The design of a multi-purpose motor sports pit complex for Kyalami
- Authors: De Bruyn, Sheldon
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Racetracks (Automobile racing) -- South Africa -- Midrand Sports facilities -- South Africa -- Midrand
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MArch
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/39337 , vital:35088
- Description: Since the invention of the motor car over 100 years ago, people have been trying to improve its technical capabilities by constantly pushing its limits. Motor sport developed out of this desire for technical mastery of speed, which led to the first Formula 1 Championship in 1960 at Silverstone, England. The sport’s popularity increased and spread to the corners of the world. Since 1962, Formula 1 had been hosted by South Africa. Technological developments on Formula 1 cars then would, years later, be adapted for regular road cars. Parallel with the development of the sports cars was the development of the buildings to stay abreast with the requirements of increasing crowds, larger media presence and technologies, and construction methods and materials. These buildings evolved from simple single storey buildings to multi-floor complexes that accommodated thousands of spectators and team players. However, as the buildings pushed the envelopes, and their scale increased, some of the essence of the sports culture from old was lost. Large grandstands and pit complex buildings have created a sterile environment for the spectacle of the sport. Area prolonged absence from the Formula 1 calendar; firstly, from ancones and then, for financial reasons, a newly injected interest and ownership from Porsche South Africa saw a grand return of Formula 1 to local soil. This happened at the historically significant racing site of Kyalami. What is exciting about this project is the opportunity that arises to connect (through design) the spectator back to the track and sport in a more meaningful way that strongly reminds us of the sport of earlier days of the sport. With the influence of old architectural typologies and embracing the technological advances, the proposed pit complex shows a balance between pushing the architectural envelope and increasing spectator value.
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- Date Issued: 2015
The design of Makana monument in Grahamstown: pathway of memory inspired by nature, mediating public and sacred space, as a regenerative mechanism of a forgotten place
- Authors: Almon, Peta Pryor
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Monuments -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Historic buildings -- South Africa -- Grahamstown , Historic sites -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Architecture and society -- History -- 21st century
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MArch
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/41283 , vital:36431
- Description: Since 1994 the post-apartheid heritage discourse has become one of the primary tools to deal with culture, identity and citizenship in South Africa. It is one of the means by which a democratic national identity is being forged and the production of new monuments is the physical manifestation of this discourse. The South African landscape holds many suppressed or unarticulated histories; histories which are a function of socio-political and land battles throughout the years of colonisation and apartheid. In society, socio-political ideals are supported by daily practices, which in turn affect social structures. These structures and the values that they uphold, in turn are interned in the monument. The monument then radiates these through its physical form. Monuments are therefore a collective mirror from which society can position itself, expressing socio-political ideals that are reinforced by community actions. This treatise explores monument as a mechanism of social regeneration towards the vision of a democratic landscape. The treatise investigates the making of monuments by analysing philosophical positions, characteristics with the intention of extracting principles, and types of monuments. This was done in order to gain an understanding as to why monuments exist, the fundamental principles involved, and the architectural approaches to these. The work is centred around Grahamstown, focusing on heritage within the city. This heritage is explicitly represented in over seventy sites within the city. Through an analysis of these heritage sites, it became clear that there is an imbalance of represented histories; mainly favouring the colonial histories while the African histories remain unarticulated or poorly represented. This imbalance is testimony to the socio-political ideals over time which in turn affected the morphology of the city over time. This resulted in contrasting spatial structures; the colonial side of town structured by a grid plan centred on a major axial route from which the spatial hierarchy extends, and the township side which is characterised by a repetitive, non-hierarchical grid layout. The landscape of the city underpins this spatial layout where features are used to enforce socio-political ideals. The structuring elements of the landscape are crucial in this regard. Surrounding hills create a bowl condition in which the city is located which in turn is divided in half by a river reinforcing the two sides of the city. Two entry points into the city are demarcated by prominent hills, positioned directly opposite each other on either side of the city. Gunfire Hill on the west is accentuated by the 1820 Settlers Monument, while opposite to the east is Makana’s Kop surrounded by the township and remains unarticulated and known only by oral histories. This clear imbalance in the representation of histories is commonly characteristic in the South African landscape and settlement patterns. The treatise seeks to arrive at an architectural intervention that is a step towards reducing this imbalance, as well as representing these suppressed histories appropriately. Vincent Scully’s notion of architecture mimicking nature was used as a theoretical lens through which the approach to the architecure and landscape were viewed. Consequently, phenomenological ideas are used as an architectural approach which aims to integrate people, nature and heritage in the form of a monument. In line with this, African traditions and beliefs were investigated, specifically the inherent relationship between nature, human spirit and settlement. The proposal is the Makana Monument located on Makana’s Kop, maintining the principles of monuments while facilitating the social needs of the surrounding community within the township of Hlalani. The site is physically monumental in nature, due to its steep slope and prominent tree line. Presented with a naturally sacred site that is positoned at the centre of a community and contains significant history pertaining to Grahamstown. These themes became the informants of the design. The aim is to maintain the natural vertical prominence of the site by creating a building that gives definition through contrasting horizontal retaining walls positioned along the contour lines. Located at a crucial point on the slope, it mediates public and sacred space. Routes through and into the building are informed by the energies of existing desire lines of people’s pathways. The intention of the building is to give dignity to a sacred natural landscape, facilitate the needs of the community, and appropriately recognise the supressed heritage.
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- Date Issued: 2015
The design of veterinary clinics for three physical context types of in South Africa
- Authors: Kruger, Azille
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Clinics -- Design and construction Health facilities -- Design and construction , Health facilities -- Planning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MArch
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/41295 , vital:36441
- Description: This treatise design aims to cater for the state of veterinary service provision in South Africa. With a shift in management and the implementation of the Veterinary Community Service Act, the opportunity to explore the challenge of veterinary service delivery from an architectural point of view was seized. As the daughter of a Veterinarian and a student of architecture wondering on the architectural implications and challenges faced by veterinarians, I was presented with an opportunity to investigate, and develop an approach towards formulating a solution for efficient veterinary service delivery facilities across the country. Pondering this challenge led to testing the world model of standardisation, focussing on standardisation in architecture, and the general issue of universal responses as opposed to the development of a particular architectural response. What emerged formed the basis of the challenge for the treatise: To develop a solution based on the development of a prefabricated modularized system of component veterinary clinics for three different context types and in so doing grapple with the notion of manufactured spaces’ ability to create meaningful place.
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- Date Issued: 2015
The design of a research aquarium for hippocampus capensis in the Knysna Estuary, Western Cape province
- Authors: Rautenbach, Richard
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Public aquariums -- South Africa -- Western Cape -- Designs and plans Public aquariums -- South Africa -- Western Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MArch
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/39043 , vital:35025
- Description: This thesis developed out of a concern for the ecological biodiversity of natural environments and the way in which human interventions place constant and increasing pressure on them. Modern cities have generally placed little concern on the overall well-being of these systems which all flora and fauna depend upon. This causes stress on many species, with some ending in extinction. The Knysna Seahorse (Hippocampus capensis) is one such species which has suffered because of irresponsible city development. It is a small and seemingly irrelevant animal to many, but its well-being is a far greater issue than that of the tiny endangered creature. It acts as an indicator species of a threatened environment. This treatise takes a critical look at developing an awareness among people of the importance of the ecological well-being of nature alongside the cities of South Africa. More specifically it focuses on the secret and vulnerable lives of the endangered and endemic Knysna Seahorse within its threatened natural environment. The issues facing the natural environment of Knysna will be looked at in depth and sets of interventions will be proposed to minimise further anthropocentric effects on nature. The first part of the proposal will be a larger scale urban intervention that will set the framework for the treatise building design. It has been proposed to design a Research Aquarium for the Knysna Seahorse (H. capensis) as an active ecological research, conservation and education centre. The buildings activities will aid in public education and raise a place specific awareness of the Knysna Estuary and its endangered seahorse species through its conservation efforts. The Seahorse Research Aquarium is to be positioned within a new vision of a waterfront for the Knysna Central. The Research Aquarium will seek to become a mediator between man’s urban environment and the ecological systems of nature. This can be realised as part of a promotion for an enhanced connection of Knysna’s urban environment to that of the natural environment. Ultimately a positive shift in the way in which people respond to the well-being of the environment will be created. The research conducted will focus on the particular interaction between the man-made urban environments within Knysna and the natural environment. The resulting urban and architectural strategies implemented will allow for an empathetic and balanced relationship between man and nature. This harmonious coexistence is essential for the sustenance of the unique natural environments that South Africa should cherish (GNTO .2013). Promoting a healthy and vibrant natural ecology within an urban environment will enhance the quality of life of both man and nature.
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- Date Issued: 2015