BTech Project - Department Of Home Affairs

Department Of Home Affairs Fly Through from Marise Rothman on Vimeo.

Owing to a personal experience I decided to base my Btech Project on the Bellville Department of Home Affairs.  In my opinion the service was suprisingly efficient but it was the actual environment which was troubling.

My main goal was to create an office which represents transparency and accessibility and thus my first step was to relocate the current offices from the first to ground floor with one main entrance to emphasize unity, equality and fairness.  The entrance has also strategically been placed for ease of access for members of the public from either directions.  The glazed facade enforces transparency and establishes a visual connection between government and public.  Once inside the space one should feel a sense of openness and the freedom to move around.  A variation of textures and colours have been used to represent our country's diversity.  Also, the curved bulkheads above the counters is my representation of unity in diversity as the curves tie the various built elements together.

Each citizen states their reason for coming to the Home Affairs at the ticket desk, which is located upon the entrance of the building, so that they can receive a numbered ticket (this is the new system which has been implemented by the government).  My solution was that each numbered ticket has a colour code; instead of using signage (which is mostly English), each department has been colour coded too.  In this case people can relate the colour on their ticket to the specific desk where they need to be.

From the ticket desk citizens will move towards the main destination which is the waiting area (this area is visible from point of entry).  In this area is a main feature which accommodates the screens which visually displays the next number to be served;  citizens face this feature while waiting.  Light boxes have been incorporated which light up in the specific colour of the number which is being called out.  Ample surfaces also allow to display works of art from members of the community.

Staff offices have been placed on the first floor in the double volume space.  In order to create such a double volume space I have suggested to cut away some of the existing slabs.  All of the existing columns have been incorporated within the new design.  The offices are visible from the ground floor through means of glass partitions to maintain the visual connection between the government and the public.