In South Africa, certain areas are well developed with infrastructures that compare with first world standards, while in others, people live in abject poverty without basic services being rendered Poverty is the single greatest burden of South Africa's people. It is defined as the inability to meet a specified set of basic needs. This means that apart from low income levels, malnutrition and hunger, poverty manifests itself in poor people's lives in many other ways, including lack of access to basic social services. Poverty is characterized by the inability of individuals, households or communities to command sufficient resources to satisfy a socially acceptable minimum standard of living. It is perceived by poor South Africans themselves to include alienation from the community, food insecurity, crowded homes, usage of unsafe and inefficient forms of energy and lack of jobs that are adequately paid and I or secure. Because the government doesn't want to alienate those it is trying to serve, public services are being brought closer to people, so as to improve the quality of community life. The underlying reason for the implementation of Multi-purpose Community Centres (MPCCs) is to bring government services closer to people and to provide the community with the opportunity to communicate with government. Multi-Purpose Community Centres have been identified as the primary approach for the implementation of development communication and information programmes. MPCCs also serve as a base from which a wide range of services and products can reach communities. The aim is for communities to access such services and engage in government programmes for their own empowerment. As a result, MPPCs are a necessary poverty alleviation strategy that needs to be promoted for the improvement of the quality of community life. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

In an attempt to prove that cooperation between a public and a private agency will give a more efficient recreational programme for a specified area, the study, although strictly limited, investigates the area, and membership distribution at Alexandra House and Kitsilano Community Centre. After stating the function of a public and a private recreational agency, and describing three experimental programmes, the historical development and administration of the two agencies is outlined. Next, the study analyses the Junior teenage programme of Alexandra House, and the teenage programme at Kitsilano Community Centre on the basis of facilities, activities, leadership and programme development. The method used was to study the records of the respective agencies with particular reference to the teenage programmes mentioned. Programmes exhibiting cooperation in other cities were also studied with a view to their application to the local scene. Interviews and discussions with officials followed. The writer also drew upon his personal experiences as a social worker at Alexandra House. The study reveals facts which are important to the conclusions drawn and the recommendations made. Namely, that the area known as "Kitsilano" has not been defined, that transiency on the part of membership effects the programme, that Kitsilano High School is a common meeting ground for members of both agencies, that patterns of cooperation on the part of public and private agencies is possible, that Alexandra House, being an older agency than Kitsilano Community Centre, has worked through some of the problems facing the Centre, that administratively the two agencies are quite different. The analysis of the respective programmes points up that the two agencies are meeting the recreational needs of a large number of teenagers in different ways but that gaps in services do exist. The conclusions drawn are that the two agencies should cooperate in instigating research: to define the "Kitsilano" area, to ascertain the needs of the area in definite terms, to establish the division of labour between a public and a private agency, and to interpret a total programme of services to the public. It is further recommended that patterns of cooperation should be established along the lines of the Cleveland experiment, the Los Angeles Youth Board, and the New York City Youth Commission. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This dissertation investigates the accessibility of public architecture. The aim is to illustrate the relevance of accessibility by establishing a theoretical premise and applying it in design. The theoretical analysis defines inclusive design and examines the relevance of the topic within the South African context. It explores written theory on the topic and how it has evolved. The aim is to understand the implications of an inclusive design approach in architecture and to assess the inclusivity of recently completed buildings. The design investigation explores an exclusively inclusive approach in the design of a public building. The intent is to create a building that is inclusive; one that can be used by all. Currently, there is a lack of accessible public facilities in the Burger’s Park precinct, thus the Burger’s Park Opportunity Platform is proposed. The Opportunity Platform is a building that provides and facilitates the necessary resources for a community to prosper. It facilitates much needed community programmes and facilities such as literacy and skills training and access to books, the Internet and other media. The public nature of this building type implies that it is to be used by the entire community, which provides appropriate conditions to explore inclusive design in Pretoria. The study, through theoretical, empirical and contextual enquiry, provides an understanding of the principles pertaining to inclusive design and how it manifests in architecture. / Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Architecture / unrestricted

The subject of the thesis is the elaboration of the study of the socio-cultural center with townhall. The seleced location is in the northern part of the district Brno Kohoutovice. The thesis examines the location and suitable volume and conceptual solution for the best utilization of the potential of the site. In the design of the townhall, is the main task to restore confidence in public institutions, so that the notion of townhall in people's consciousness again featured the public building serving the people and the townhall was rightfully called a landmark and the heart of the town. For socio-cultural center is the main task a high variability and maximum utilization of the object. Work includes the complete design part including floor plans of all floors, the views, the facade and structural sections with selected details.

The history of Strachotín, as we know it today, started yet before the year of 1300. Its urbanist structure remained relatively the same untill the 2nd third of the 18th century, nor did the number of houses change. The structure of the main square has been conserved in its original form. The important solitary buildings standing in the centre of the main square were the buildings of the Municipal House and the former School, the social services house nowadays (library, physician, hairstylist, post office). By gradually adding technical facilities and warehouses that have grown into an extended construction with residential units and a pub, all of them carried out on top of the original Municipal House, the result is a „cluster“ of virtually zero architectural and urbanist qualities. The consequential effect brings diminishing of the significance of the town centre as a common place – res publica. The main square ought to be understood as a central point of the town, a meeting point, a place for reunions. A place of information exchange, sharing and confrontation of various opinions. My objective has been to keep the current range of services offered and bring back the town´s lost identity and symbolics. Buildings constructed at the centre of the main square often carry a solitary character and Strachotín is therefore no exception. I consider this aspect as an essential one. The key feature has been splitting the functions and a convenient interconnectedness of the businesses within. The need for a new hall and a space for the community life has been put to life in the form of a building added to the former school, where now you can find an open complex of a community house, including an information centre, library, a club-room and services, such as the hairdressers´ and the physician´s office. I regard connecting the municipal hall and the pub together as the most convenient/ effective solution within the Municipal House. I have marked three functional areas within the public space of the main square by respecting the two current solitary buildings. The centre is represented by the „piazzetta“ - the paved area, I have conserved the park-like feature of the southern part with its grassy area, and for the northern part, I have proposed a orchard layout of the area including a childrens´ playground.

The aim of the diploma project entitled Revitalization and renewal of public spaces in Veľké Němčice was to find the right approach to finding a new use of the former brewery building located in the center of the village. With the right function, contribution to the development of the village was to transform part of the building into a community center, which in terms of capacity and location fits into the development strategy of the village. The second part of the building was at least partially restored to its original function in the form of a small brewery.

THE AIM OF THE PROJECT IS PROPOSAL OF THE CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY CENTRE BY THE BRNO RESERVOIR – STUDY OF THE CULTURAL, COMMUNITY AND SPORTY ACTIVITIES BUILDING OBJECTS. THE GOAL OF THE STUDY IS HOLDING OUT NEW OPTIONS OF MUNICIPAL TERRITORY, WHAT IS OF CARDINAL IMPORTANT FOR BRNO. OPEN-AIR THEATRE AND CULTURAL CENTRE OBJECT ARE ESSENTIAL PART OF THE THESIS.

The main object of my diploma project is complex of schools in Czech city Ostrava on the place Černá louka (in English Black meadow). The plot is next to the city centre from one side, from the other side its in neighbourhood of nature across the river. At the moment the place is used as an gallery of miniatures. The whole area is mix of many functions, from living to shopping, market, gallery, theatre and many other. In 2010 there were a competition about Černá louka, a Dutch studio Maxwan won and designed a cultural cluster in the ring of buildings on Černá louka. They desided to place a school in our parcela, because its great connection between nature and city. I used this idea and worked on it. The main mass is composed by 5 objects - school, kindergarden, high school, gym and community centre. In the centre of whole complex there is a playground - it will play an active role in the daily life of schools. The gymnastics hall as such can perform as sqaure: a meeting place, a theatre, a room for ceremonies and festivals. At the same time it will form the connection between different functions of school.

Väg 225 skär genom landskapet strax söder om Ösmo, Nynäshamn kommun. Det resulterar i att hela naturområdet kring sjöarna Västra och Östra Styran blir svårtillgängligt. Jag har velat utnyttja det svårtillgängliga genom att planera för en plats som vänder sig mot sig själv, och bort från omgivningen, för att skapa en eskapism. En engelsk park utgör den första verklighetsflykten och leder besökaren fram till huset för folket, parkens slott. Mötet med byggnaden blir den andra flykten, där portalen leder från parken in till innergården. Precis som parken, vänder sig huset mot sig självt, bort från parken. Brytpunkten mellan parken och huset utgörs av den östra portalen och förstärks av ett skifte i fasadmaterial. På utsidan är fasaden i kolmårdsmarmor och röd ölandssten, och på insidan i sandsten. Den tredje och sista flykten är aktiviteterna som utförs i huset: musicerande, dansande, framträdande och kulturåskådning. Byggnaden huserar en filial till kulturskolans musikverksamhet, nya lokaler till Ösmos dansskola, offentliga mötesrum och en stor teater i scenstorlekskategori blå enligt Riksteaterns krav. / Road 225 cuts through the landscape just south of Ösmo, Nynäshamn. As a consequence the nature area around the two lakes Västra and Östra Styran become difficult to access. My aim has been to embrace the situation. Instead of trying to connect Ösmo with the nature area, I wanted to reinforce the isolated location, to create a space of escapism. The visitor first escapes into the English garden which leads to the house of the people, the garden’s castle. The second escape unfolds when entering the east portal, which is emphasised by a change in façade material, from green Kolmårdsmarmor and red Ölandssten to white sandstone. The third escape is constituted by the activities performed in the building: dancing, playing music, performing and engaging in culture. In terms of facilities, the building accommodates new premises for the Dance Studio of Ösmo, a subsidiary to the municipal Music School, public co-working spaces and a theatre with blue classification according to the requirements of Riksteatern.

<p>Detta arbete är en undersökning av hur Ryd planerades under 1960-70-talet. Jag påvisar var Ryd har fått sina influenser ifrån, både internationella och nationella. Jag prövar och jämför och kommer fram till att Ryd är en s.k. grannskapsenhet. Detta begrepp introducerades i Sverige på 1940-talet främst influerat från England och delvis tyskland. Dessa hade i sin tur influerats från USA. Under miljonprogramstiden, 1965-75, användes inte detta begrepp utan det blev mest prat om"förorter". För att kunna bygga på detta sätt, rationellt och på en begränsad tid krävdes det statliga beslut, bl.a. en byggnadslag, statliga lån och subventioner m.m. Något som har speglat hela stadsplaneringen under efterkrigstiden, i alla fall fram till 1980-talet, var statens bostadspolitiska ideologi som var starkt knutet till det socialdemokratiska tänkandet.</p>