Touring the Site

Today, my friend Nikita and I, met Mr Shokat Alli Khan again. We met at the Engen garade opposite the site in Lenasia at 14:00. While we were waiting for the security guard, Riaz, we interviewed Mr Khan about his plans for the Desiderata Village. He emphasised that the project was not only about providing entertainment for the community, despite the large profits it will yield, but rather it is focused social development.

In 2006, City Parks proposed to build an amphitheatre at the Oupa Vets site. However, this was not approved as it did not suit the community's needs. Mr Khan's plans for restoring Oupa Vets addresses all the socio-economic issues that Lenasia has. He has been working on this project for 3 years. Since his daughter's passing, Mr Khan has made it his mission to fulfil her dream and vision of this village. His late daughter and his other children are the brains behind the Desiderata Village concept.

In order to make his vision come true, Mr Khan has to present his ideas to investors and the government. Therefore, I intend to redesign Mr Khan's presentation for this project in order to make people want to believe and invest in his plans. Design is a powerful tool of persuasion and hopefully, through a good design, Mr Khan will obtain the funds and resources he needs to make his dream a reality. I also need to design a logo for the Desiderata Village and other corporate identity elements. This will enhance the image of the project by making it more serious and professional. I also intend to design a brochure or website to inform visitors of all the facilities that the village will offer. Posters, newspaper advertisements and billboard designs will aid to promote and market the new attraction in Lenasia.

Mr Khan, like me, loves nature and in addition to creating the village, he hopes to preserve the natural fauna and flora that are present at Oupa Vets. He also wants to bring in wildlife such as zebras and buck. I need to think of a design solution for the nature reserve but I would like to incorporate it in the overall branding design of the Desiderata Village. I discussed my design plans with Mr Khan and he loved my ideas. I will have to be done with the logo and presentation by next week Friday before his next meeting.

We later took a bumpy drive through the site before the rain came. Riaz, the driver and security guard, gave us more information about what the site was like before it had been abandoned. We were concerned when the two men told us that the site was now used as getaways for thieves and criminals, dumping dirt, stolen goods and electricity cables, and also it has become a suicide hotspot. Hence, the need for a security escort. This was really hard to believe considering how beautiful the site is. They told us of the facilities that used to be at Oupa Vets before, like a golf course, water park, fishing spots and family picnic and braai areas. We also visited the old house of the 'original' Oupa Vets, hence the name of the area. The house is a historical landmark and cant be removed when the village is created. Mr Khan intends to honour the landmark by placing it within the nature reserve. Mr Khan is concerned about the amount of debris and pollution that they will first have to clean up before they can begin any development of the project, but it is not impossible with the help of the Lenasia community members.

Mr Khan hopes that the project will be completed within the next 5 years and within the next 15 years, if the project is successful, the idea can be implemented in different areas all around the country. This project not only brings hope for Lenasia, but ensures a brighter future for the entire country as well.

#Village #Community #Lenasia #Nature #Design #Graphic