D. Tech. Informatics / In the world of information and communications technology (ICT), collaboration plays a central and significant role towards development and economic growth. Collaboration is relevant for all spheres, starting with individuals, organizations, private businesses, governments, and specifically research institutions which focus on research and innovation. In the academia, e-collaboration has become part of the survival strategy and is also essential to ensure continuity, competitiveness, growth and maturity. ARIs (Academic and Research Institutions) must plan on how e-collaboration is applied and improved in organizations. The main research objective for this study was to propose an e-Collaboration Maturity Model for ARIs. In support of this four secondary objectives were listed as follows: To investigate collaboration initiatives and technology amongst ARIs; To understand the driving forces and challenges towards Collaboration amongst ARIs; To explore the themes of e-Collaboration; To review maturity and assessment models.

M. Tech. Architecture: Professional / The origins of the Apies River within Fountains Valley, established the foundation of the city of Pretoria as well as the inspiration for this design. The significance of Fountains resides not only in its natural features but also its historical and cultural layers, forming a complex matrix of time and influence. The proposal explores the potential role that architecture plays in the conservation of Pretoria's cultural waterscapes, through the process of fabric renewal and public engagement. The study identifies the need for a hydrological research and conservation facility within Fountains Valley, unifying the significance of the site which stems from natural features as well as historical and cultural layers. Fountains Valley currently forms a place with cultural value, leisure and recreation opportunities, and an escape from the busy city. The proposed intervention consists of a cultural waterscape that creates a new relationship between people and nature. The future built landscape will be a platform and catalyst which researches, informs, and preserves Pretoria's natural spaces and aims to facilitate the integration of a hydro-logical research facility within a cultural recreational park.

Thesis (MTech. degree in Architecture: Professional)--Tshwane University of Technology, 2012. / This thesis presents the proposal of a Synaesthesia Research and Sensory Substitution facility in Pretoria. The facility's primary research will be on the phenomenon of synaesthesia and the effect it can have on people with impaired senses. The envisaged site, Prince's Park, is located on the western edge of the Pretoria CBD and is presently used as an urban park. This thesis will explore the human being's perception of the built environment and how we experience the language of materials to create a rich sensual journey: namely, to move away from a singularly visual architecture in favour of a design approach that experientially accommodates all the senses. In other words, seeing is not believing, feeling is believing; the aim is to create architecture through participation - not just observation.

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture

Due to recent closures and down sizing within the logging and fishing industry on the periphery of the Clayoquot Sound region of Vancouver Island, economic sustainability for the permanent inhabitants who depend on this activity has become sporadic and inadequate. A thriving tourist industry contributes a limited income to the area due to seasonality and offshore ownership. This project proposes a research facility that would develop diversified industries that would preserve existing ecosystems while supporting the economic rights of the inhabitants. The project would supply immediate and direct benefit to the town of Ucluelet and surrounding area through complete integration of the facilities and program into an existing economic environment. Involvement in construction and supply of materials, income from billeting students and parking, involvement in research strategy, and employment benefits from the research being done, are essential targets. The institute should operate as a satellite graduate program facility in conjunction with existing research colleges and, be the headquarters for other "satellite campsites" incrementally set up and established in the surrounding area; sites chosen for their uniqueness in ecological existence and economic viability. The outdoor nature of the academic program sets the precedence for a lifestyle that is comfortable being exposed to outdoor elements. Courtyards and work areas are created by strategic setbacks, by fragmenting and staggering the facility and by exaggerating roof overhangs and gutters necessary to channel extreme winter rains. The external circulation of the back spine of the main building suffuses throughout the site developing a central circulation core; the pivoting point for access to the administration, the research shed, the "campsite" dormitory, and for the knuckle of the institute, the central courtyard. The courtyard which evolves has public access from the walkway that starts at the public sidewalk of Peninsula Street, cuts diagonally past the main entrance at the south-western corner of the archival gallery, and continues past terraced research gardens to the seminar room. An external stairwell facilitates the final descent to Lyche Street, a public restaurant, and the proposed community hall near the government docks of Ucluelet Harbour; a linkage designed to activate and encourage pedestrian traffic at Lyche Street. The public/private overlapping of the project insures that the integration attitude is in place while presenting unique design opportunities. The building typology exploits local post and beam construction knowledge and uses common materials from local sawmills to provide a rough, unfinished cladding left subjected to weathering. The roof surface is punctuated with translucent skylights to facilitate a condition of light and life under the eaves.

South Africa is a developing country at the dawn of its democracy, confronting the challenge of providing suitable lives for its people, whilst still trying to compete in a new global village and face other challenges of the 21st century. In this milieu of pressing problems, constraints of time and budget, the solution is almost always a compromise. Short-sighted quick solutions are the order of the day. A lack of good strategic planning leads to isolated and disconnected developments... each construction conceived in a vacuum. But the built environment is too permanent for short-sighted solutions. The significance of design in this sphere reaches far beyond the superficiality of trend and fashion. It is the structure within which we live our lives, and the quality of our existence depends on it. Furthermore, future generations will deal with the consequences of our ill-considered blunders for hundreds of years to come. South Africa especially, cannot afford to waste limited resources on building inefficient systems. Although each isolated intervention may meet its short term goal, the ripple effect of these inefficiencies on a macro scale is unacceptable. Besides been counter-productive and hindering the countries long term development goals, the inefficient use of energy and other limited natural resources has a vastly damaging effect on our precious natural environment. An understanding and respect for the quality of our build environment needs to be installed in our collective consciousness. Only once the gravity of each seemingly inconsequential development is fully appreciated, will we be able to construct a cohesive built environment, providing the best opportunities for future success. This research seeks to establish the design criteria for a Kwa-Zulu Natal Institute for the Built Environment. This would be a centre for facilitating positive interactions between individuals from various backgrounds involved and interested in improving the quality of our built environment and promoting interest to the public. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Murdoch University, 2003. / Thesis submitted to the Division of Arts. Bibliography: p. [1-23].

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2004. / Advisor: Dr. Ralph S. Brower, Florida State University, College of Social Sciences, Dept. Public Administration and Policy. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Sept. 24, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A research centre for cultural history is an important key to the study of cultural heritage. The Research Centre for Cultural History at the University of Stellenbosch is at present (2000), as far as could be ascertained, the only centre of its kind in South Africa, although the conservation of certain aspects of cultural heritage is also practised by a number of related institutions. There is a need for a system of arrangement and finding aids through which the contents of these institutions and specifically research centres for cultural history can be made accessible to researchers. In this study a system is proposed in answer to the above mentioned deficiency. It is based on a thesaurus in which the most important themes of cultural history are identified and assigned to a number of main categories. The system consists of a set of guidelines, rather than a prescribed framework and it should therefore be appliable to ail cultures in South Africa as well as cultural groups and institutions outside the South African context. A variety of media found in research centres for cultural history are identified. The contents of the Research Centre for Cultural History at the University of Stellenbosch serve as an important model in this regard. It is suggested that the different media are housed separately in the centre and that there is a code assigned to each by which they can be identified in the integrated finding aid. It was found that the proposed system could be applied to research centres for cultural history and related institutions in a variety of ways. It provides the .researcher with an image of the structure and nature of cultural history. It can also be used as a tool in the research and collection of oral history and the structuring of research projects. Other applications of the system will be revealed by usage. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Sentrum vir kultuurhistoriese navorsing is 'n belangrike sleutel tot die bestudering van 'n kultuurerfenis. Die Sentrum vir Kultuurhistoriese Navorsing aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch is tans (2000), sover vasgestel kon word, die enigste sentrum van sy soort in Suid-Afrika, hoewel die bewaring van sekere aspekte van die kultuurerfenis ook in 'n mate deur verwante instansies bedryf word. Daar is 'n behoefte aan 'n volledig uitgewerkte ordeningstelsel en vindmiddel waardeur die inhoud van sulke instansies en spesifiek kultuurhistoriese navorsingsentrums toeganklik gemaak kan word. In hierdie studie word 'n stelsel voorgestel waardeur bogenoemde leemte gevul kan word. Die basis van die stelsel is 'n tesourus waarin die belangrikste temas van kultuurgeskiedenis uiteengesit en in 'n aantal hoofkategorieë verdeel word. Die stelsel is 'n stel riglyne eerder as 'n rigiede raarnwerk en behoort dus toepasbaar te wees op alle kulture in Suid-Afrika sowel as kultuurgroepe en instansies buite die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. 'n Verskeidenheid brontipes wat in 'n sentrum vir kultuurhistoriese navorsing gevind sou kon word, word geïdentifiseer. Die inhoud van die Sentrum vir Kultuurhistoriese Navorsing aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch dien as 'n belangrike voorbeeld. Daar word voorgestel dat die brontipes in die bergproses van mekaar geskei word en dat daar 'n kode aan elkeen toegeken word om hulle in die geïntegreerde vindmiddel van mekaar te onderskei. Daar is gevind dat die voorgestelde stelsel op 'n verskeidenheid van maniere in sentrums vir kultuurhistoriese navorsing en verwante instansies toegepas kan word. Dit verskaf aan die navorser 'n beeld van die struktuur en aard van die vakdissipline. Verder kan dit as 'n belangrike stuk navorsingsgereedskap vir die insameling van mondelinge oorlewering en die strukturering van veldwerkprojekte dien. Ander toepassings daarvan sal deur die praktyk blootgelê word.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:44:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T13:57:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 06817.pdf: 15390443 bytes, checksum: 4c59ef10fba66d3f4d0bad631d2f4c4f (MD5) / Dissertacao (Mestrado) / IPEN/D / Faculdade de Economia, Administracao e Contabilidade, Universidade de Sao Paulo - FEA/USP