WERK_

Together with the owners of properties in the valley, other like-minded individuals, and the community, a team of two architects, a mechanical engineer and a photographer saw an opportunity in 2013 to develop a master plan to initiate urban rejuvenation resulting in the regeneration of the inner city.  They wanted to convert the industrial nature of the buildings and spaces into the first community-based space for work and leisure in Port Elizabeth – with a similar  vibe to Cape Town’s Old Biscuit Mill.  Jacques Theron and Jan du Plessis met at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (now Nelson Mandela University).  Together they dreamed about a different kind of working space, they wanted to collaborate with different people and to be involved in the whole build-design process, while playing a meaningful part in the community and helping people.