Architecture and political power have long been interrelated throughout history and weaved into the fabric of the built environment. Politics in the past was preoccupied with the expression of power; however, there has been a paradigm shift in favour of the expression of identity, particularly national identity. Local as well as international precedents reveal the extent to which past regimes have manipulated architecture and urban design in the service of politics. Exemplary to this is South Africa, a nation in transition emerging from Western colonization and more recently, the Apartheid regime. It is a country still haunted by ghosts of the past and the spatial organisation of the ‘Apartheid city’. However, South Africa post 1994 is not without examples of contemporary architecture which is a reflection of an “open democracy” in efforts to facilitate renewed interaction and hope in politics and civic architecture. Germany, also emerging from an unsavoury past has embraced the concept of democracy in its political systems and architecture. As a result, the built environment is a record of past together with the present thinking existing in unison, creating rich and meaningful places and spaces rooted in the history of place and time. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

Biophilia is the love of nature and all living things and is the theory that forms the basis of ‘biophilic’ design. Biophilic design recognizes the positive experience of natural systems and processes in our buildings as critical to human health, performance, and well-being. Healthy living is a primary need for society and designing with nature could provide for these needs in architectural environments. Employing such techniques of design could improve the experiential quality of architectural space. The quality of healthcare environments and similar public places could become more accommodating for local communities. There would be a need for adapting these ideas to fit local conditions but through research initiatives, designers can understand what would be most suitable considering the circumstances of a region. If there is a marked effect of natural environments on the wellbeing of citizens, then biophilia can initiate a better approach in local architectural design for society. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

Durban has often been referred to as one of the fastest growing cities in the world. During the Post-Apartheid years, migration of people from other parts of South Africa as well as African countries to Durban has drastically increased. However, the challenges migrants face in the city vary from mild antagonism, to the difficulties of finding employment, to aggressive xenophobic outbreaks. There is a need for orientation for these migrants to help them adapt and feel more at home in the unfamiliar setting. This research dissertation explores the various approaches to creating a new type of architecture to aid the transition of migrants into the city of Durban. The psychological and social changes that they are experiencing in their transitional state have been translated into a set of architectural place-making methods that explore the possibility of an architecture that orientates and promotes transition, as well as provides a place where migrants can find temporary refuge. The dissertation aims to ultimately result in the design of an original architectural typology; a landmark that facilitates orientation and adaption of migrants, both physically and psychologically, and also educates and promotes inter-cultural understanding and appreciation amongst communities of migrants and locals. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

This dissertation revolves around the topic of office decentralisation. The literature review chapter first discusses a systems approach to planning, and how it is the relationships between the objects within a system that makes the system as a whole useful. This chapter also discusses theories relating to city planning with reference to Kevin Lynch in terms of city elements as well as city planning typologies. Edmund Bacon’s theory of how movement systems of cities become powerful forces in terms of how the city is used and viewed is also discussed. Ebenezer Howard’s Garden City concept is discussed due to its intentional decentralisation but also for the manner in which nodes are linked. New Urbanism is touched on because many sprawling cities are turning this type of development in attempt to reduce the outward push of low density developments. Seeing that Apartheid city planning was informed by Modernist city planning, both of these concepts are looked at critically in relation to one another. This is to form the background on what impact office decentralisation has had on South African cities, and whether the locations of such decentralised office nodes have been in the correct locations in order to provide access to jobs to those who were marginalised during the years of Apartheid. With this background, office decentralisation is discussed in general, touching on office building typologies, the effect transportation technologies had on city planning, what causes office decentralisation, and the issue of office decentralisation in South African cities. Examples of how office decentralisation has been used as urban renewal projects have been discussed because it is of the opinion of the author that this needs to occur more often, especially in South Africa. Precedent studies of three cities which have undergone office decentralisation have been discussed in the next chapter. One is a South African city; one is another African city; and one an international city. This chapter discusses briefly their past, and the issues decentralisation is causing for the cities, as well as their solutions to the issues. Durban is used as a case study in the next chapter where decentralised office nodes have been identified and analysed. The challenges this decentralisation brings to the city are then discussed and possible solutions drawn from the abovementioned precedent studies have been suggested. These solutions were tested in a questionnaire which was sent to a selected group of working people. The results of which are discussed and analysed in chapters 5. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

Religion is still a large driving force behind the manner in which people live today. Religion, especially the predominant practices that date back to our ancestors, is a driving force behind culture. It creates traditions that have been passed onto us consciously and subconsciously. Norms such as customs, rituals, routines and patterns are subconsciously inherited, contributing to the culture of a community. Together, religion and tradition influence and provide a base for culture. These two factors, when combined, create a structure in our lives which contributes towards finding meaning within our lives. A society with a strong sense of belonging has an affirmed identity in the urban environment, contributing to the sense of place found in the urban fabric by attaching meaning and memory. Thus an environment is created that combats the rapid pace movement of globalization. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

In South Africa today, railways, along with other forms of public transport have lost or in fact never had the same sense of sanguine appreciation that European stations embodied. Instead South African public transport systems, especially its railway networks, are perceived negatively by a large portion of the population and the vast majority of visitors to the country (Donaldson and Ferreira, 2008). The problem with the perceptions and judgments made by people with regards to architecture is that they often stand in contrast to each other. These disagreements are not only limited to laymen, as disagreements among critics often go beyond the mere subjectivity of taste or opinion, even extending to matters of fact (Bonta, 1979: 11). By extrapolating the process by which humans interpret the world around them, Hermeneutics attempts to define the determining factors behind subjective thought when making an accurate interpretation of text. In recent years these same techniques have been applied to the built environment in what can best be described as an investigation into the meaning of architecture, this investigation became known as ‘architectural hermeneutics’ (Bonta, 1979 and Snodgrass & Coyne, 2006). While hermeneutics does provide a method to deal with the problems associated with subjectivity, the tools needed to assess the validity of the resultant interpretations of architecture have not developed. In order to confirm the adequacy of any resultant interpretations the researcher must define and abstract the parts, which contribute to these interpretations, according to quantifiable guidelines that can then be measured and compared. The Guidelines utilised in this study are defined through the work of Norberg-Schultz, Thiis-Evensen, Alexander and Handa. Through the ensuing case studies this paper demonstrated that by designing architecture in accordance with its relationship to the surrounding environment and context, the designer becomes capable of generating a supportive architecture that can reaffirm its associated functions under a positive light. By creating a continuous structure between the new architecture and its context – that is in accordance with the ‘parts’ which make up the meaningful ‘whole’ – an architect of any background can create meaningful architecture in any context. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

All architecture carries a message that may be positive, negative or indifferent depending on the individual’s experiences and background. In order for a message to be effective it needs to be understood and the primary way of achieving this is through identification with meaning and memory. South Africa needs a contemporary architectural expression which makes use of clear rational decisions. A positive architectural message needs to be understood by the collective whole of society, and with the careful use of meaning and memory, it will carry identification for all. Urban landscapes and the built environment have the power to nurture citizens’ public memory and encompass shared meaning in the form of shared territory and identity. The built environment needs to incorporate elements of social relevance in order to achieve a more successful, and prosperous building. Architecture is perceived as an expression of society and culture at a certain time. In South Africa new frames of reference need to be formulated which encapsulate the spirit of change within the country. A new democracy needs an appropriate architectural image, centered on the aspects of social identity, meaning and memory, to encourage society to redefine its image. Identity, meaning and memory have been split apart by the previous political situations in South Africa, destroying the sense of community. By combining meaning and memory with the new democratic South Africa, society can be reconstructed, creating places that evoke a sense of pride and belonging. Identity is intimately tied to meaning and memory, both individual and collective. People need to be able to identify with a building in order to create a relationship with it. If the public are unable to understand or experience the contribution of the element, it has failed in every way. Meaning is created as a biological response to the physical environment. It is a cultural creation, and without it there is no sense of civic identity and shared history bringing the community together. It is only through order and recognizing mutual dependence that elements become meaningful. The history of an urban landscape is connected to memory which is rooted in place. This memory needs to be transposed into architecture without losing any of its meaning. Architecture is a form of visual communication, which is perceived and interpreted in an individual capacity. Every memory and association is affected by past experiences and events. Architecture expresses the systematic and inter-human aspects of symbolization, through the meanings, values and needs inherent in public life. A meaningful environment is a fundamental part of a meaningful existence and the purpose of architecture is to assist in making human existence meaningful (Norberg-Schulz, 1974: 427-434). / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

The research conducted seeks to understand man’s relationship with the natural world, and the translation of that relationship into the built environment. Current and contemporary built form often lacks an integrated approach to the natural environment. Seeing as modern man’s lifestyles is increasingly focused on indoor activities and governed by the technological rather than the physical world, the disconnection between man and the natural world grows ever more, with great physical, social and mental repercussions. The research therefore aims at establishing how the built form may facilitate connections to the natural world. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

This dissertation is based on research undertaken on the role of the housing group savings schemes that provide end-user finance to the poor households to address their housing needs with special reference to South African Homeless People's Federation (SAHPF) at Piesang River outside Durban. The housing conditions inherited by the new Government in South Africa were characterized by backlog. In order for the Government to address housing shortage, housing subsidy assistance was introduced, which only provided the 'starter house', which was not sufficient enough for the poor in terms of size and quality of the house. It was hoped that the traditional financial institutions would come to the party and provide small-scale loans to the poor to incrementally improve the condition of their housing. The poor households have been seen as "unbankable". Basically the study bids to explore and establish the effectiveness of the savings schemes as an intervention in making end-user finance available to the poor households in S.A. to meet their shelter needs. The study revolves wholly around the group housing savings clubs as an intervention for proving housing for the poor. Practice has proved that incremental upgrading of a core unit using incremental finance is more suitable than long-term loans and does not bind the poor into long-term financial agreements. Given the fact that the poor are not willing to subject themselves into long-term financial commitments, consequently, the poor households have initiated financial self-help groups of the likes of ROSCAs, Stokvels, RCAs and ASCRAs as a mechanism to deal with the predicament that they are facing. The study explores the circumstances under which these saving schemes have evolved and the cause of their proliferation, looking at the international and local experiences. The study draws successful lessons from SAHPF of Piesang River about group lending and the possible expansion of its activities to other parts of S.A. Lending groups have the potential to provide affordable credit to the poor and the group members will use peer pressure to encourage repayment. Group lending is capable of making an individual repay that would have easily defaulted under individual lending. The researcher uses the combination of sample survey and case study to argue that the success of SAHPF particularly in making end-user finance available to its members is due to its strong, central focus on savings and loans. Finally the recommendations are that savings for housing purposes should be seen as an appropriate mechanism, to augment the housing subsidy given the fact that formal end-user finance is not forth coming especially to the poor as anticipated. / Thesis (Arch.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.