Thesis (MTech. degree in Architecture: Professional)--Tshwane University of Technology, 2012. / This design dissertation will deal with the making of an Open Information and Educational Resource Center to function as an information hub in central Pretoria for local educational facilities as well as the general public. The dissertation proposes a new information building type in South Africa within which local educational facilities would be accommodated and would serve as a community hub. Located on the south eastern periphery of Pretoria's Central Districts, surrounded by the inner city residential areas, the facility does not replace the existing city libraries but merely supplements them by addressing current technological needs. In the proposed building, the designer attempts to rehabilitate/establish a public nodal area while incorporating research with regard to sustainable architecture. The facility aims to create a hypothetical architectural model which can address built environment issues regarding information literacy. Part of the investigation includes the development of a central community related educational hub.

M. Tech. Architecture (Professional) / Worldwide there is a growing interest in traditional ways, in turning to local skills and craftsmanship. This type of low technology is an antidote to the technologically advanced society we live in today. This dissertation entails the design and research of a facility for creative vocational enhancement in the Pretoria City Centre and responds to the need for the implementation of craft centres to promote self-employment amongst the underprivileged local communities of Pretoria. The design will have a strong focus on urban rejuvenation and activation of the old Pretoria Central Business District and aims to draw local commuters and tourists towards the proposed centre to enable it to be in a constant state of activity.

M.Tech. Architecture (Professional) / This study aims to re-activate a green space within a well-established urban setting. It is in an attempt to restore a lost connection between the urban dweller and the natural environment. This renewed connection could be considered a key to facilitate a form of healing within an existing urban context.

M. Tech. Architecture (Professional) / The proposal attempts the design of a permaculture hub and community support centre within the Sokhulumi rural area, situated next to the R25, between Bronkhorstspruit and Groblersdal, Mpumalanga. The aim is to investigate a proposed model for a sustainable rural settlement, based on the principles of permaculture. This project proposes an exploratory model that could replace the current unsustainable livelihoods in rural areas, with a more holistic approach, which would possibly create a sustainable rural settlement. This proposal aims to include social, economic and environmentally sustainable solutions.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study consists of a proposal to construct and manage Moya weKhaya, a cultural centre on a vacant site linked to an existing park in A Section, Khayelitsha. The cultural centre is an innovative vision of urban renewal. The intention is to contribute towards addressing current social and cultural needs and challenge the historical realities of apartheid planning. The concept was initiated by two community-based organisations (CBOs) and the proposal has been developed through a series of meetings and workshops with the initiating CBOs. The approach to the project, from its inception, was based on a communicative planning approach and the intention of this proposal is to stimulate dialogue with government and other potential partners and garner support for the project. The proposal presents the rationale, vision and objectives of Moya weKhaya and describes the background and context in which the project was formulated. It locates the project within the current South African legislative and policy framework and within current planning discourse. The thematic and ecological approach to the architectural design is presented and the proposed usage of the cultural centre and the envisaged activities are described. Strategies to raise funds for capital costs and partnership options are explored. A preliminary operating budget and income generating strategies to maintain the centre are presented. Potential challenges and solutions are discussed. The proposed cultural centre is an ambitious, costly, and complex project and it raises two fundamental issues. - The challenge to the CBO partnership to raise its own capacity to implement and manage the project on its own and / or to negotiate and formalise a public-private partnership to build and manage the centre. - The challenge by the CBOs to government in particular to support the project and bridge the gap between the legislative framework that promotes grassroots driven development and the institutional mechanisms (and political will) to facilitate such processes. This proposal is an attempt to present a framework in which to address these issues. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie vervat ’n voorstel vir die oprigting en bestuur van ’n kulturele sentrum, Moya weKhaya, op ’n leë bouterrein wat grens aan ’n bestaande park in A Section, Khayelitsha. Die kulturele sentrum is ’n innoverende visie van stedelike vernuwing. Die doel is om by te dra tot die aanspreek van huidige sosiale en kulturele behoeftes en om die historiese werklikhede van apartheidera-beplannning te trotseer. Die konsep is geïnisieer deur twee gemeenskapsgebaseerde organisasies (GGOs) en die voorstel is ontwikkel aan die hand van ’n reeks vergaderings en werkswinkels met die inisiërende GGOs. Die manier waarop die projek benader is, vanaf die aanvang daarvan, is gebaseer op ’n benadering van tegemoetkomende beplanning en die doel met die voorstel is om gesprekvoering te stimuleer met die regering en ander potensiële vennote en ondersteuning in te win vir die projek. Die voorstel bied die regverdiging vir en visie en doelwitte van Moya weKhaya en beskryf die agtergrond en konteks waarin die projek geformuleer is. Dit posisioneer die projek in die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewende en beleidsraamwerk en in die huidige beplanningsdiskoers. Die tematiese en ekologiese benadering tot die argitektoniese ontwerp word aangebied en die voorgestelde gebruik van die kulturele sentrum en die beoogde aktiwiteite word beskryf. Strategieë om fondse vir kapitaalkoste te vermeerder en vennootskapopsies word ondersoek. ’n Voorlopige bedryfsbegroting en inkomsteskeppingstrategieë om die sentrum in stand te hou, word voorgestel. Potensiële uitdagings en oplossings word bespreek. Die voorgestelde kulturele sentrum is ambisieus, duur en kompleks en dit opper twee fundamentele kwessies: - Die uitdaging aan die inisiërende GGO-vennootskap om die kapasiteit op sy eie op te rig om die projek self te implementeer en te bestuur en/of om ’n openbare-private vennootskap te bewerkstellig en te formaliseer om die sentrum te bou en te bestuur. - Die uitdaging gerig deur die GGO aan veral die regering om die projek te ondersteun en die gaping te oorbrug tussen die wetgewende raamwerk wat grondvlakgedrewe ontwikkeling bevorder en die institusionele meganismes (en die politieke wil) om sodanige ontwikkeling te fasiliteer. Hierdie voorstel is ’n poging om ’n raamwerk te bied waarin hierdie kwessies aangespreek kan word.

M. Tech. Architecture (Professional) / Aims to investigate opportunities that could arise out of designing a facility of this nature to take advantage of the scarce skills shortage, and by placing the proposed facility within a township area will necessitate research into the dynamics of designing in such an area. Therefore the issues of concern which will be investigated will be: the shortage of skilled artisans ; community ownership; and the rehabilitation of a degraded site.

Thesis (MTech. degree in Architecture)--Tshwane University of Technology, 2011. / The dissertation is a design of a Pondo Resource Forum for the Mpondo ethnic group at Emfundisweni in Flagstaff in the Eastern Cape. This is driven by a social commitment to investigate the forces that were influential to the cultural modification of Amapondo. Also important is to celebrate Pondo heritage, the indigenous social interventions that define the identity of Amapondo, as well as contemporary culture and the influence of technological development input on the traditional Pondo social structures.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for a Masters of Management Sciences: Human Resources Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / Modern human resource management practices have the potential to ensure successful businesses and organisations. This is more so where the most significant resource in the organisation are people. This study seeks to examine the leadership and managerial style that ideally could be useful in promoting and developing sustainable businesses with the focus of the study being in community arts centres. This study may be able to contribute to identifying and/or developing future entrepreneurs who may have an interest in opening their own community arts centres and businesses. The results of successful art centres may result in a proliferation of such centres and ultimately offering alternative careers and the opportunities for growth and development for the young South African. This may result in the creation and development of a more robust creative art and drama industry. While it is acknowledged that various other resources are critical for a business to develop including finance, the focus on the management of people forms the basis of this research. The Department of Arts and Culture has identified cultural industries as one of the drivers of economic growth and job creation. Early indications are that the cultural industries are already making a significant contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product. The Department of Trade and Industry estimates that the craft sector alone contributes about R2-billion (about 200 million Euros) or 0.14% to South Africa’s GDP annually (Department of Arts and Culture 2013). Community art centres could be the seeds for the growth of the cultural industry. The study included 101 participants, made up of eight (8) centre managers, 69 administrative staff members and 24 centre users. The key findings in this study covered the identification of the leadership, managerial qualities and attributes needed by owners and employees to successfully run/manage a business such as community art centre; to determine whether there is leadership development taking place as a strategic intent so that the next level of managers can head up these centres as well as encouraging some staff to pursue the entrepreneurial route and finally examining human resource principle, processes and practices that are useful when leading and managing a successful community arts centres. / M

M.Tech. (Architectural Technology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Tech. (Architectural Technology) / This dissertation investigates the establishment of a learning centre in Zandspruit, an informal settlement that is located on the northwest periphery of Johannesburg, South Africa. This study investigates an alternate method of learning as a learning culture, as an alternative to that of closed school campuses. The learning culture provides the community with an architectural space that acts as a platform for open-ended learning and engagement. The architectural intervention proposed here is thus a response to the existing context, addressing education and spatial-social disintegration. The intervention is not an attempt at replicating existing typologies or even the tentative placement of a centre for utopian societal and educational ideals. Rather, it constitutes a radical approach, seen as necessary to achieving social development, acting as a catalyst for social cohesion and spatial synthesis. Existing modes of operation, advances in education through technology, as well as other pertinent networks and connections, are considered in the approach to designing a public interface, which attempts to suggest possible remedies to the difficulties endemic to the context. Further to this, this dissertation suggests how the adaptability of learning spaces can be achieved by addressing time, space, event and programme as concepts for incremental growth leading to the changing needs of a South African learning society.