- Title
- The design of a research centre for the study of indigenous medical plants, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha
- Creator
- Dabula, Xola
- Subject
- College buildings
- Subject
- Research institutes -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Designs and plans
- Subject
- Architecture -- Technological innovations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Subject
- Architecture, Modern
- Date Issued
- 2016
- Date
- 2016
- Type
- Thesis
- Type
- Masters
- Type
- MA
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18718
- Identifier
- vital:28710
- Description
- This treatise is preoccupied with the design of an Indigenous Medicine Research Institute within the region of (the former) underdeveloped Transkei. The interest in the matter developed out of a concern for a medical system which finds itself in jeopardy of depletion due to over-harvesting which is endangering the ecosystem and its dependents. This is as a resultant lack of development due to its informal nature, and loss of impact of traditional knowledge. Indigenous medicine forms part of the cultural, religious, medical and socio-economical back bone of the region, research will create opportunities for the discovery of new medicinal plants and exploring the applications of age-old remedies in contemporary times. Thus developing and promoting indigenous medicine of the region to a wider user group, in a sustainable method which will protect the environment. Architecturally, the design seeks to respond to an in-depth quest to identify the appropriate nurturing of the relationship between learning and the natural environment, while accommodating the necessary programmatic components which will satisfy the needs of the Institute; namely education, conservation and research. Central to the design is the development of an architecture that addresses the fundamental challenges of education, conservation and the research of plants, in a manner that provides opportunities for collaborative learning practices and an interchange between the user-groups and the plants to be studied, resulting in a building that is at harmony with nature. Through this collaboration of the diverse components, an effective scheme has evolved which offers a singular co-operative environment for the indigenous medical system, in a particular effort to transform the learning environment and extend of the knowledge, as a catalyst for further development and reconciliation with nature. Set in the academic context of the Walter Sisulu University Campus, a once major university in Transkei renowned for its medical department, the Research Institute facility re-establishes the University's medical status in a manner that truly represents its region. The built form will integrate itself into the existing campus conditions in a contemporary way that sets up a response which is conducive to the discovery, preservation and sharing of knowledge pertaining to indigenous medicine.
- Format
- 124 leaves
- Format
- Publisher
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
- Publisher
- Faculty of Arts
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | The design of a research centre for the study of indigenous medical plants, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha | 157 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |