Smit, J.Smit, P.Noble, J.Raubenheimer, H.Mosidi, O.Breytenbach, Mané2023-08-152023-08-152022http://hdl.handle.net/11660/12107Dissertation (M.Arch. (Architecture))--University of the Free State, 2022There 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.enDissertationUniversity of the Free State