This is the concept layout for the NewFuture eco-village on a 1.4 ha plot north of Pretoria: eight tiny-house stands around a shared community centre, with solar power, rainwater harvesting and shared resources built in from the start. All drawings are indicative concept drawings, not for construction.
Site plan on Portion A The road enters through the east gate beside the shared turning area, passes the solar carport at the north end and runs a one-way loop around the community centre. Eight stands surround the loop; the four corners are shared spaces.
10 m servitude to Sysie Rd Turning area 25 × 25 m Remainder WORK- SHOP · OFFICE Carport · 33 bays visitors East gate Loop · 4.5 m Bins · recycling parcel lockers e-bikes · e-cars charging Quiet garden Orchard Biodigester Retained bush 1 ≈ 430 m² 2 ≈ 430 m² 3 ≈ 430 m² 4 ≈ 375 m² 5 ≈ 375 m² 6 ≈ 430 m² 7 ≈ 430 m² 8 ≈ 430 m² Pool Lapa Sun lawn Herbs Herbs COMMUNITY CENTRE veranda braai Event lawn ≈ 30 × 15 m Rain garden Kids’ play 1254 1255 ≈ 89 m ≈ 95 m ≈ 159 m ≈ 146 m NewFuture · Option D · Portion A
Square Loop on Portion A
Fitted to the subdivision plan. The gate is on the east boundary, straight off the shared turning area. The road runs west into the car park at the north end, then turns south into the loop. Every house is turned 19° to face true north.
Site Portion A, Derdepoort 326-JR · 1.4 ha
Boundaries ≈ 89 N · 146 E · 95 S · 159 W m
Orientation Long axis ≈ 19° east of north
Access East gate off the turning area
Fall ≈ 3 m, east down to west
Stands 6 × ≈ 430 m² · 2 × ≈ 375 m²
Loop road 4.5 m · ≈ 240 m · one-way
Inner commons 40 × 76 m
Shared open space ≈ 3,850 m²
Parking 33 bays · solar carport
Dimensions measured off a photo of the 1 : 1,500 subdivision plan (±3–5 %). Drawn with the long side vertical; the arrow shows true north. Contours from the plan; the rain garden and biodigester sit on the low west side.
Services and water Services arrive along the right-of-way strip and follow the loop in rings. The carport and the community centre roof generate power; every stand connects at one utility pillar with its own electricity and water meter.
Turning area servitude: road + services Carport PV ≈ 80 kWp grid kiosk + main meter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 rain garden centre roof PV ≈ 34 kWp tanks Biodigester EV + e-bike charging utility room: battery inverter · water road drains to swale → rain garden low side (west) · 1253 m high side (east) · 1256 m NewFuture · Option D · Services
Services & water
Services arrive with the road through the right-of-way strip and follow the loop. The carport and the centre’s roof are the power station, the centre’s utility room is the plant room, and every stand connects at one pillar on its road frontage.
Supply in Grid, water and fibre along the 10 m servitude to a kiosk by the east gate
Solar Carport ≈ 80 kWp + centre roof ≈ 34 kWp → battery in the utility room → ring main in the outer verge (estimates)
Metering 8 pillars: MID sub-meter, water meter and fibre per stand
Water Treated in the utility room, ring main in the inner verge
Rain Centre ≈ 105 kL/yr · carport ≈ 230 kL/yr · each stand ≈ 25 kL/yr
Stormwater Road falls inwards to a planted swale that drains west to the rain garden
Sewage Sewer in the road, falling west to the biodigester + reed bed in the SW corner
Greywater Treated on each stand in mulch basins
Yields assume ≈ 700 mm rain a year and 80 % capture; PV assumes ≈ 0.2 kWp per m² of panels. The fall from east to west (≈ 3 m) lets sewer and stormwater run by gravity to the west side.
Build phases Each phase is lived in before the next one is paid for, so the village proves itself as it grows.
NewFuture · Option D · Build phases on Portion A
Grow it in three moves
The master plan’s container start-up becomes phase one. Each phase is lived in before the next is paid for, so the village proves itself as it grows.
Phase 1 · Base camp
Gate, road, services, four containers
East gate off the turning area, gravel loop, entry road and the services trench. Four containers under one shade roof where the centre will stand: energy & water, kitchen, workshop, bathrooms. Residents rent stands for tents and caravans. First carport row carries the first solar panels. Phase 2 · Tiny houses
Residents build their homes
Each household builds on its stand: container, trailer or natural build, turned to face true north. Utility pillars connected; rain tank and greywater basin per stand. Loop and entry road get their final surface once heavy deliveries are done. Base camp keeps running as the shared kitchen and bathrooms. Phase 3 · Community centre
The permanent heart
Two-storey centre: earth blocks below, timber above, pitched solar roof. Start-up containers move to storage or the workshop. Pool, lapa, lawns and the four corner pockets. Second carport row doubles the solar plant. Workshop and co-working building once demand is proven. Typical stand Each household rents a private stand with road frontage, room for a tiny house, deck and garden, a rain tank and a greywater basin. Houses face true north.
16.0 m 17.0 m Kitchen-garden beds Deck under pergola deciduous vine TINY HOUSE 10 × 3.6 m · 36 m² 5 kL tank max envelope 12 × 4.5 m Greywater basin Utility pillar Loop road · gate N 0 5 10 m NewFuture · Residential · Stand detail
Typical stand
Shown with the loop road on the south and the garden to the north. On the east and west sides of the loop the road runs alongside the stand; the house still turns to face true north.
Winter noon ≈ 41° Summer noon ≈ 88° vine pergola 0.9 m eave N S Envelope Up to 12 × 4.5 m: a 40 ft container, a trailer home or a natural build all fit.
Orientation Long axis east–west, main glazing north, within ~15° of true north.
Shading 0.9 m north eave plus a pergola with a deciduous vine (grape) over the deck.
Rainwater 5 kL tank. ≈ 45 m² roof × ≈ 700 mm × 0.8 ≈ 25 kL a year for the garden.
Greywater Shower and basin water to a mulch basin under bananas and fruit trees.
Power & water From the central systems via a utility pillar: MID sub-meter and water meter per stand.
Boundaries Indigenous screening hedge east and west, low hedge on the garden side.
Community centre: ground floor Compressed earth blocks, step-free. Dining and the chill room face north onto the veranda and join into one hall for Sunday sessions.
Vine pergola winter sun in Veranda roof terrace above · 22 m² Chill room library · games · 34 m² Dining · meeting 49 m² · 30 seats serving hatch Utility 7 m² Laundry tools · 10 m² Acc. WC WC WC Shower Shower Hall 18 m² UP Kitchen 25 m² Outdoor kitchen braai · 18 m² garden door plant room drying yard 12.6 m 3.0 m 12.6 m 3.0 m N 0 2.5 5 m NewFuture · Community centre
Ground floor
Compressed earth blocks, step-free throughout. The living rooms face north onto the veranda; service rooms line the cool south side. A folding wall joins chill room and dining into one 83 m² hall for Sunday sessions.
Dining · meeting 49 m²
Chill · library · games 34 m²
Kitchen (30 people) 25 m²
Hall + stair 18 m²
Bathrooms: acc. WC, 2 WC, 2 showers 16 m²
Laundry + tool library 10 m²
Utility: battery, inverter, water, network 7 m²
Veranda (terrace + vine pergola) 38 m²
Outdoor kitchen + braai 18 m²
Gross floor area ≈ 159 m²
Plan north matches the site plan; the arrow shows true north. Internal layout is indicative and follows the original sketch, reshuffled so the rooms people sit in get the north sun.
Community centre: first floor A light timber frame with the yoga and dance studio opening onto the roof terrace, and a fitness studio.
vine pergola below (open to the sky) Roof terrace 22 m² · over the veranda Yoga · dance studio 83 m² · sprung timber floor sliding doors to terrace Fitness studio 44 m² landing stair Mat store 8 m² Changing WC Shower 12.6 m 12.6 m N 0 2.5 5 m NewFuture · Community centre
First floor
A light, insulated timber frame on the earth-block ground floor. The yoga studio opens onto the roof terrace for morning classes outside; the fitness studio takes the even south light. Reached by stairs only.
Yoga · dance studio 83 m²
Fitness studio 44 m²
Landing + stair 13 m²
Changing, WC, shower 11 m²
Mat + equipment store 8 m²
Roof terrace 22 m²
Gross floor area ≈ 159 m²
Whole building, both floors ≈ 318 m²
Wet rooms sit over the kitchen so pipes stack. The yoga studio is vaulted up to the north–south ridge, with a glazed north gable.
Community centre: sections and roof A pitched roof with slopes to the east and west, both covered in solar panels.
PV · west slope PV · east slope 20° Chill room Dining slab folding wall Yoga · dance studio vaulted up to the ridge earth blocks timber frame 3.0 6.3 8.6 m 12.6 m W E Cross-section west–east through the chill room, dining room and yoga studio · heights in metres
Winter noon ≈ 41° Summer noon ≈ 88° Winter noon ridge 8.6 m (beyond) glazed north gable Terrace Veranda Dining Kitchen Yoga · dance Store Changing 3.0 m 12.6 m N S Long section north–south through the dining room and kitchen · shows the sun
NewFuture · Community centre
Sections & roof
A pitched roof with the ridge running north–south: one slope east, one west, both covered in solar panels. Heavy earth blocks below, light timber above.
Ground Compressed earth blocks, 300 mm, from site soil
Upper Insulated timber frame, clad
Floor Slab over the ground floor, carried out over the veranda as the terrace
Roof Pitched 20°, ridge north–south; east and west slopes; glazed gables north and south
Solar ≈ 170 m² of PV on both slopes, ≈ 34 kWp. East–west spreads output across morning and afternoon (estimate)
Rain ≈ 190 m² roof → ≈ 105 kL a year, gutters on both eaves
Heights Ground floor 3.0 m · eaves ≈ 6.3 m · ridge ≈ 8.6 m
Sun The glazed north gable floods the yoga studio with winter sun. The terrace keeps the dining room cool; the chill room’s pergola lets winter sun in
