Architecture

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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.
Open Access
Acoustic sanctuary: the South African Ayres sensory facility located on the foot of Naval Hill
(University of the Free State, 2022) Coertz, Henry Reginald; Smit, J. D.; Jooste-Smit, P.; Bitzer, M.; Raubenheimer, H.; Auret, H. A.
This project centres around repurposing a historical water reservoir and pumpstation located on the foot of Naval Hill, Bloemfontein into an alternative speech therapy centre, where architecture plays a critical role in speech therapy arguably equal to that of any professional pathologist. Apart from a reimagined speech pathologist office, the South African – Ares Sensory facility (SA-AS Facility) also incorporates a sensory park. The impetus of this project is the sensory park and the freedom of therapy that it represents. Freedom to mend a speech disorder at the tempo of the patient, though neurologically stimulating garden structures. Similar to gymnasium equipment, these follies allow patients to exercise their neurological network of senses that all contribute to address speech disorder, hence the phonic gymnasium description of this SA-AS facility. This dissertation covers complex therapeutic and theoretical topics, and the information from each chapter contains the chronologically necessary information to understand the chapters that follow. Chapter one directly starts with what is known about speech sound disorders. Chapter two contains the reinterpretation of Frank Lloyd Wright’s concepts of organic architecture in order to establish a physical form of the essence of this dissertation. From here, the discourse starts to question the communication process at an anatomical level and therefore translates the auditory defect of speech impairments to that of musical melodies and architectural rhythm. These phonic applications are then explored within architectural precedents while being related back into sound correction (Speech therapy) and mobility (occupational therapy). Chapter 3 clarifies and analysis the project goals and location within these mentioned ideals. While chapter 4 refines all the information provided into three conceptual models. These physical manifestations investigate the architectural application of scientific research and therapeutic discourse. The final chapters explain the design development and folly rationale before leading to the final design.
Open Access
Aequoreal mediation
(University of the Free State, 2022) Breytenbach, Mané; Smit, J.; Smit, P.; Noble, J.; Raubenheimer, H.; Mosidi, O.
There is something beautiful about the ocean, the intense blueness of it... so tranquil, gliding, and calming. The serene brutality, the sense of awe at the sight of it, the feeling of unknownness. For some, the ocean sparks joy and excitement; for others, fear and unease. There is a certain beauty to the diverse experiences of the ocean. Considering that more than 70% of the earth’s surface is covered with the ocean, one would believe that humans would have explored it thoroughly. However, under 20% is mapped and explored. There is also a multitude of life within the ocean that is not widely discussed. Thus, the essence of this project lies in educating people about the ocean and the marine life and how architecture can promote it. The title of the thesis – Aequoreal Mediation – can be broken into two core parts. Aequoreal is an archaic word that means marine or oceanic. In this thesis, mediation is architecture’s intervention to resolve the disconnection between land and sea. The title frames the thesis and alludes early on to the mediation between man and nature. This thesis aims to capture and frame the beauty of the ocean, allow people to experience it, and to bridge the gap between land and sea. Furthermore, it aims to educate people on what is happening within the ocean and the different marine life in the area. It also aims to encourage a positive experience of, and connotation to, the ocean. Therefore, through this research, this project hopes to uncover a better understanding of the ocean and marine life and explore ways architecture can promote education specifically about the ocean. This research also hopes to assist in diffusing the boundaries set between land and sea.
Open Access
The Amanzi Entaba path
(University of the Free State, 2023) De Kock, Jesse; Wagner, Annemarie
Nature, a vast and endless palette of inspiration, sets the stage for a library for textures, patterns, and motifs. There is no better designer than nature itself and architects have long been inspired by it, trying to evoke emotional connections to nature. My interest in the connection between man and nature, as told by the delicate fynbos biome, stems from a life-long love and appreciation for nature, taught through generations in our family. As a child, I was directed into appreciating the intricate small beauties lying within nature, the scents and textures that make up a perfectly balanced existence. Even in school, we were taught a respect and understanding of our importance in nature’s survival. Being taught the importance of nature, its role in our survival and vice versa, continued a childhood love implemented at a young age. My fondness for The West Coast National Park, and specifically fynbos, started in 2016, when I first visited this natural gem within the Western Cape. The endless beauty of something so refined brought peace in admiration of something that I knew to be intricate and unique. The Anthropocene era, the era of human impact on the earth, has taken us far from nature, creating a separation, lacking environmental connection instead of striving to connect architecture to nature through the creation of emotional and spiritual spaces for everyday life, through “amanzi entaba”. This is a Xhosa phrase, made up of the word's “mountain” and “water”, for an emotional harmony between human beings and nature. Fynbos, the “fine-leaved plants”, is an extraordinary biome, occurring solely on Africa’s southern peninsula. With a very wide range of plant species (roughly 8700), it stretches from the west coast to the east coast, outshining many rainforests in terms of sheer diversity. The beauty of fynbos truly lies in it birth and growth, a sensitive and intricate system of rebirth and fire. A Fynbos Interpretation Centre, funded by SAN Parks, located within the West Coast National Park, is proposed to preserve and retell an overlooked and unique narrative. The poetical quality of the setting inspires an intervention that builds that tells a story. The Fynbos Interpretation Centre proposes an architectural intervention articulating various moments within a sensitive process and interconnectedness within human experiences as visitors move through spaces and times.
Open Access
Aquatic Science Park: an interactive architecture in marine environment
(University of the Free State, 2020) Benzane, Karabo; Noble, J.; Raubenheimer, H.; Smit, J.; Smit, P.; Wagener, A.
This dissertation is a design exploration for the development of an aquatic science park that is simultaneously functioning as a ferry terminal, at the water's edge of Maputo bay, in Mozambique. The project primarily seeks to redefine the edge as a space of interaction between humans and marine environments. The dissertation addresses the needs of researchers from different institutions around the country for a research facility catering for marine environment issues. The proposal also intends to re-establish a ferry that was discontinued due to construction of a suspension bridge across Maputo bay linking two districts namely Maputo and Katembe. The new bridge is not pedestrian friendly, therefore the need for an alternative link. The research facility will be a place where visitors can experience the marine world and learn about species from waters around the world. The dissertation presents the researcher’s attitude toward the creation of "in-between" place by blurring the lines between distinct realms, such as manmade and nature, public and private sectors, activities on land and in water, etc. The blurring process is the subject of this thesis; its development responds to the conditions and needs within the existing context and is stated in the programmed requirements. The dissertation will prove that the re-establishment of the ferry coupled with a new research facility could improve connectivity between the Katembe district and Maputo city and also transform the area into a more integrated ecological system to protect and conserve water.
Open Access
Archi Mation: an animation production centre in Bloemfontein as appoint of convergence between architecture and animation
(University of the Free State, 2022) Eke, Clarise; Smit, J.; Smit, P.; Bitzer, M.; Raubenheimer, H.
Despite their differences, animation and architecture have similar conceptual and practical approaches to the design and construction of framed areas and spatial organization. The common ground between theoretical and practical methods in both domains with regard to frames and space is the subject of the thesis. A problem arises when a closed off urban scape which allows no easy access becomes a no man’s land, and the thesis project sets itself to resolve the problem through research, design and critical solutions. The following research question guides the study and design process: Which architectural mechanisms can serve as tools to address the inaccessibility of the urban scape, allowing urban dwellers more ease of access? This focus aims to lead towards an architectural and critical response and hopes to unearth the necessary steps to unveil the above mechanisms. The study analyses not only theoretical and practicalities of both the architectural and the animation domains but exhibits and magnifies the spaces which is created when they meet and evidently create hybridity between the two. The merging of spaces creates architectural opportunities through the translation of animation and architecture while conceptual approaches and site analysis aids in forming spatial qualities. These spatial qualities are products of hybrid elements, linking to the research question and answering it with specific and substantiated relevant elements.
Open Access
Architecture and the people: a youth social centre for cultural exchange Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe
(University of the Free State, 2022-01) Muchingami, Omar; Smit, Jan; Wagener, Annemarie; Smit, Petria
The inaction of idleness is a terminal disease in the lives of young people all over Zimbabwe. This social crisis results mostly from the constantly and radically weakening economy, forcing a lot of people to barely survive on a hand-to-mouth basis. Young adults are mostly affected by this conundrum as the urban population keeps increasing, while job opportunities remain unchanged. The United Nations Youth Association of Zimbabwe (UNYAZ) is a youth-oriented organization that empowers young people to become agents of positive change in their local and global communities. Amongst the social tools that they need to solve the rising social dilemma, UNYAZ needs an innovative architectural space where young people can develop their existing skills and generate an income. The aim of this thesis proposal is to provide a place where this can happen in the form of a Youth Center on a vacant parcel of land on the outskirts of Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe. The design proposal is based on three theoretical concepts: biophilic design, terrain vague, and vernacular design. Biophilic design along with the use of vernacular construction methods and local materials results in a program that enables interaction opportunities that improve a sense of community and belongingness for its users. Terrain vague is used as a way both to identify the site typology and as a metaphor for the young adults it intends to serve. The environmentally sustainable design combined with vernacular architecture and biophilia/biomimicry is used to unpack the design intentions in terms of providing a place where the youth can develop an identity, purpose, and belongingness through interaction.
Open Access
Architecture of a spatial concord: exploring the relationship between spatial mediums and narrative for a place-specific architecture in the setting of Bohlokong [Bethlehem]
(University of the Free State, 2022) Lepesa, Nothembinkosi; Smit, Petria; Smit, Jan; Raubenheimer, Hein
This dissertation delves into the relationship between architecture and narrative meaning the way a medium tells a story. Architecture being both a physical and spatial medium it presents a unique opportunity for the embodiment of narrative. The narrative in question is about an environment in relation to people and the phenomenology of belonging. The challenge is finding the appropriate mediator that can concisely tell the narrative about the phenomenon for its meaning to be understood and addressed through architectural means. The discovery of a medium or a narrator bears importance in two-fold. Firstly, a narrator provides access to information, i.e., a story that is representative of a community of people that actively preserve traditions and the significance that it has on their existence, therefore a narrator acts as a retail [relate or repeat (a story) in detail] for the discourse. Secondly, there is an art to storytelling that may import services to the dissertation, unlike the practice of investigation, which is journalistic in nature, storytelling presents a nuanced quality that involves us in understanding the magnitude of matters.
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
Art gallery: questioning topographic and institutional edges by sculpting inhabitable thresholds
(University of the Free State, 2016) Bramley, Lana; Smit, J. D.; Pretorius, H.B.; Olivier, J. I.; Raubenheimer, H.
The University of the Free State boasts with a collection of 1500 artworks which are rotated between the Main Building, the Eeufees Building and storage space. In a personal interview with Mrs De Jesus, the curator at the Johannes Stegmann Art Gallery on campus, it became evident that the University is in need of an art gallery which should entice a dialogue between the art and the visitor. She stated that the gallery should not be a destination building but rather an interactive proposal. The concept of an art gallery as a transient space comes from investigating the campus as a large site. The campus used to be an open part of town where the exact boundary between the campus and the city was unclear. Families could enjoy the gardens on weekends and pedestrians were able to take a shortcut through campus and interact with students in the passing. Due to security reasons, the campus was closed off and boundaries reinforced. This enforced a threshold between students and the public. The proposed project aims to embody the boundary of campus in order to develop the harsh edge into a perforated entrance through the art gallery. The design of an art gallery intrigued me, as the main denominator of its morphology is light. “𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗯𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.” (𝗠𝗲𝗶𝗲𝗿, 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟲) I have always been fascinated by the way architectural elements can be manipulated in order to create a shadow line or light shaft which allows for the replacement of a typical window punched into a wall. Light is the main denominator of form in this project through the way the archetypes are sculpting away the sky and embedding itself into the earth. This investigation focuses on the way that an art gallery, as a transient space rather than a destination building, can allow the public a glimpse into the world of art. This is done by intriguing people during their ordinary path. The need for the project was raised by the curator of the University of the Free State because of a lack of exhibition and storage space on campus. Therefore, the project will focus on the design of a gallery space and archive on the campus of the UFS.
Open Access
Articulating the real and the numinous: a Flood Control and Research Centre at the historic St. Helens Pump Station on the banks of the uMzimkhulu river
(University of the Free State, 2023) du Plessis, Cara; Olivier, J.; Smit, J.; Smit, P.
There is potential magic within a hybrid “third space” of science and divination where the past omens and present practises can be tied together by string to aid the current flooding crisis. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗽 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀, 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 ree𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴? Past efforts to address the South African flooding crisis have led to many quantitative and scientific approaches that evaluate rainfall, water management and infrastructure but seldom approach the crisis by way of divination, through which a higher realm of information can be tapped into. This dissertation introduces a new way of approaching flooding by designing a Flood Control and Research Centre that highlights the potential within the intertwined relationship between science and divination in an attempt to respectfully articulate the two where the roles of divination and the roles of science meet and work together in a hermeneutic relationship. Further investigation included analyzing the existing context regarding the project theme, testing three different theoretical stances and studying appropriate precedents. This design approach is able to broaden and challenge the dweller’s perspective of seemingly opposite practices and provide a paradigm for future flood crisis approaches.
Open Access
Before the dust settles: a Nama Arts and Culture exhibition complex Springbok, Northern Cape
(University of the Free State, 2021) Olivier, Bianca; Smit, J. D.; Smit, P.; Raubenheimer, H.; Bitzer, M.
The acts of preserving and exhibiting ephemeral African arts are important, as it safeguards cultural identities for generations. In order for museums and galleries to preserve art, the idea of the white cube was developed. The white cube, however, faces issues when attempting to capture and display ephemeral arts that are dependent on factors which include time, context, artist and the chosen creative material or medium, to exist. These art forms are usually independent on what galleries and museums offer, including the presence of an audience or viewers. Land art, however, introduces key ideas on exhibiting ephemeral art that mark a permanent cultural presence in the world. The Nama-Khoi ethnic group of Namaqualand are well-known for their artistic capabilities and hand-down rituals, especially the “Rieldans”. These art forms embody an impermanence to its aesthetic, where it’s manifested to the world only for a brief moment at no particular time, and in the natural landscape at no particular place. Due to this, these artistic practices are starting to gather dust as it seldom experience an audience. This research document sets out to investigate architecture as land art form to provide a cultural setting as platform for the recognition and celebration of Nama-Khoi artistic practices. The Nama-Khoi “Rieldans” is investigated as concept generator to facilitate in choreographing the design and experience of a Nama Arts and Culture exhibition complex located in the tourist hub and heart of Namaqualand, Springbok, Northern Cape. The aim of the proposal is to embody the essence of the “Rieldans” in an architectural intervention that is both a destination and interactive building.
Open Access
Between skin and vine: a viticulture college at the old tannery on the outskirts of Wellington
(University of the Free State, 2022) du Toit, Francois Stefan; Smit, J.; Smit, P.; Auret, H. A.; Raubenheimer, H.
The aesthetic of disorder and sensuality of the wilderness has been lost to society for a long time; just one of the underlying effects caused by urbanisation and suburbia. Contemporary dwellers often feel the need to escape their artificial environment to recharge through a direct connection with their inner self and the divine that is only perceivable in nature. The region of the Val du Charon is known not only for its rich viticulture heritage but also for its picturesque landscapes. Instead of continuing to practice viticulture as another way in which nature has been dominated, recent trends in winemaking aim to recast agricultural cultivation as a mediator between people and nature, thereby opening the way for new (and more nuanced) relationships between dwellers and nature. Traditionally, viticulture depends on the domestication of nature, but the move toward ‘ethical wine’ and ‘biodynamic viticulture’ envisions a more reciprocal future. The proposed viticulture school aims to teach this new sensibility to the South African winemakers of the future; an ‘academic reconnection’ between cultivators and nature, serving as a catalyst for new kinds of caring relationships between the wine-drinking public, vineyards, and the natural landscape. The Old Tannery, abandoned since November 1999 has started to show the potential to illustrate architecturally these new kinds of relationships. Firstly, the decaying structure has created opportunities for nature to regain its foothold in unexpected ways, consequently contributing to a new type of beauty. Through adaptive reuse and by focusing on scripting the relationships between the different buildings in the ensemble the goal is to, sustainably and appropriately, find new relational assemblages. This thesis proposed the adaptive reuse of the existing framework of the Old Tannery as a viticulture college. The architectural approach will be influenced by three main considerations: first, the spatial organisation of the ensemble through the use of a promenade; second, the adaptation of the existing built ‘skin’ in line with the heritage prescriptions of the Burra Charter; third, the ‘rewilding’ of the site and the wine-making process. Ultimately, the goal is to architecturally interpret the principles ensconced in ‘ethical wine’ and ‘biodynamic viticulture’ in order to recast the old industrial complex, to question the way human cultivation used to imply the domestication of nature and to open the way for establishing new existential thresholds between dwellers and the vine.
Open Access
Between Ville and Cité: a layered mixed-use creative commons in Woodstock, Cape Town
(University of the Free State, 2023) Maree, Bernard; Bitzer, M.; Smit, J. D.; Smit, P.; Bosman, G.
Urban users can be disconnected from space if place is disconnected from the urban landscape. The main research question considered is how can an investigation of the layers that constitute the urban palimpsest, through adaptive reuse inform a neo-industrial sensory and spatial experience between the ’Ville’ and the ‘Cité’, to preserve history and enhance identity in lower Woodstock, Cape Town? Other designers have attempted to address the problem of reusing previous industrial areas and buildings yet struggle with accommodating current users of the site and context. The proposed design focuses on finding the place between the larger urban landscape, ’Ville’, and a specific place in the urban landscape, ‘Cité’, through the means of investigating the urban palimpsest. Investigating precedent buildings with a focus on creative community engagement informs the composition of newly proposed structures between existing buildings. The proposal’s aim is to merge commercial economic success with aspects of community engagement to mitigate negative effects that urban renewal may bring, such as gentrification. The proposal aids designers to approach projects of an urban nature to create space of community and commerce as the between of ’Ville’ and ‘Cité’.
Open Access
Beyond borders: meeting 𝗶𝗻-𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 - a one stop border post celebrating the journey beyond the abyss
(University of the Free State, 2024) Horn, Alicia; Smit, J. D.; Smit, P.; Bitzer, M.; Bosman, G.
A border post sets the stage for a fleeting experience, designed purely for processing, a non-transactional event. It is common to perceive border posts as transitory spaces, primarily designed to facilitate efficient processing, and devoid of any transactional value. It exists as a non-place by ignoring the connections between the two nations it separates. The Lebombo Border, situated between South Africa and Mozambique in the Lebombo Mountains, serves as the case study for investigating the complexities and consequences of border dynamics. The main question is how an appreciation of the journey narrative could transform a non-place as a temporary abode to a place concerned with identity and history, and how to infuse a border post with a sense of purpose beyond its conventional duties. Most studies fail to pinpoint the deficiencies in conventional border post designs. This architectural study explores the transformative potential of border posts as meaningful, culturally sensitive spaces that foster spatial justice by going beyond conventional borders to find an alternative reaction. The reaction is rooted in the integration of narrative, events, and ritual elements composed as a one-stop border post. Integrating these elements enables the creation of spaces that honour history, context, and cultural identity. The main objective is to reveal the hidden poetic sensibility and challenge the normative and liminal design of a border. The proposal celebrates the meeting place between South Africa and Mozambique laden within the non-place of architectural transition spaces.
Open Access
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.
Open Access
Bird preservation, research & visitors centre
(University of the Free State, 2016) Moffat, S. L.; Smit, Jan; Pretorius, Henri; Raubenheimer, Hein; Olivier, Jako
This design dissertation investigates the proposal of a Bird Preservation, Research and Visitors’ Centre on Malgas Island in Saldanha Bay. The aim of the project is to assist the South African National Parks Board within the West Coast National Park with the observation, research and preservation of the planet’s largest colony of Cape Gannets, whose habitat is the volatile surface of Malgas Island, and whose numbers are decreasing with each passing year. In doing so, the project also aims to draw attention to and memorialise these intriguing creatures that, for most, remain nameless and undiscovered. My interest in the topic of this dissertation stems from a personal fascination with the natural environment, more specifically, with the ocean. I am greatly interested in the fact that oceans are the direct providers and lifeblood to more than two thirds of our planet’s inhabitants, both human and otherwise. One species that is particularly dependent on the sea, and which is currently on the verge of extinction, is the Morus Capensis, the Cape Gannet. This study has been organised into four main parts. The first part explores the project’s challenges and aims. Here, various challenges were identified by means of an investigation into the typology, topology, morphology and tectonic potential of the design which, in turn, generated problem statements and aims. The second part provides a detailed discussion on the research design and methodology in terms of the various research methods that were used, indepth investigation, the grounding of various arguments in personal explorations, as well as numerous literature reviews and precedent studies that inform this project. The third part explores the design and tectonic synthesis. The design and construction processes were thoroughly explained and followed, resulting in a final design solution and product. The last part of the dissertation reflects on and evaluates the entire design process and its success or lack thereof.
Open Access
Blooming the obstinate: the remediation of an abandoned quarry in Garies through the establishment of a saffron farmstead and visitor attraction as a means of fostering a sense of harmony between people and the natural world
(University of the Free State, 2023) Francis, Adelin; Van Der Merve, David
Human activities have a negative impact on our natural environment, especially in the case of post-industrial waste and destruction, such as global quarries, as well as the consequences encountered by a small community in Namaqualand. Can the blooming flowers in the old quarry at Stoffelsfontein farm be recovered by developing a saffron farmstead and visitors’ attraction, thereby remediating a wasteful and destroyed site in Garies, Namaqualand, and globally, investigating the potential for remediation and revitalisation and rehabilitation as a way of ecological empathy? Initiatives to address this problem have been made. Still, they have mainly concentrated on large-scale quarries or abandoned industrial sites, ignoring the effects on our smaller rural towns and farms harmed by trash dumping and quarry activities. To tackle this problem, I aim to remediate, revitalise, and rehabilitate a quarry that was once adorned, with an array of flowers by encouraging ecological awareness and empathy. By considering both human and natural influences, I propose the establishment of a saffron farm and visitors’ attraction that actively involves the local community and attracts the rest of South Africa and tourists, offering new work and leisureexperiences. This research draws upon a comparative analysis between man-made destruction and natural forces, incorporating relevant precedent studies. Remediating a destroyed site and its waste not only presents an opportunity for environmental rehabilitation but also offers a chance to reconcile human influences. It can stimulate the local economy by creating job opportunities and skills development.
Open Access
Blue Rock Extreme Sport Eco Institute for the Western Cape, Sir Lowry's pass
(University of the Free State, 2022) Giliomee, Philip; Smit, J. D.; Smit, P.; Du Preez, J. L.; Raubenheimer, H.
This dissertation was born through my fascination with the industrial archetype and the growing popularity thereof all over the world. The proposed project handles the growing popularity of extreme sport in South Africa and how a space can be created for those seeking a rush of adrenalin. By addressing the need for a natural environment where individual is allowed to break away from their daily routine, the Blue Rock Extreme Sports Institute assists in providing relief from the growing mental and physical health issues we are faced with. The dissertation handles the opportunities for ecological and architectural development within a quarry, allowing the user to witness the beauty of the historical mining industry and not only see it as wasted space. Through the novel use of the scarred environment and manmade contours, the memory of industrial history will come back to life within the quarry. The levels and slopes left behind within the quarry walls will be used as a way of passage to the waters below through promenades, allowing all users to interact with one another. Researching the different tensile forces used in the mining industry and observing the materials used I was able to develop a conceptual image of what could be possible within the given environment. The impact of the research done could hopefully open people's eyes to the endless architectural opportunities we are faced with, especially in the scars left behind from the distant and recent past.
Open Access
Bohemia Africanus: materialising a fictive allegorical site between uncanny places
(University of the Free State, 2023) Duvenhage, G. P. J.; Smit, Jan; Smit, Petria; Olivier, Jaco; Bitzer, Martie; Andrews, John
This dissertation explores the transformation of literary allegories into architecture, challenging the commonplace safety we find in the notions of truth, home, and the familiar. The design programme centres on a travelling theatre which explores the way the audience allegorically conceives and experience truth in the production of the uncanny and macabre play, African Gothic, by Reza de Wet. By architecturally emplacing this fictional theatre production in three real murder scenes, the dissertation attempts to not only produce a contextual milieu for the play but also to address the way we engage with the 'truth' and memories of places where dark crimes have been committed. In the context of a nation grappling with high crime rates like South Africa, the pertinent issue of addressing the aftermath of genuine criminal issues emerges as a significant concern. How we engage with the truth and memories associated with crime scenes necessitates not only relevant but also innovative approaches, which have yet to be adequately addressed. Due to the scarcity of architectural research and subsequent guidance on the matter of architectural interventions within crime sites, these scenes often turn into forbidden territories, both in discussion and physical presence. Drawing inspiration from the content of the play "African Gothic," three recent instances of crime scenes in South Africa were symbolically pinpointed as the backdrop for a mobile theatre and the reenactment of the play. These locations include a farm in the Griekwastad district, a school residence in Stella, and a housing estate known as De Zalze. This dissertation proposes that allegory be used to question truth, home, and safety, furthermore the dissertation considers the exploration of allegory to approach real sites of uncanny and macabre crimes. Enter the allegory. Derived from the Greek "Allos", allegory roughly translates to "speak openly" and to "another," these definitions combine to an approach which is to openly say one thing and to mean another. By embracing and interpreting the allegorical elements woven into the theatrical work "African Gothic," these delicate locations are approached, comprehended, and dissected in novel manners, potentially paving the way for transformative shifts and embracing change within these crime-ridden areas. Exploring and challenging the concepts of truth could play a pivotal role in the process of comprehending and reconciling with these sites marked by tragedy. Even when a page is mainly a constellation of words connected with lines, it is a 'written drawing' rather than just text, and the configuration refers to the structure of the research, the design of both written and drawn parts. (Haralambidou, 2007). Just as we seek comfort and certainty in the notion of truth, we also find solace and certainty in our "architectural" vision of constructing secure and familiar dwellings. In a nation confronted with escalating inequality and crime rates, it becomes imperative to explore alternative approaches to handling unique and harrowing architectural scenarios and sites.

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