune sand from site excavations as backfill, installing low-flow sanitary fittings and waterless urinals, and optimizing passive thermal strategies to minimize the need for artificial climate control.

These interventions, though modest in scale, reflect a commitment to efficiency and resourcefulness over the plant's operational lifetime.

Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers
Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers

While access to the facility is restricted, its design extends beyond utility to celebrate the dignity of infrastructure. By elevating the experience of its operators and crafting a setting of thoughtfulness and beauty, the project communicates care and inspires pride.

As a flagship initiative for the City of Cape Town, the MAR plant is not just a technical achievement but a powerful statement of the city's commitment to innovative and sustainable development.

Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers
Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers

Its design ensures it can host educational groups and visitors, serving as a tangible example of resilience in the face of water scarcity.

The Cape Flats MAR plant exemplifies how architecture can transform essential infrastructure into something greater: a place that honors its users, responds intelligently to its environment, and symbolizes the ingenuity needed to address the pressing challenges of our time.

Aquifer Recharge Plant
© Karl Rogers


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