Client: City of Ekurhuleni
Budget: R12 600 000
Completed: 2009

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The upgrade of the Spruitview Multipurpose Park had remained in the planning stage for many years. Eventually, the project was given the go-ahead in June 2009 and was completed in December 2009. 
The City of Ekurhuleni’s intention for the park’s development was to establish a multipurpose park for community use with the emphasis being on providing a venue for a host of activities that were not always sports-related. The park also needed to cater for various functions without impinging on other public activities. 

Outer Space Landscape Architects was brought on to take an approved master plan and turn it into a practical solution that optimised the return on investment and community benefits. 
There has always been a demand from clients to consider the environment in the planning stage, and so Outer Space Landscape Architects made provision for various green design elements such as solar heating and lighting where necessary. Another provision that needed to be made in the plan was the use of local workers in the park’s labour-intensive construction. 
In terms of the geological considerations, the design needed to take the moderately steep dolomite into account. This saw the project being divided into two principal phases with extensive earthworks taking place during the first phase. The second phase was more complex as it required the construction of several new elements such as two toilet blocks, a lapa, caretaker’s house, amphitheatre, play park and skateboard park. Pedestrian paving was laid, irrigation installed and the planting of trees and lawn completed this phase. 
The master plan had made provision for a water park, but on discovery of dolomite soil, this had to be removed from the plan. 

At completion, the park is now home to 8 000 square metres of sports fields as well as an amphitheatre. As they say, there’s always room for improvement and so the design process also made provision for the possible future development of the area. 
The success of the park’s new design was recognised by the 2011 ILASA Awards of Excellence with Outer Space Landscape Architects receiving an Excellence in Design award for the project. The panel described the park’s design as going “beyond competence to a balanced design approach which addresses functionality and appropriateness while employing sensible plant choices.”