Architecture

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Open Access
Gerhard Moerdyk - sy lewe en werk
(University of the Free State, 1980) Cooper, C. A.
Abstract not available
Open Access
'n Opvoedkundige akwarium vir Bloemfontein
(University of the Free State, 1988) Kruger, Barend J.; Yuill, D.
Afrikaans: 'n Akwarium is 'n houer of inrigting waarin lewende waterdiere en plante aan die publiek ten toon gestel word met die doel om leersaam te wees, vermaak te verskaf, te dien as wetenskaplike navorsing en/of om 'n dekoratiewe ornament (Encyclopeadia Brittanica, 1986, p. 152). Hierdie skripsie is 'n ondersoek na die verskeie aspekte wat die ontwerp van 'n opvoedkundige akwarium sal beïnvloed. Deur die ondersoek sal bepaal word wat die mees geskikste grootte, vorm, struktuur en beplanningsprinsipe sal wees vir 'n opvoedkundige akwarium vir Bloemfontein. Aan die einde van die bespreking is 'n ontwerpskema wat die akwarium sal uitbeeld soos deur die verskeie bevindinge van die ondersoek voorgeskryf is.
Open Access
Architecture on paper: a study on the significance of imaginary architectural space
(University of the Free State, 1998) Bitzer, Martie; Smit, Jan D.
𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲
Open Access
The poetics of architecture: a house of culture for the Khomani San
(University of the Free State, 2006) Auret, Hendrik Andries
The Poetics of Architecture serves as a theoretical basis in an attempt to understand and interpret the poetic qualities of san life in a contemporary investigation of an ancient culture- a society oscillating between formal (scientific/modern) and informal (traditional) knowledge- thought and feeling. The most comprehensive effort to preserve the cultures and traditions of the San resulted from a remarkable tale revolving around two families: on the one hand there lived a German immigrant and Philologist, Doctor Wilhelm Bleek, his wife Jemima and their four daughters, and Jemima’s unmarried sister, Lucy Lloyd. On the other hand were an extended family of /Xam San from the North Western Cape (Skotnes 1996: 93). The Bleek and Lloyd archive is a 13,000 page record documenting this relationship. The organization of this archive will serve as base for the ordering and structure of this thesis. The Bleek and Lloyd records seem to maintain a linear progression with a /Xamtext in the right hand column and an English translation on the left. The stories and the method to measure the timeframe of their occurrence were, however, not linear. To accommodate this, a parallel text was used on the left hand page. The story was hereby made multi-dimensional and the process of reading was made an active and mobile process (ibid: 23). In this sense the depth and richness of the world surrounding the stories was revealed. This method will serve as instrument to uncover the many hidden strands of thought that run through this text on a parallel plane. San thoughts and ideas (narratives), illustrations, related subjects, poems or precedents accompany the main text as a thread- tying together and uniting a wealth of ideas and resources. Another method used to “unconceal” the deep-rooted nature of these ideas is found within an analogy with the bow. The bow has been a constant companion in the pursuit to relate architectural investigations with San ideas. It is a touchstone that closely follows John Ruskin’s (Selections from the writings of John Ruskin: 384-385) ideas regarding poetics of the first order: a place of fiery subjective passion accompanied by a steady, logical mind that can unwaveringly convey the rational truth. The bow oscillates between these poles. The bow is held in place by the string. The string constantly struggles against the forces of the branch. When the string is broken, tension fades and all is lost within the complacency and cold, unfeeling gaze of the poet of the second order (no light or heat). The bow-in constant tension- is a call towards the poetic. The string can not remain broken...
Open Access
Workplace planning and design standards in South Africa: office planning and evaluation standards for South Africa
(University of the Free State, 2008-10) Esterhuysen, Wilandi; Smit, J. D.; Le Roux, P. C.
English: The importance of workplace environmental conditions in improving and sustaining the productivity of end-users in offices was recognised. Developments in offices to support diversity in work style and work processes in offices have become a field of study in more advanced countries in Europe and Japan. This lead to the investigation of the standards of offices in South Africa, a fast developing country. The workspace influenced the level of success brought by the individual to the company. Facility managers realised the importance of end-user optimum productivity and the influence of end-user satisfaction in a competitive marked worldwide. What are the standards of South African offices, and what are the guidelines used to plan the ideal workspace? A study of the methods of the developed countries like Japan’s New Office Promotion Association (NOPA), and the Netherlands’ Centre for People and Buildings (CfPB) was used as a case study to provide guidelines as to what is important when planning a workspace, to end in the optimal physical resource. A comparison of these standards with the National Building Regulations (NBR) and its companion, the South African National Standards (SANS 10400), lead to the conclusion that the regulations set to plan offices was underdeveloped and therefore opened a field of research to develop a set of proposed guidelines. The standards of NOPA and CfPB were compared with the available standards from SANS 10400 and NBR to create a document with recommended minimum standards for workplace environments in South Africa. By using these recommended minimum standards as an evaluation instrument, a nationwide company, Telkom, was approached for participation on the bases of case study research to determine the quality of office environments in South Africa compared to the set standards concluded from other countries. The company was evaluated by using the Post Occupation Evaluation (POE) method introduced by Wolfgang Preiser (Preiser,1988:4). Performance evaluative research in workplace environments is a form of evidence-based research which aims to assess the functionality and serviceability levels of a specific facility on the basis of its ability to support and facilitate diverse work styles, as well as the user-needs and -requirements associated with it. The evaluation process was conducted according to the principles of an investigative-level Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) study, and aimed to assess the impact of stimuli from the workplace environment on the ability of users to optimally perform and accomplish work-related tasks. Conclusions drawn from this study indicated that users realise the impact that the overall work environment has on their ability to work productively. In this regard problems related to limited or inconvenient access to office resources, and problems related to poor thermal comfort (specifically with regards to the penetration of direct sunlight and lack of control over air-conditioning) occurred with a similar frequency. The results from this study were compared to the current regulatory standards in an attempt to create updated minimum standards. Since workplace environmental performance evaluation is still a new approach to the study of the built environment in South Africa, it is expected that data obtained through this study will contribute towards the founding of a database on workplace office environment standards in South Africa. By building up a database of this nature, it would be possible to enable comparative evaluations with international examples from researchers participating in cross-cultural evaluations of workplace environments as part of research initiatives. Most importantly, data and results generated by this study will enable valuable feedback to participants in the study in terms of facility performance, employee satisfaction, and factors that inhibit/enhance productivity.
Open Access
A design study for a centre for rural development and social upliftment
(University of the Free State, 2010) Olivier, Sancha; Ras, Jan
Project background: The design is a centre for rural development to incorporate the different sectors of the community in Carnarvon in the Northern Cape, specifically focusing on the poorer areas. The complex has three main sections, namely commercial, educational and production. The client is Kareeberg municipality and the Heritage committee of the town that forms the link with the inhabitants. The commercial section of this project will be the generator of income where space can be rented for other businesses consisting of formal and informal areas. The program arose from the needs of the community. Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will provide funding for the project as part of their community projects. The project originated from an interest in the social impact of architecture. Carnarvon was considered as a possible area after an introduction to Miss. Anita Venter. Miss. Venter is a researcher at the faculty of Economic and Management sciences’ Centre for Developmental Support, at the University of the Free State. She is currently busy with her PHD in social housing. The project developed in the Karoo, after a visit to Carnarvon and interviews with Mr. Heinrich Jansen and the community. Mr. H. Jansen is the Chairman of the Heritage Committee. Broad overview of the current situation: The town of Carnarvon consists of people from mixed cultural groups. It has limited natural resources, stunted development over time, and a slow economic growth rate. The main characteristic is the marked socio-economic deprivation, and the visible effects thereof, such as dilapidated houses, limited job opportunities, severe poverty, and alcohol abuse. The town carries the developmental layout of so many segregated towns from the apartheid era, where there is a definite separation between the poorer and wealthier areas. The typology in the area is typical Karoo vernacular. The locally available building materials are earth bricks, fired bricks, stone, and reeds. It is quite clear that the historical development, both from an architectural and socio-economical point of view, determined the current situation in Carnarvon and that outside influences played a minor role. Research progress: Through conversations with Miss. A. Venter and Mr. H. Jansen, the need for a community development centre was identified. Carnarvon was visited and interviews with the community were conducted. The purpose was to discuss the availability of a suitable site. As such, a site was identified, and further interviews were conducted in order to gather relevant information pertaining to the design of the centre. The process ran over a period of one week and the following was documented: - The socio-economic status, - The architectural character, - Traditional building methods concerning earth construction. During a second visit, significant results were obtained from an informal study conducted with the help of some of the children in the town to better understand the spatial perceptions of the people of Carnarvon. An investigation was also conducted into the surrounding areas, including the town Williston and settlement, Van Wyks Vlei, to investigate building materials and skills availability. A final visit was conducted in order to take further site measurements and to take part in the Williston’s winter festival helping with the game stand as most of the population of Williston participated. Through the design process, concept sketches were sent to the Heritage committee of the town for feedback on the design. Conceptual drawings and models were developed. The theory is integrated with the practical applications throughout the design process. The process was duly documented, resulting in this document.
Open Access
Kuns en die kommunikasie van andersheid
(Department of Communication Science, University of the Free State, 2010) Roodt, Anton
Abstract not available
Open Access
A paradox of poisonous beauty: water desalination plant and urban wetland on Main Reef Road Johannesburg
(University of the Free State, 2011) Pretorius, Marko
The past decade has been witness to a resurgence of interest in ecologically sustainable thinking about the design and management of reclaimed, post-industrial landscapes. As a result, landscapes that were not previously considered fit for habitation, are now being rehabilitated and redeveloped for new uses. This project engages in a discourse about thoughts on landscape, and investigates techniques to the task of transforming out dated and disused post-extraction landscapes through design.
Open Access
Revalidating vernacular techniques for a sustainable built environment by way of selected examples in the Eastern Cape
(University of the Free State, 2012) Steenkamp, Colleen Avice; Bosman, Gerhard; Peters, Walter
English: Contemporary design and construction methods often entail large amounts of wastage, high construction costs, high energy consumption for heating and cooling, and thus a large carbon footprint, which limits their sustainability. While South Africa’s granting of much-needed houses to the indigent population is noteworthy, the quality of these houses sometimes leaves much to be desired. In addition, the cultural identity of the inhabitants of these houses is being lost. The purpose of this study is to determine if vernacular architecture and building techniques could be a possible solution to the above-mentioned problems concerning contemporary design in the Eastern Cape. Five case studies were conducted for this research. The first involved a perception analysis – through a questionnaire – of inhabitants of vernacular and contemporary homes in uMasizakhe, Graaff-Reinet. The next two case studies involved documenting the now-demolished Luxolweni community on the outskirts of Hofmeyr and three now-demolished rondavels surrounding Hofmeyr. The last two case studies are of recently-built contemporary designs. The first is a vernacular building in rural Centane and the second is a building steeped in innovations for sustainability in East London. The main results from the study revealed that the material properties of vernacular buildings are in many ways superior to their contemporary counterparts (these houses are cooler in summer and warmer in winter), vernacular homes are considered socio-culturally acceptable by their inhabitants, vernacular techniques can be successfully incorporated into contemporary architecture and that innovations can be incorporated within vernacular architecture for longevity. It was concluded that vernacular architecture has the potential to improve human settlements and the sustainability of the built environment, as well as strengthening the cultural identity of the local populace. This research is relevant in a country where buildings are often unsustainable and housing is lacking, as it offers a potential solution to these problems.
Open Access
The historical development of farmstead architecture in the Brandwater Basin of the Eastern Free State up to union
(University of the Free State, 2012) Du Preez, Jacobus Lodewikus; Peters, W. H.
English: Shelter forms part of the means of maintaining oneself within a landscape. Temporary forms of shelter often develop into a house, as a more permanent form of shelter. Once the house has taken form, it also acts as a sign of a foothold on the landscape from where influence can be furthered. A farmhouse is a part of that tradition but agriculturally based. A farmstead usually includes the most important house on the farm and its associated structures. It forms the centre from where control is exercised over a demarcated part of the landscape, which is the farm. Early farmhouses are therefore associated with a series of ideas like settlement, social interaction, control, ownership, farms, farmsteads, houses and shelter. These ideas are viewed conceptually differently by different cultures. Within a culture the ideas change as time goes by and are influenced on the most basic level by the resources found in the landscape. This study endeavors to collect and document the physical evidence of the early farmhouses in the Brandwater Basin area. It is a vernacular architecture particular to the Eastern Free State, unified by the use of the sandstone that is available on the landscape as building material. The collection is limited to houses built before the end of the Orange River Colony in 1910. The architectural development that followed on the initial structures is also considered. The purpose of this study is to extend knowledge of this critical phase of the development of the area. It is the phase in which a new tradition was introduced to the area, which up to this day forms the basis on which control over the physical landscape is regulated.
Open Access
A study of the life-cycle, re-use and adaptation of places of worship in Bloemfontein from 1948 to the present, with specific reference to the Afrikaans Reformed Churches
(University of the Free State, 2013-02-01) Verster, Wanda; Peters, Walter
English: The aim of this study is to determine the extent of successful adaptations of church buildings in Bloemfontein. The reasons behind successful adaptation and behind the demolition of other churches are analysed through case studies. A background on the socio-political history, geographic location and the development of the design of religious architecture provides the context for the case study analysis. It was found that centralised auditorium churches, especially those designed for the Afrikaans Reformed Churches, between the 1930s and late 1950s are most likely to be demolished rather than be adapted. Modern designs, with linear elements and basic plans are more easily adapted to fulfil completely new functions. Less inherent symbolism in the design further improves the possibility of adaptation. The design of future buildings for religious worship should not necessarily abandon the symbolism associated with churches. The focus should rather be on designing buildings that can provide the atmosphere that facilitates the attention and sense of reverence needed in these spaces, whilst planned to be adaptable to different functions.
Open Access
Raptured: a burial complex for the evacuees of Pripyat
(University of the Free State, 2013-10) Viljoen, Wynand
The paranormal nature of a rapture has been the catalyst of mysterious ideas and speculations for ages. Often forgotten is the psychological trauma that such an event will impose upon a community and also a landscape. This is especially true for instances where individuals are taken against their will, thus ripped from the daily milieu that define their identity. The name ‘Chernobyl’ would forever be clouded in mystery and be synonymous with a wide scale rapture. The nearby town, Pripyat, stands today as a ghost town remembering not only the power of the atom, but also an urban time capsule of the utopian life that was lived there. Today, this strong modernist town is only inhabited by a deafening silence, juxtaposed against the rhythmic clicking of the Geiger counter by your side. Radioactivity has been stereotyped over years as the ‘invisible enemy’. It is this characteristic that terrorizes and breaks down not only the physical body, but also the psyche of a human being. Being terrorized by a force invisible to the human eye leads to an elevated level of traumatization, scarring the body not only on a visible, but also deeper invisible level. There exists a current conflict amongst the former individuals of the town in that they clearly utopianize their life in Pripyat, but at the same time there is the lingering memory of that fateful day in April that ripped them from this utopian town. Furthermore, Pripyat still exists today with no apparent visual scarring. Thus the utopian nostalgia is juxtaposed against the fact that the town is visually and psychologically still in tact, but physically uninhabitable. Recently, the Exclusion Zone or “Zone of Alienation” has been opened to tourists and former inhabitants for brief periods of time. The site is limited to day visits only, with strict prohibitions enforced by the military on overnight stays. This thesis aims to insert a cemetorial place into the town of Pripyat, in order to ignite discourse on placemaking for death in a raptured landscape.
Open Access
The effects of climatic conditions on attitudinal changes towards earth construction in South Africa
(University of the Free State, 2014) Bosman, Gerhard; Van der Westhuizen, Diaan
English: Earth construction is an appropriate method for building houses in arid and semi-arid areas in South Africa due to its low environmental impact and responsible use of on-site resources. A South African Netherlands Research Programme on Alternatives in Development (SANPAD) project conducted by the University of the Free State’s Earth Unit focused on attitudes and perceptions towards building materials used to construct houses in poor communities. For this article, quantitative attitudinal responses from the SANPAD survey and objective rainfall and temperature measurements were analysed for the 2004 dry season before rainstorms (n=784) and for the 2006 wetter season during/ after rainstorms (n=609). Using a quasi-experimental research design, the study investigates changes in attitudes after rainstorms in relation to respondents’ preferred building materials, preferred qualities of materials, and reasons for disliking earth materials. This article reports on the results of an investigation into the effects of local climatic conditions on changes in the acceptability of building materials with a focus on earth construction. Results indicate that rainfall reinforces and intensifies people’s disapproval of earth as a building material and shift perceptions from aesthetic considerations to strength/safety/ durability. Severity of rainstorms and extreme temperatures also seem to shape people’s perceptions of materials. Perceptions of earth bricks were more negative after the storms and people became more concerned about rain. Findings suggest a link between climatic conditions and perceptions of earth constructed buildings. An understanding of the present attitudes towards earth construction is necessary in order to support traditional earth construction as an acceptable way forward in contemporary architecture.
Open Access
A journey from the centre of the earth: a National Geothermal Research and Educational Centre, Village Main, Johannesburg
(University of the Free State, 2014-09) Du Plessis, Marius; Smit, J. D.; Ras, J. W.; Pretorius, H. B.; Olivier, J. I.
This thesis aims to answer the following question: “How can development be seen as true progress if something is damaged in the process?” But in order to do so, the following questions must also be answered: • What is development? • What is environment? Development can be described as our attempt to improve our surroundings within our habitation and the environment in which we live. If we want to improve the place where we live, then development and environment should not be separated. Development should occur in such a way that the needs of contemporary society are met without denying the same for future generations. By definition conservation implies preserving something for the future. Geothermal energy can contribute by protecting our environment from drastic changes in order to save the depleting resources for our future generations. Geothermal energy is thermal energy generated and stored in the earth. The word geothermal originates from the Greek words geo, which means earth, and therme, meaning heat (energy4me, 2014: online). The earth’s heat can be attributed to friction caused by colliding plates or fluid magma to some degree, but the vast majority of heat is caused by radioactive decay (Ochse, 2013). Strictly speaking, geothermal energy is not renewable as we cannot make new energy sources to replace it, but it is however essentially inexhaustible and the correct term should actually be a persistent energy source (du Plessis, 2014). It can be considered renewable though, because it does not prey on fossil fuel reserves such as coal, oil and gas do. Unlike the burning of fossil fuels, the process emits no greenhouse gases or pollution. The recovery of high-enthalpy reservoirs can be achieved while hot fluid or heat is extracted from the same site. Generally the environmental impacts of geothermal power generation are minor, controllable and renewable. The closed loop circulation of fluids is not environmentally harmful. It is sustainable, because geothermal energy is made by the nuclear reactions taking place deep inside the earth. This causes heat energy in the core of the earth and the heat moves around inside the earth through convection. Sustainability is a journey and a process that cannot be achieved within a short period of time. It is a way of life, a way of being and a way of constantly becoming – a path of continual improvement. This thesis seizes the opportunity to explore the potential of the geothermal energy to be extracted from an abandoned Witwatersrand mine and to discover a path that leads to the fulfilment of a unique situation – to be respectful of the building site, harmonious with the natural environment, and responsive and sensitive to the program in such a way that the design turns out to be a powerful agent for change.
Open Access
A social entertainment complex, car wash- and repair shop and day care centre in Central City Bloemfontein
(University of the Free State, 2014-09) Brink, Bredell
A vibrant characteristic is present in the city of Bloemfontein which is often misunderstood and arguably misplaced in the process of urban formalisation. The rational city grid and subsequent ordered teachings have laid a foundation for functional planning and similar design methodologies which, for the most part, seem to be successful. Yet certain nodes within the city not yet contemporary formalised, seem to penetrate any form of pre-determined containment. Fragmented within this vibrant event are multifaceted typologies of places and people, densely compacted behind false facades and under arcades with a camouflage and a phenomena of perceived chaos, inflicted on the city by masses of moving things, consequently making them invisible. The obscurity of this invisible city is often disregarded with avoidance when its unimportant functions are viewed within the scope of the entirety of the urban fabric, only becoming prominent when something new has to be reintroduced. Its existence could be regarded not as a reaction to formality, but rather a different, more dynamic, form of formality – an informality. An experience which cannot be easily understood from a privileged position, a phenomenological investigation has revealed a glimpse into the inner workings of its vernacular manifestation. This thesis will attempt to informalise the formal boundaries of an existing urban block with the insertion of an entertainment complex, with subsequent functions as fragments, relevant to the multicultural narrative of places and people of the surrounding context.
Open Access
A performing arts centre: re-adapting the iconic Luxurama Theatre in Wynberg, Cape Town
(University of the Free State, 2014-09) Moutzouris, Valentino; Smit, J. D.; Ras, J. W.; Pretorius, H. B.; Olivier, J. I.
The deprived Coloured community of Eastern Wynberg, Cape Town, is in dire need of communal and recreational facilities, as well as post-matric education facilities for the youth of the community; who cannot afford to attend University. The proposed performing arts centre presents an opportunity to address these needs and create a new urban identity for the run-down Eastern Wynberg. By introducing performing arts as a post-matric programme, the community is able to participate in something that is embedded within their culture. The proposed site is situated on the premise of the abandoned Luxurama Theatre. The sites topography is relatively flat. However, it is a palimpsest of layers of history and memories, especially that of the Coloured community of Eastern Wynberg who had been using the theatre for all the years. The proposal aims to directly respond to the community’s need for post-matric education and a recreational facility. The project aims to have a positive impact within a neglected context by raising cultural awareness and promoting the idea of social inclusion, which once existed within the Eastern Wynberg community. The building aims to generate exciting open public spaces for the community, and aims to be a node within the larger art community of the Cape district.
Open Access
A cosmopolitan dialect
(University of the Free State, 2014-09) Magqashela, Avela; Smit, J. D.; Ras, W. J.; Pretorius, H. B.; Olivier, J. I.
It is estimated that, if nothing is done, half of 6000 plus languages spoken today will disappear by the end of this century (Unesco, 2009:online). With the disappearance of unwritten and undocumented languages, humanity would lose not only a cultural wealth but also important ancestral knowledge embedded, in particular, in indigenous languages. English has become the dominant language in the social and economic sectors of our society due to factors of globalization. Language carries an individual’s story and miscommunication of that story may result in a segregated community. This thesis is rooted in the idea of exploring the relationship between architecture and language. The project will focus on architecture’s ability to accommodate the transition of a sign to its representation and link with what is desired to be communicated. The proposed site (University of Free State campus) lies on the periphery of the campus, which has an accessible link to the public realm of the university. The proposed programme forms part of the universities’ agenda which focuses on the integration of the city into university life and the wider South African context. This project aims to act as a public interface of exhibitions for dialogue, lectures, and interpretation of languages.
Open Access
Transport (BRT) interchange_Bloemfontein: urban acupuncture exploration
(University of the Free State, 2014-09) Bicknell, Grant; Smit, J. D.; Ras, J. W.; Pretorius, H. B.; Olivier, J. I.
The objective of this thesis is to produce a transport interchange as an urban intervention connecting different modes of transport consisting of a BRT station, the BRT control Centre, market spaces, a public square and kitchenettes. The transport interchange will regenerate the infrastructure and CBD area in terms of a more sustainable, efficient and accessible public transport system as well as conceptually investigating urban relieve within Bloemfontein. This reactivation will look at the integration of the acupunctural space with the urban fabric as one of the catalyst methods to reactivate the city organism.
Open Access
Narrating an urban adventure: Montessori pre-school and day-care centre, Kingspark Zoo redevelopment
(University of the Free State, 2014-09) De Kock, Riana; Smit, J. D.; Ras, J. W.; Pretorius, H. B.; Olivier, J. I.
This thesis addresses the rejuvenation of a large part of the inner city. The design is motivated by the circumstances of the current urban landscape which fails to provide adequate play spaces for children. Karsten (2005 cited in Beneker, Sanders, Tani, Taylor, 2010: online) recognizes the disappearance of children playing freely in public spaces and that children only appear in the urban landscape under the strict supervision of adults. It is therefore of vital importance to incorporate this as a requirement into the brief for future urban planning schemes, and will also be addressed in this thesis. For the purpose of this thesis it is assumed that the existing premises of Bloemfontein Kingspark Zoo are proposed for low-scale lowdensity development while preserving this area as a green lung in the inner city. This inner-city development programme comprises a supervised park, coffee shop, private offices and preschool and day-care centre and is driven by the hypothetical Bloemfontein Development Agency. As part of the zoo development masterplan the pre-school and day-care centre will provide a safe and supervised space within the city for children. Bringing children to the city should mediate adults with children and generate a landscape with new characteristics by means of architecture and urban planning. The park-like landscape of the existing zoo in contrast to the ‘concrete jungle’ renders a dramatic playscape where children, protected from harm, can allow their imaginations to roam free. From children’s natural ability to translate ‘things’ of the everyday world into the obstacle and creature of an epic adventure, this thesis finds its conceptual basis. The proposed project will analogously attempt an architectural translation of the innate narrative qualities of children. As a conceptual basis the thesis will investigate this playscape and imaginative adventures as navigational tools for the design Spatial representation of Fairy Tales will be explored and will form part of the design rationale with the intention of generating exhilarating spatial experiences.
Open Access
The acceptability of earth constructed houses in central areas of South Africa
(University of the Free State, 2015) Bosman, Gerhard; Steÿn, Das; Van der Westhuizen, Diaan; Atkinson, Doreen
English: The traditional earth building techniques of South Africans are well documented, but little research reflects the current perceptions of these building materials and techniques. The thesis explores the factors (independent variables) that can be addressed in order to make earth constructed houses in general more acceptable in central areas of South Africa. The thesis draws on data obtained from the SANPAD project (South Africa-Netherlands Research Programme on Alternatives in Development) with a household survey (n=1790) from respondents regarding their perceptions and attitudes towards earth construction. Multiple qualitative and quantitative responses were recorded both for and against the use of sun dried earth blocks (adobe). Correlation and regression analyses were used to test for the characteristics (significant variables) that influence the acceptability of earth constructed houses. The findings show that respondents regard traditional earth building materials as inferior. Negative attitudes were found to be linked to the structural performance of unbaked earth materials regarding stability in wet conditions and maintenance. Limited other studies confirmed the low acceptability of traditional earth constructed walls. Regression analysis could not confirm that personal and household characteristics are associated with the housing, context and acceptability characteristics. Correlation analyses confirmed that certain housing characteristics (basic services such as water born toilets connected to sewerage systems, running water and electricity) influence the acceptability of traditional earth constructed houses. Correlation analyses confirmed that context characteristics (location and area types) influence the acceptability of traditional earth constructed houses. Furthermore, the data and literature confirm that the building culture (available material and buildings skills) and upward social mobility together with Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) houses (with basic services) influence the acceptability of traditional earth constructed housing. The findings concluded that attitudes toward traditional earth construction are more positive in 1) informal urban areas where informal houses do not have access to basic services and 2) rural households where the building culture dictates the norm even without basic services. The effects of conformity, imitation and upward social mobility were confirmed, as stated by the literature and the data. Together with upgraded earth construction techniques (such as cement stabilised compressed earth blocks or bricks) wall components for earth buildings in parts of central South Africa may be more acceptable. The hypothesis is that if the influencing factors on the acceptability of traditional earth constructed housing are known, it can be used in the promotion of contemporary earth construction. The thesis aims to promote contemporary earth construction techniques. This thesis states that the public should be equipped and educated about the importance of preserving existing forms and methods of earth construction, in order to support useful applications within contemporary architecture.