My thesis addresses the many issues that today’s youth face and aims to rethink the youth centre as a place that combines youth culture and architecture to create a space that not only provides adequate recreational and vocational opportunities but which is also representative of youth. Theoretically, I focus on notions around finding identity within the city, whilst questioning the stigmatisms around various youth subcultures. I look in more depth at how certain youth appropriate space within the city and by analyzing their process of appropriation, whilst noting the significance the stages of appropriation have in the pursuit for one’s identity, parallels are drawn from various theorists. Particular reference to theories by Iain Borden, Jeffrey Hou, Andy Bennett, Dick Hebdige and others, explore the notions around the insurgent use of public space, youth culture, street culture, and the meaning of style and expression among youth. Through research into various subcultures of youth and activities that youth are actively involved in in and around the city, it aims to explore the youth centre as a programmatic model for reaching young people in South Africa. By appropriating the language and influences of youth as key design ingredients, it aims to create an architectural intervention, called The 3rd Place Youth Centre, in Newtown North, through which youth can reconnect to their surroundings thus giving youngsters a much-needed sense of place and identity within their ever-changing city.

M.Com. (Sport Management) / The fact that South Africa is back in the international sports arena, puts a lot of pressure on the South African sportsmen and women. This also gives the South African sports people the opportunity to show the world that they can participate with the best and win. Unfortunately this pressure highlighted some other shortcomings in the South African sports world. Some of these shortcomings are the standard of training, the lack of international exposure, the management of the sport federations and the lack and quality of sport and recreation facilities. The political stance of the past, contributed towards imbalances in sport and recreation in South Africa. The Government of National Unity of South Africa is trying to correct these imbalances. The importance of sport and recreation is reflected in the 1994/1995 budget as well as in the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) of the government. One of these imbalances that is addressed in the providing of sport and recreation facilities to all the communities. The reality however is that the government can't build facilities wherever the need is. This reality in the field of sport and recreation adds to the pressure on the manager. of sport and recreation facilities. This pressure implicates that facility management involves far more than just the upkeeping of fields and buildings.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an Indoor Aquatic Centre for the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole. The main problem was to establish the minimum aquatic facilities an Indoor Aquatic Centre must have, to be able to host National and International aquatic events. The sub problems identified to address the main problem were as follows: - Should accommodation be available at the Indoor Aquatic Centre? - Should medical facilities be available at the Indoor Aquatic Centre? - Should there be a gymnasium at the Indoor Aquatic Centre? - Should there be food malls available at the Indoor Aquatic Centre? - Will sports tourism in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole benefit from an Indoor Aquatic Centre? In this study the researcher discusses current tourism opportunities, possible sports tourism opportunities and the current aquatic facilities the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole has to offer. From the discussion regarding these issues it was found that the metropole do offer many attraction opportunities including the following: - Adventure and Sport; - Agriculture; - Arts and Culture; - Business and Conferencing; - Coastal and Beaches; - Entertainment and Shopping; - Historical; - Wild Life and Nature. Adventure and Sport attractions contribute to sports tourism in the metropole and an Indoor Aquatic Centre could enable the metropole to improve sports tourism figures to the metropole. Sports tourism is defined as any tourism that is linked with a sports event. The conclusion can be made that the main initiative for sports tourism is to host a major sporting event to attract tourists. Adding other tourist attractions makes the destination more attractive. It is also important that the community is educated and informed about sports tourism so that the tourist and the community benefits from the event. Indoor Aquatic Centres found in countries like Australia, Canada, Europe, Russia, The Far East, United Kingdom and the United States of America, were discussed to identify the minimum requirements for an Indoor Aquatic Centre. The literature study has shown that the Indoor Aquatic Centre should be a multi purpose centre with a minimum of two heated pools and leisure facilities included. This will enable the centre to generate different streams of income to enhance sustainability. The aquatic centre should also be designed to host National and International events, but not necessarily for Olympic Games events. An empirical study was done to see if the respondents agree on the minimum requirements for an Indoor Aquatic Centre, identified by the literature study and if they agree that sports tourism within the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole will benefit from an Indoor Aquatic Centre. The conclusion of the empirical study is that the respondents’ view correlate with the information found during the literature study regarding the minimum requirements for an Indoor Aquatic Centre listed as follows: - The minimum number of heated pools are two consisting of a fifty metre ten lane pool and a twenty five metre ten lane pool; - A food mall that consists of a restaurant, fast food stalls and a food store; - Medical facilities, conference facilities, gymnasium and other leisure facilities must also be available; - Accommodation facilities must be available and consists of two and three bedroom fully serviced apartments; - The Indoor Aquatic centre must be able to have seating for 2000 people and parking for 1000 vehicles. The study has addressed the main problem and the sub problems, but further research needs to be conducted regarding the funding of the Indoor Aquatic Centre as this issue was not successfully addressed. More information is needed regarding the different ways of funding and who the stakeholders should be in this process.