Masters Degrees (Architecture)

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Biophilic placemaking: rooting aquaponics in the landscape of the Eastern Free State
(University of the Free State, 2021) Viljoen, Carissa; Smit, J. D.; Smit, P.; Ras, Jan; Raubenheimer, H.
How can we as architects build a new world of sustainable beauty? This thesis posits that it is possible by learning from nature. Biomimicry and permaculture look at nature as a catalogue of products that have undergone a 3.8 billion year period of research and development. Given this level of sophistication, biophilic and permaculture theory argues that it makes sense to break down the patterns and principles of the natural environment into building blocks that can be applied to the built environment. This thesis explores the notion of how these sustainable design strategies, can be applied to the design of a site (an aquaponic Lifestyle Farm) to create a sense of place, or genius loci, that can connect us with the wider natural world in order to break down the human-nature dichotomy. By creating an evocative, emotional connection and interaction with the natural environment, the aim of this project is to bring humans into alignment with the natural world and the sustainable practices that we need to adopt in order to ensure our survival within it.