We partner with governments, NGOs and private sector entities seeking to use design and development strategy to trigger positive social, economic and environmental impact.
We see urbanism and design as strategic generators of opportunities which, if carefully calibrated by a research and design team, can yield results beyond physical interventions.
Designing a shared future
We work for and with communities.
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In hundreds of African languages, "Bantu" means "people." Our approach is people-centric by design. We work with a variety participatory tools to make decision-making processes around design choices accessible and assessable by all. Participation is the basis of our approach, providing various platforms for effective engagement at a multitiude of inter-connected scales.
What We Do
Bantu Design & Research is a collaborative sustainabilty, urban development, and participatory planning firm based in Johannesburg, South Africa, with satellite offices in Kigali, Rwanda and Barcelona, Spain.
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Our work is characterized by an integrated approach to design, urbanism, and strategic planning, spanning from policymaking, to nature-based solutions, to design & construction projects, all with the common denominator of a participatory problem-solving approach.
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Our abilities and experience range from community participation in planning and design, to strategic and policy initiatives, to sustainability consulting and nature-based solutions. We undertake commissioned research and design challenges at multiple scales.
Our approach is based on the transformative role of co-design, and aims at operationalizing nature-based solutions as tools for micro-level action inside complex urban landscapes.
Rigorous research and deep participation form the basis of all of our work, enabling us to generate specific impact strategies to spark positive change in every project.
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By leveraging our expertise in combination with local and institutional knowledge, we seek to maximize the value of both design interventions and built environment policy.
Holistic Development
Our focus is on creating sustainable, community-centered designs that foster positive social, economic, and environmental impacts. We view design as a strategic tool to generate opportunities, emphasizing rigorous research and deep community participation in our processes. Our integrated approach combines urbanism, strategic planning, and sustainability to produce strategies that are functionally transformative. By leveraging local and institutional knowledge, we aim to maximize the value of our design interventions and create environments that are just, ethical, and equitable.
Sustainability & Resilience
Sustainability and resilience are at the core of our work. We prioritize nature-based solutions and innovative design strategies to create built environments that adapt to and mitigate climate challenges. Our approach ensures that developments are not only environmentally responsible but also enhance community resilience through ownership, enhancing long-term viability. Approaching the work from a systemic thinking point of view, we believe in the value of working towards more balanced, synergistic and effective socio-ecological systems: where people and nature thrive to each others' benefit, and where the philosophy of ubuntu grounds the work.
Where We've Worked
Our team members have broad international experience in professional design practice, research-by-design, policy analysis and formulation, capacity building & training, as well as teaching and academic research, spanning across Africa, Europe, North and South America, the Middle East, and East Asia.
We have applied our approach in design, research and policy projects throughout much of Southern and Eastern Africa, and seek to expand the cause of just, ethical, equitable and sustainable development through integrated design and research approaches.