Thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree: Master of Architecture (Professional) to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2016 / Hyperembodiment is an approach to negotiating the interface between spaces for women (in Johannesburg’s inner-city) and jewellery as a connector of the body – especially for women – to place. The inner-city, a space that is male-dominated and where women are present but seem to be largely excluded, or to feel unsafe and vulnerable - especially because of what the female body represents in an ‘unsafe’ male space, is also full of vibrancy and activity and has the potential for a positive and radical cultural change, but remains disconnected, nonprogressive and stagnant in thinking as well as non-inclusive of all people. The spatial investigations into places for women (modern feminist spatial concepts) and jewellery as a ‘site’ or interface between the body and architecture, and the interesting parallels it draws between feminist views, space, psychology and the body (process and development of body adornment and jewellery theories), are powerful ways of thinking about space that could suggest an appropriate architectural approach that could realign both spaces for women, a modern approach to the act of making, and creative jewellery practices in Johannesburg. The spatial connotations of the word ‘hyper’ is something that is ‘very’, ‘beyond’, or ‘very active’ and those of the word ‘embodiment’ is something ‘embodying’, ‘representing’ or ‘expressing’ a space. The compound word ‘Hyperembodiment’ used here means beyond embodiment, or very actively personifying a space and its innate properties of land, earth, materials, and the bodies (people) in it. It is also all the layers of embodiment – physical, historical, social layers – that are collaged together in one time and in one space to create a high-intensity and complex expression of place. Jewellery as a connector; for the body and for woman to place, would be these collaged layers made into a physical object and symbol made from the materials, earth, historical and social layers. It is a simultaneous case of the wearer embodying the place, and the place embodying the wearer. / MT2017

A Research Report submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree in Master of Science in Town and Regional Planning, University of the Witwatersrand, 2016 / Public open spaces such as parks provide vibrancy to the ordinary city by means of providing spaces for the community for recreational, health and leisure activities. A sustainable public open space provides an opportunity for a city to become more sustainable where a public open space is more than a space for the community. This research aims at developing a set of principles that may be adopted by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Open Space System (JMOSS) in order to create sustainable public open spaces. The objectives of the research report include unpacking various debates regarding the use, users and definition of public open spaces, identifying what the existing principles are for open spaces as used by JMOSS, identifying where the parks and vacant parcels of land are in the Sandton and surrounding area, identifying what makes a public open space coherent, contextual and co-existent, identifying the shortfalls of the public open spaces in Sandton in terms of their coherency, co-existence, contextuality and sustainability, and identifying local and international precedents of Sustainable Public Open Spaces. The nature of this research report will include qualitative research where in depth interviews, photographs, mapping and case studies will be used in order to develop the principles for sustainable public open spaces. Two main concepts will be drawn on to develop the principles for sustainable public open spaces. Firstly, the concept of sustainable public open spaces by Reiter (2004) whereby the three principles of coherence, co-existence and contextuality are used. Secondly, the concept of sustainability as discussed by Gedikli (n.d.) where sustainable urban development incorporates social justice, sustainable economies, and environmental sustainability. Therefore, the concept of sustainability is the focus of how public open spaces can become more resilient, adaptable, efficient and effective spaces within the city for the public to use, by developing a set of principles for sustainable public open spaces. This research report culminates in the development of a set of principles for sustainable public open spaces, entitled “The Three Cs for Sustainable Public Open Spaces”. These principles can be applied on a generic scale but require guidelines in the context in which they are applied. Therefore, these principles are derived alongside guidelines for the context of the public open spaces within and around the Sandton CBD. / MT2017

A thesis is submitted for the fulfilment of a Masters degree in Development Studies in the School of Social Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, March 2016 / The minibus taxi industry plays an important role in helping thousands of commuters daily in reaching their desired destinations. The minibus taxi industry emerged in South Africa under the apartheid era in the wake of the country’s economic deregulation initiated in 1977. This industry has grown rapidly since then overtaking both buses and trains with an estimated 14 million passengers using taxi services each day (Minibus Taxis and Road Safety, internet, 2015: 10:00am). The latter is due to its accessibility, affordability as well as convenience. The minibus taxi industry has also been stereotypically identified as an industry dominated by violence amongst various taxi associations over access to various routes while being heavily dominated by patriarchal male figures. Nevertheless, the minibus taxi industry and particularly queue marshals have however, not received the much needed attention as key players in the public transportation sector. Limited literature has been written on the taxi industry in general and on queue marshals specifically and yet, 14 million commuters use taxis daily to get around (Minibus Taxi and Road Safety, internet, 2015: 10:00am). It is as a result of this limitation that this 2 research study aims to contribute to the existing body of literature on the minibus taxi industry by analyzing the socio-economic lives of queue marshals focusing specifically on the form and function of queue marshals in Bree Street taxi rank, Johannesburg as well as the observable presence of patriarchy that is found in these ranks and whether the same influence is found within their households. In doing so, this research study hopes to examine whether or not the spirit of ubuntu exists within the industry that has been stereotypically perceived by society as violent and dominated by taxi drivers with ‘bad attitude’ and reckless driving skills. The hope is that, through understanding the socio dynamics of the lived experiences of queue marshals within the minibus taxi industry, queue marshals will no longer be ‘invisible’ while helping to reveal a different perception (two different worldviews to one coin) of an industry solely believed to be dominated by violence, ‘unruly’ and ‘rude’ individuals (Sauti 2006). / GR2017

Mini-Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree Master of Science (Environmental Sciences) School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of Witwatersrand School: Mining Engineering (Centre For Sustainability In Mining And Industry) 26 January 2017 / The Gautrain Rapid Rail Link project is one of the biggest transport projects undertaken in South Africa. One of the unique features of this project was the manner in which public participation was conducted. There were two stages of public participation, one for the EIA process and the other for the EMP process. The research undertaken sought to study the influence of public participation on the development of mitigation measures in an EMP following EIA. The aim of the research project was to assess how the mitigation of environmental impacts, developed for an EMP during the construction phase, were affected by public participation, using the Gautrain Rail Link as a case study. When the comments were classified according to how they related to the different mitigation management plans it was found that the issues most commented on were those pertaining to public consultation and disclosure, noise vibration, visual/aesthetics, working hours, surface water, traffic as well as construction sites. Approximately 7% of the comments made by IAPs could be linked to specific changes to DFEMPs. Approximately 4% of the changes suggested by IAPs were rejected by Bombela. Prior to changes being made the DFEMP 2 had 238 targets; by the end on DFEMP5 the number of targets was 217 which reflected an 8.8% reduction. Prior to changes being made the DFEMP 2 had 789 method statements; by the end on DFEMP5 the number of method statements was 845 which reflected a 7.1% increase. These changes were mostly due to some of the targets being replaced by a “No complaints from the public” target and then the shifting of the previous targets into method statements. There was a change in the overall approach of mitigation targets to what could be viewed as more ‘people-orientated’ as opposed to mitigation that aimed to prevent adverse impacts to the environment. This was evident in the change of targets focusing on having no complaints from the public as opposed to setting targets that related to standards and specific environmental conditions. It was also found that the public input at the EMP stage could not have altered the mitigation strategy significantly but could have likely assisted in improving and refining the mitigation measures that had been selected. Public preference on the mitigation strategies applied was observed in the research as was the “Not In My Back Yard” phenomenon where the IAPs were more concerned with the impacts that directly affected their everyday lives and not the natural environment as a whole. It was noted that the input from the public resulted in valuable information being added and improved decision-making. It was found that the Independent Auditor’s comments resulted in the most evident changes in the DFEMPs. The public input process was able to highlight the feasibility and practicality of the targets set in the DFEMPs. It also gave IAPs an opportunity to voice their opinion on socioeconomic issues that they would otherwise not have been able to raise. A drawback from the public participation process was that the comments made by the IAPs were often repetitive which led to generic responses being given and also increased the likelihood of both IAP and developer participation fatigue. There was an agreement by all the interview participants for the need to EMP to be developed as continuous documents through the different phases of the project. Overall, the case study could add valuable input to the environmental management body of knowledge in South Africa. / MT2017

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the importance of public space and to explore the concept of public living. The concept behind this thesis exploration is to look at the Soweto yard called a `jarata` and to look at various configurations of a Soweto yard. The reason behind choosing a Soweto yard is to conceptualise a public space which has the essence of the sociality of a Soweto yard. The investigation will begin by exploring the concept of social space and to gain an understanding of what a `social space` is in comparison to a physical place. Over the years people have defined and redefined spaces around them. In shared spaces people have used traditions and cultures to dictate the manner in which they use these spaces and have therefore created unwritten rules in these spaces. As people redefine these spaces from their designed or intended use, they essentially create social spaces. These social spaces are not the physical spaces but they happen in the physical spaces, and are driven by events which are part of people’s social and cultural patterns. So therefore the architecture of a place is defined by the social spaces which are the events, activities and the happenings in the place, which are centred on social patterns. Place is the visible space, and space is the hidden place. The architectural response is a public space where public living can be embraced more especially for the residents of Soweto and more specifically to the residents of Mofolo Central where my site is based. The space will be an enabling space which should allow the users the freedom to carry out their traditions and social patterns. The space is also an event space which allows for a variety of recreational activities from musical events, celebrations, ceremonies and play. The design of the space also incorporates an existing old cinema and seeks to revive the cinema and develop it as a cinema and theatre. The purpose of reviving the cin- ema is to bring back a cinema-going culture to the area of Mofolo and Soweto at large. The exterior space will be an extension of the cinema and will function as an open-air cinema among other uses mentioned above. In addition there will be office spaces, trade spaces both formal and informal and recreational facilities. The design plays on the social patterns of public life in Soweto.

The city of Johannesburg has battled with the condition of homelessness for years, identifying a problem even before our emancipation from the ruthless apartheid construct (Beavon, 2004). Political measures have subsequently been implemented in order to combat its harsh effects, introducing various short-term housing policies and theoretical solutions for the homeless in the city. The temporary housing institution as a body is therefore representative, for many people, of the first step in the process toward a legitimate and permanent housing solution. However, the institution as it exists today, does so in both a social and political vacuum. The great divide between the temporary solution and the initial rungs of the social housing ladder give the user little to no option for situational improvement (Olufemi, 1998). These collective spaces for the ostracised community, through their layered autonomous nature, divorce the user even further from the community aimed to be reunited with. The institution as a typology requires investigation, interrogation and reintegration within existing and enforced political structures. The immediate accommodation answer needs to be seen both as an independent entity as well as only part of a greater strategy for a permanent, integrated and holistic housing solution. The contestation of the institution is not the argument, but rather a proposal for its deconstruction and ultimate innovative reconnection through a strategy of layered inversion. If we choose to view the city and many of its microcosmic constructs through a post-structuralist or deconstructivist lens, we begin to understand the prevalence of the disjointed other within the urban whole: The homeless woman is the city’s marginalised user. The alleyway; the silent ‘other’ to the prominent street. The vacant space is the forgotten site. And if the physicality of structure is the prominent former, the network and connections existing between built forms must be the secondary within the realm of architecture. If we connect the city’s marginalised elements, through the vessel of temporary accommodation as the initial part of an integrated housing model, the role of the institution is inverted rather than its function or programme. Therefore, the ‘exo-stution’ is the folding out and reconnection of the existing ‘in-stitution’ is an answer to the city’s detached collection of limited - where marginalised user, space and structure collectively connect street, suburb and city.

The imagery of flight remains one of the most captivating views in history. The bird’s eye view it gives to man has helped him to gain an understanding of a particular area, in addition to broadening his knowledge base. Air travel has time in sense (because of its convenience), and shaped cities, with the airport control tower becoming a dominant icon within the landscape. Its form of communication and navigation is different: having its own language, symbols that have to be comprehended before the journey of flight can begin. The map is one such device that serves as a medium between the technical and the lay – enabling a simpler understanding of a complex subject. It is dexterous in its ability to show detail, aiding the design process by highlighting key elements, summarising others, and giving clues as to the proposed site and programme. The focus of this study is to design a hub for business, as well as a facilitator for improving the knowledge of the visitor through information and networks. Specific functional elements were chosen in an attempt to supplement the existing Lanseria airport, in addition to creating an identity for a gateway into area and its surrounds. In accordance with the co-operative nature of the industry, the proposal can become a marketable feature for the developing, expanding airport. This document examines the context of aviation and theatrical explorations into its methods of communications (Chapters 1 – 2); the search for an appropriate site (Chapter 3) and the formation of programme and precedent studies (Chapter 4); leading up to the final design of the Centre and its technological aspects (Chapter 5).

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Development Planning, 2016 / Over the last decade national, provincial and local governments within South Africa have paid considerable attention to the benefits and need for an effective and reliable public transport system to meet the social challenges facing South African cities. The development of public transport systems is viewed as a tool to alleviate poverty and unemployment, as they provide access to opportunities and services previously out of reach. In Johannesburg the Spatial disparities created during the apartheid era continue to divide the city along the lines of class and race, and serve to marginalise low income groups located on the periphery, far from economic centres. Over the last 10 years urban and economic growth in the west of Johannesburg has occurred at a rapid rate giving rise to numerous informal settlements and government subsidised homes. These developments occurred without the development of public transport systems isolating low income residents. This study seeks to examine the extent to which public transportation systems are responding to the growth of new urban and economic nodes in Johannesburg in a manner that supports the interests and needs of the city’s low income residents. The study investigates the cases of the Gautrain and Rea Vaya. The study evaluates the systems through an analysis of the state’s public transportation plans and policies and the challenges and successes of each system, taking into account what are the state’s current and future public transport plans and how are they responding to urban and economic growth in the west of Johannesburg. Through the use of spatial data, the study examines the spatial and economic trends in Johannesburg, the location of the urban poor and the effects of changes in commuter patterns. The study takes into account current and future urban and economic trends and examines the way in which public transport systems can make a positive impact upon the urban poor. This evaluation is done through an analysis of international literature and best practices that can be used in the development of public transport systems that are responsive, effective and reliable. Key respondents were interviewed to examine the impediments facing the development of responsive public transport systems and how this affects low income commuters in Johannesburg. Through the use of numerous forms of data including maps, policy documents and key respondent interviews, study reveals that future transport developments see the Gautrain and the Rea Vaya expanding to the west of Johannesburg. These developments will only occur in the late future, leaving low income residents without a formal means of public transport for many years to come. Low income residents within these regions lack the means to access opportunities and services. Research into the phenomenon reveals that in order to address the challenges faced by the urban poor in the west a more dynamic and integrated approach is required in the development of public transport systems in Johannesburg. These findings provide a critical understanding the development of public transport systems and the impediments that restrict the responsiveness of public transportation development in Johannesburg. / MT2017

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (Geography). Johannesburg, 11 June 2017. / Reclaimer integration in South Africa has been identified as a priority, but how to integrate reclaimers remains a challenge. Crucially, there is not yet a coherent approach or a clear understanding of what reclaimer integration means in South Africa, let alone whether this same understanding of integration is shared by the reclaimers who are being integrated. By focusing on the integration initiatives of the Environment and Infrastructure Services Department (EISD) and Pikitup, this thesis conducts a comparative study of two reclaimer integration projects in Johannesburg. It investigates the breakdown and mismatch of understandings between social actors who do not share the same view of integration and implications thereof. In doing so, it contributes to discourse on the transformation of Johannesburg’s waste management system. Social constructivism theory by Berger and Luckmann (1966) provides the theoretical grounding for this dissertation by exploring how different milieus and experiences shape people’s understanding of realities. Findings illustrate that there is no clear conceptualisation of integration that underpins waste management policy. Drawing on social constructivism theory, the paper concludes that integration is a socially constructed and contested concept. Essentially, there are inconsistent understandings of integration among different groups of reclaimers as well as officials. For that reason, integration programmes created a new form of exclusion and imposed negative effects on reclaimers. KEYWORDS: Integration, Reclaimers, Waste, Policy, Recycling, cooperatives / LG2018

Thesis (M.Arch. (Professional))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, 2016. / Humans and animals have a diverse and complex set of relationships but their inextricable narratives of development leave them interdependent. By understanding the human fascination with other living beings, in conjunction with our responsibility of preserving the planet, the importance of human-animal interaction becomes apparent. Acknowledgment that understanding the role played by animals in society, ancient and modern, goes far beyond biology, introduces ideas of culture, association and imagination as key contributing elements to the forging of meaningful relationships between man and beast. Zoological gardens, as an architectural typology, are a fundamental platform for human-animal interaction and an important link in the chain of conservation. Their development over time illustrates a refl ection of human thought and highlights the typology as a powerful tool in the establishment of an environmental conscience. A redefi nition of the role of the modern zoo causes us to critically analyse the experience of animal spectatorship; learning about animals aids us in learning about ourselves. Understanding the complexities of both people and animals can expose common ground, through which we can educate ourselves and improve our abilities to create a better environment for animals, and in so doing perhaps also for ourselves. This thesis proposes a redevelopment scheme for a portion of Johannesburg Zoo; creating a transition from the traditional colonial zoological garden model to an urban ecological destination, in line with contemporary conservational thought. Through understanding the historical, topographical and functional layering that conglomerates the existing Johannesburg Zoo, the design prioritises a sensory architectural experience: liberating zoo animals from cages and altering the physical and psychological viewpoint of the spectator. / EM2017