Intaka Island Eco-Centre selected as 2014 World Design Capital project

THE Intaka Island Environmental Education Centre, the hidden gem of Century City, has received a major accolade by being selected as a 2014 World Design Capital project.

Intaka Island and its Eco-Centre have been hailed as a current and real example of urban development and nature conservation successfully working together to provide innovative and sustainable solutions to development challenges and maximising these into long-term educational opportunities.

Intaka Island came about through a novel collaboration of property development and nature conservation.

When development of Century City started in 1996, it faced the combined challenge of conserving the existing wetland ecosystems, as well as maintaining the clean, safe waterways that were incorporated into the precinct design. The solution was inspired by nature, with an 8ha ephemeral pan being declared a conservation area and an adjacent 8ha wetlands area redesigned and constructed to perform a natural water purification system for the 7.5km of canal water on site. This water is pumped into the reconstructed wetland and, through gravity flow, makes its way through the different ponds before re-entering the canal system with each pond via the use of indigenous plants providing a different natural cleaning process and, in so doing also maintaining the overall ecosystem, specifically bird life.

Ate such a space, furthermore incorporating the physical building into the curriculum specific and tailor made educational programs and allowing its transformation from classroom to function venue. Intaka (meaning bird in isiXhosa) hosts a range of exciti