The aim of this dissertation is to provide Marabastad with a multi-sport centre with alternating levels of use and activity. Through kinetic architecture the structure adapts to Marabastad’s shifting nature. The centre serves schools within the Pretoria CBD, sport clubs and members of the public, constantly reshaping to cater for different needs. The centre is equipped with the necessary facilities to host practise sessions for teams taking part in the 2010 Soccer World Cup with ample space for fans and sport enthusiasts. This feeds off the established transport infrastructure that defines Marabastad. Inhabiting lost space within the urban fabric creates a site or destination for Marabastad dwellers to either partake in or watch the ongoing events, drawing the vibrant diversity of Boom Street towards the existing under utilised zone in the south, reinforcing the crumbling community structure. The building itself becomes a display case for sport, simultaneously creating awareness and intrigue. It can be described as a Centre for Illustrated Sports, a complex where Marabastad inhabitants can actively express their vibrant nature through physical activity. / Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Architecture / unrestricted

This dissertation investigates the role of architecture in the conservation of intangible heritage with specific reference to the ‘Marabi’ culture, a vibrant township culture unique to Marabastad in the North West of Pretoria which played a formative role in the development of South African popular culture from as early as the 1930’s. Due to the relocation of its citizens, the demolition of the Royal Theatre (together with the decommissioning of the Empire and Orient theatres) and the increasing effects of global cultural homogenization Marabastad has become dislocated from its cultural heritage. The principle aim of the dissertation is to re-introduce aspects of Marabastad’s cultural heritage within it’s current context. The proposal intends to revive historical cultural practices by re-establishing the physical loci that once hosted them, which in the context of Marabastad, are the The Royal, Empire and Orient theatres. The proposed intervention focuses specifically on the site of the Royal Theatre which was demolished in 1967. The project aims to (re)introduce a multi-form theatre on the site which will once again facilitate the cultural practices unique to the Marabi culture. The architectural response is informed primarily by the following: 1. The historical function of the ‘Marabi’ theatre as a multi-use, adaptable space that had to accommodate a variety of functions such as town hall, cinema, school, church hall, events venue, dancehall and theatre. 2. An analysis of the existing historical built fabric of Marabastad (which reveals a complex layering of thresholds). 3. Programmatic requirements: Multi-form theatre with shebeen, informal restaurant, recording studio and artist accommodation. 4. Amalgamation of performance space with public space within a historical meaning framework. 5. Response to contextual conditions, both current and proposed in the 2002 Aziz Tayob Meyer Pienaar Integrated Spacial Design Framework. / Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Architecture / unrestricted

Marabastad has a history characterized by strife and turmoil on one end and jubilation and decadence on the other. To preserve sanity within these hardships, residents often turn towards music as a socioeconomic emollient to relieve the burdens of everyday life. As a result music (specifically jazz) has embedded itself into the historical narrative of Marabastad and its people. Today, the area is no longer comprised of a homogenous demographic; it is home to a diverse populace of a multi-national origin. What once was a precinct characterized by its strong association with the “timiti” and “Marabi” cultures, it is now composed of a plethora of varying cultures, and as a result - musical genres. This study seeks to identify the historical importance of music within Marabastad, through identifying varying “territories” of the environment which are utilized as a means of promoting music within the region. Once these have been identified, the application of these territories and their associated principles within a built form is intended to provide a social platform for music to be enjoyed, while allowing for the cross-pollination of the varying musical genres which exist within the precinct. / Dissertation MArch(Prof)--University of Pretoria, 2014 / Architecture / MArch(Prof) / Unrestricted

This dissertation will investigate the role that architecture can play in the influencing of an existing food culture through the introduction of insect consumption (entomophagy). This alternative food source will be used to illustrate a more sustainable agricultural practice. / Dissertation MArch(Prof)--University of Pretoria, 2014 / Architecture / MArch(Prof) / Unrestricted

In the context of development in marginalised communities in South Africa (and other Third World countries), the thesis project suggests an interim phase of development – between the immediate needs of the marginalised community and the implementation of urban development frameworks. The interim phase has both spatial and temporal implications – it is development at a smaller scale (i.e. site specific) and due to its small scale and subsequent smaller impact on its surroundings, it can be implemented in a shorter period of time. The phase thus fills the spatial and temporal gap for development in Marabastad. The design is one such attempt at starting to fill the gap. It entails the design of a space that functions mainly as a market, which many commuters in Marabastad use as a thoroughfare and as a place to eat and rest. Basic market infrastructure is provided in the form of improved floor surfaces, trees, water and electricity, ablution facilities, storage, shelter and structure. Apart from serving the physical needs of the users of the site, the space should elicit a sense of ownership with its own implied advantages. The market and the accompanying facilities provided in the design are a direct response to the current activities and problems on the site. The implementation of similar projects across Marabastad, each addressing site specific issues, could ultimately lead to the whole of Marabastad being rejuvenated. / Dissertation (ML (Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Architecture / unrestricted

This dissertation examines the growth and development of an urban African population in Pretoria from 1902 to 1923. African urbanisation in Pretoria took place within the context of limited industrial development and gave rise to a distinc!ive population, with an important permanently settled component. This study charts the struggles that ensued between the Town Council and the African population. The responses of the urban African population took on two forms: informal, defensive strategies and formal political organisation. In the early twentieth century Pretoria formed the locus of regional African political activity. However, the attempts of formal organisations to challenge the state were essentially conservative. It was rather in the realm of working class culture that real challenges were made to the municipal authorities' vision of an ordered urban environment and a controlled African proletariat. / History / M.A. (History)

This dissertation examines the growth and development of an urban African population in Pretoria from 1902 to 1923. African urbanisation in Pretoria took place within the context of limited industrial development and gave rise to a distinc!ive population, with an important permanently settled component. This study charts the struggles that ensued between the Town Council and the African population. The responses of the urban African population took on two forms: informal, defensive strategies and formal political organisation. In the early twentieth century Pretoria formed the locus of regional African political activity. However, the attempts of formal organisations to challenge the state were essentially conservative. It was rather in the realm of working class culture that real challenges were made to the municipal authorities' vision of an ordered urban environment and a controlled African proletariat. / History / M.A. (History)

How can architecture positively impact on the development of integrated economic, social and ecological systems in an urban precinct? This dissertation is about the role that architecture can play as a systemic tool in the form of a brewery to facilitate regeneration in the urban context of Marabastad. Through the theories of regenerative design, systems theory and the non-modern thesis, an architecture of participation between various existing networks on site is established, that empowers resident traders while creating new opportunities for production, retail and social interaction. These activities are rooted in their context and participate in natural cycles and systems. / Dissertation MArch(Prof)--University of Pretoria, 2014 / Architecture / MArch(Prof) / Unrestricted

The majority of adults in the Tshwane municipal area have limited or no literacy or numeracy skills. Illiterate adults live mainly in marginalised townships and informal settlements across Tshwane. The relocation of people away from the opportunities offered by the city centre in the past forms part of the reason for the illiteracy problem. Various institutions have started programmes to enhance literacy, but the number of people and the wide distribution of the settlements complicate these efforts (Ministerial Committee on Literacy: 2007). The aim of this dissertation is (among others) to investigate the best possible location for the development of a literacy enhancement centre. Such a centre should be on a major commuter route to ensure that passers-by benefit from the facility and that it is accessible to the general public. The centre should take cognisance of its surrounding location, be approachable in design, both internally and externally, and take into account all factors related to literacy. / Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Architecture / unrestricted

This dissertation investigates the manifestation of a public bathhouse within a South African urban context. The proposal provides ablution and infrastructure to a public transport interchange precinct within Tshwane, Marabastad. The architectural exploration aims to enrich the ritual of cleansing by introducing the act of bathing to the public urban environment. Challenges associated with the typology is addressed through integration with surroundings, ensuring the potential of social life centred around a fundamental human act. The goal therefore lies in a celebration of ritual as derived from context, not the imposition of an ancient typology, or an irrelevant programme. The relevance to South African architecture is found in the investigation as a template for similar projects attempted in areas of similar context. A bathhouse is defined as an asset infiltrating, and proving for, its existing context. Copyright / Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Architecture / unrestricted