Hillbrow has always been intense, alive and complicated – and that is exactly why it is the right place to test a bold, health-led regeneration model. The Hillbrow Health Precinct initiative, developed in partnership with the Wits Health Institute, explores a new way of rebuilding neighbourhoods by anchoring them around hospitals, clinics, training institutions and research hubs. 

Current workstreams focus on three catalytic opportunities. The first is the creation of an Early Childhood Development centre within an underused facility, turning dormant space into a safe, future-shaping environment for young children. The second is engagement with the City of Johannesburg on reclaiming the Florence Building, unlocking its potential as part of a safer, better-managed civic cluster. The third is a strategic assessment of the vacant Old Hillbrow Hospital site and its future redevelopment potential within a wider, integrated precinct vision. 

Together, these strands form the backbone of a long-term precinct plan that treats health infrastructure not as isolated buildings, but as anchors for housing, social services, learning spaces and public life. The aim is simple but ambitious: to prove that a neighbourhood known for strain and decline can become a prototype for inclusive, health-centred urban regeneration in Johannesburg.