The design of a building linking central and the Baakens river mouth
- Authors: De Klerk, Paul
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Architecture -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- 21st century , Urban renewal -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Architecture -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MArch
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/43138 , vital:36746
- Description: This treatsie focuses around the reationship of the Baakens Valley and the historical core and their respective declined states that has been affected through shifts in urban development and urban sprawl. Urban centres are moving away from the core decentralizing activity affecting the central areas allowing people-orientated environments to decline as an outcome of urbanism. Settlement expansion was forced along the coast due to topography Decentralised city growth with urban sprawl far from the historical core. New centres developed within residential realms detracted from people returning to the historical core Increased major arterial routes diminished density through vehicular orientated living spaces vs the density of the historical core orientated to the pedestian and mixed use activity City centre deteriorated due to Urban expansion and activity centres leaving the CBD resulting in a dilapidated city core.
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- Date Issued: 2019
The design of a learning resource centre in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth
- Authors: Henderson, Lauren
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: School buildings -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Designs and plans , Elementary school buildings -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Design and construction School buildings -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Architecture -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- 21st century
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MArch
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/42705 , vital:36683
- Description: Streets and sidewalks should be seen as public spaces within themselves (Flositz, 2010,iii) this thought triggered an interest in public spaces and what they offer the users and community in which they are placed. This research will examine not only the impacts of the colonialist regime’s planning on Port Elizabeth, but more specifically the segregation and planning of public spaces affecting New Brighton, a predominantly “Black” suburb along the periphery of the city that came to be as a result of forced removals from the city centre (Pettman, 1913: 298). The main argument being carried through this treatise is the significant role that public spaces play in the lives of the urban poor (Dewar & Uytenbogaardt, 1995: 10) especially looking at South Africa and the impact apartheid had on public spaces. It looks at the potential and the ability of the design of public architecture to develop community spaces for all that contributes to a sense of place and pride for the community of New Brighton, Port Elizabeth. This treatise uses the understandings and information gathered throughout the research conducted to develop a suitable design response that generated a significant educational community hub inclusive of a Learning Resource Centre. It will strengthen not only the connection between the various users (races, religions, genders or ages) but also the current segregated and isolated schools within New Brighton’s community. The intention was to bridge not only street and building together but also school and community as a cohesive environment that works together to create a unique experience, exclusive to that area impacted by the context and community in which it sits. Ideas of public space, the in-between and Montessori’s schooling together with the notions of place-making is what ultimately influenced many of the design decisions and the authors theoretical stance. Looking at streets as more than just movement routes or thoroughfares from point A to point B, we can see them as places within a space, where one can experience the world that moves around them. Ultimately the design developed as a response to the identified issues and challenges and created a facility that not only meets the need of the under-resourced secondary schools in New Brighton but also contributes to the development of the public realm of those schools.
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- Date Issued: 2019
The design of an office headquarters for SAMSUNG in the foreshore, Cape Town
- Authors: Wiese, Andre
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Office buildings -- South Africa -- Cape Town , Office layout -- South Africa -- Cape Town Office buildings -- Design and construction Office buildings -- Planning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MArch
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/40413 , vital:36159
- Description: This treatise developed through an interest in 21st century office buildings and most particularly, their impact on productivity, employee wellness and corporate culture. The conventional office of the mid-20th century disregarded employee health and well-being and was geared toward increasing productivity and production. The retrofitting of these buildings is very costly, and it is almost impossible to ensure compliance with modern-day environmental and efficiency standards to ultimately create a good office environment conducive to productivity and employee well-being. The nature of office has shifted to a more collaborative, socially interactive, open and flexible working environment because of the mobility technology offers the workplace. The current office building typology is concerned with the health and well-being of employees, active design, sustainability and environmental awareness. The treatise takes a qualitative research approach that is exploratory in nature and through careful analysis and interpretation, site constraints and informants are identified that inform the design of an office headquarters for Samsung. Pure research is based on the readings of Richard Sennett, Jane Jacobs, Stephen Kellert and Judith Heerwagen. An understanding is developed around factors that positively impact employee health and well-being in the workplace. Research determines that social interaction, human nature connectivity and the designed environment significantly impact the health and well-being of office user. Social interaction is scalable from the urban network to internal workspaces and is essential to create a seamless connection between the office environment and immediate urban context to stimulate serendipitous moments of interaction. The design of a Samsung Headquarters in Foreshore Cape Town uses Building Information Management (BIM) among other strategies to respond to its immediate environmental conditions and to create an environment conducive to the health and well-being of the office user and effectively increase productivity. The design is situated along a prominent pedestrian corridor that connects the CBD to the waterfront.
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- Date Issued: 2019