Most cities are faced with the issue of decline that often causes segregation between people and places within its walls. Often, the problem lies in the condition of these cities. Cities are no longer bustling, active places that attract people and encourage lingering within, but rather have become places that are unhealthy and feel unsafe (Ravenscroft, 2000; 2534: Oc and Tiesdell, 1997; 5). In some cases, fragmentation takes place, which encourages clustering and segregation between race groups, economic groups and even age groups. The city is no longer a place for everyone within its footprint, but rather a collection of fragments which further divide areas into mono-functional or single demographic zones. The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the issues around the topic of decline and to gain understanding of the governing factors that contribute to the decline of cities. By understanding the causes of decline, one can further derive conclusions as to how these cities can be revitalised into places that are liveable, healthy environments that encourage activity and occupation. Further issues to be investigated are the creation of ‘Place’ within the city, as well as the methods on how existing boundaries can be bridged to create a more interconnected and integrated city. The current boundaries that exist within the city include physical boundaries (such as unoccupied and decaying buildings, vacant land, highways and roads), social boundaries (between various races, ages, backgrounds and religions) and economic boundaries. The idea of using Arts and Culture as method of revitalisation and integration will be explored for the purpose of this dissertation. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

Civic institutions such as the Police, the Judiciary and Governmental organizations rely heavily on a positive public perception in order to create a successful symbiotic working relationship. Although the public perception of these various institutions is often based on their actual performance and objectives within the public realm, the cognitive image which the public has of an institution is based on a variety of factors. The architecture which houses these institutions provides one of the primary valuable platforms to engage with the public and to express the vision and ideals of these institutions. It is thus important to understand the potential of architecture to shape a public perception or cognitive image. This paper seeks to understand how this can be achieved through the physical and emotional influences of the built form as well as to understand the role of society in shaping these perceptions. In South Africa, where a new democratic society has emerged, the re-imagination of civic institutions and their architecture to form a new cognitive image finds relevance. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

Lining the streets and the interstitial spaces of the developing cities of the modern world is an emerging citizenship that exists and thrives in the in-between. These are the new urbanites, the Insurgent Citizens; a socio spatial product of the rapid urbanisation processes that have shaped and will continue to shape the urban landscape. The physical make up of concrete and glass that forms the fantastic images of cityness and modernity house the minority population, the haves. However, in the spaces left behind, in the alley ways and on the pavements in so called residual spaces, this new insurgent citizenship is growing. Having been left out of the planning processes that define these city imageries, within exclusionary constructs these citizens are redefining how the city functions as they stake their claims to be active participants within the metabolism of the modern city. This conflicting rationality of what a city is, and for whom it shall serve is effected by the minority striving to modernise and the majority striving to survive within the same physical environment. There are countless research efforts established to disseminate cityness for the minority of haves; however this dissertation posits itself within the construct of the have-nots and their rights to the city and therefore their socio-spatial rights to redefine it. This redefinition of cityness is established as a means to support their livelihood strategies to contest their conditions of spatial and economic poverty, as shall be defined herein. This insurgent citizenship is not survivalist nor merely informal, but rather an active social agent contesting the exclusionary processes that continue to define the cities of the developing world. It is the aim of this dissertation to establish the historical and current construct under which these socio-spatiality’s exist. Thus by identifying these strategies by which these insurgents survive and contest these realities, this dissertation will explore informal recycling as a means of insurgency. By understanding the global and local phenomenon of informal recycling; considering the environmental and socio-economic benefits it yields, this dissertation seeks to uncover strategies by which inclusive developments can be adopted to facilitate this insurgent practice. The objective of this dissertation is to establish a grassroots up architectural design solution for the informal recyclers of the Durban CBD, South Africa. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

The study explores the factors hampering the growth of a sustainable lower middle income (LMI) housing market. The LMI group includes members of the working class who earn between R3,500 and R7,000 per month. The motivation for the research followed an observation made in 2003, that the policies of both the Department of Housing and the traditional banking system excluded this income category from accessing housing assistance. However, during the course of the study, the state started extending subsidy assistance to this income group, through the Breaking New Ground (BNG) policy. The study employed oral and written data collection methods. The housing market participants was divided into three broad categories, namely, demand side participants, supply side participants and the housing market facilitators. Interviews were conducted with both supply side participants and facilitators. On the demand side a questionnaire survey was conducted to establish the experiences of households in respect of the home acquisition process. The research findings revealed that LMI households require a housing typology which is described as a two bedroom detached starter house, within close proximity to a public transport system, and other community facilities for ease of accessibility. The data showed that the LMI households required financial education before getting involved in the home acquisition transaction. In addition, it emerged that professional services offered by the estate agents were not being fully utilized by the LMI households simply because the households were not aware of the responsibility of the agents in the home acquisition transaction process. It is maintained that the LMI housing market is inundated with multi-faceted hurdles from both intrinsic and extrinsic sources. The intrinsic sources include household character, past experiences amongst others, while the extrinsic sources comprise housing stock availability, loan approval criteria, etc. These hurdles require both long and short term interventions addressing the convoluted home acquisition process which involves various facilitators and a costly immovable product. In conclusion, it is recommended that demand side home ownership education is necessary, whereby LMI households are prepared for the home acquisition process. On the supply side long and short term interventions are recommended towards creating enabling environments for the supply of starter houses located close to neighbourhood facilities particularly a reliable transport network. / Thesis (M.Housing)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

South Africa boasts such intrinsic beauty in its social and physical geography and at the heart of this beauty lie its people. For each culture that has fought for their beliefs and systems, wars have been fought and lives have been lost. One thing which remains constant however is the belief that we the people can work together to live in peace and harmony and leave a better place to those who come after. Apartheid South Africa was divisive in many ways and its results have left many wounds on the country’s architectural geography. Social inequality is manifest in the tapestry of everyday life and the Peri-Urban scars of our past have become vivid thresholds of crosscultural debate. The Apartheid planning model of disconnection through race and class has seen a massive effort to refocus on Durban’s urban core, whereas the rich tapestry of the Peri-Urban townships is often neglected. In order to reconnect the outer city geographies back into the urban whole an investigation into the theory of connection between people and their physical environment needs to be undertaken. This dissertation looks at how the theory of connection might enable a unified Durban and rehabilitate the tenderness of past planning processes. Public Transport is one such mechanism which can connect communities, no matter the distance nor socio-economic status and it is within this context that the dissertation offers new insight into the critical and exciting reconnection process. / M. Arch. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

KwaZulu Natal Legislature is an organization that requires office holders who can exercise authority, speak on its behalf, administer its business and serve its members and most importantly public affairs. Its functions are divided among elected officers, who are Members of Parliament, and the permanent officers and their staff who are employed for the House. Currently KwaZulu Natal (KZN) is in a transition period whereby the original legislative and administrative structures are still in place and operational. However the problem has been the recent amount of pressures of the new dispensation. The province is in a strange and unique situation whereby we have a parliament at Ulundi that operates as the original house of assembly operating designed for (black) governance and now a Pietermaritzburg High Court with its own Assembly house and administrative department both operating concurrently. The political problems that have risen are immense and have caused huge turmoil between the two leading political parties in the region that is the African National Congress (ANC) and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). As a result there were problems of duplication of staff between the two assembly houses, a duplication of services, resources. This situation has affected the local government's financial situation by having to split the salaries, benefits and additional expenses. The region of KwaZulu-Natal has for years been operating like three provinces in one. [Provincial task report team-The provincial administration of KwaZulu Natal, 1997]. Discussions of a single provincial legislature continue, but few issues have arisen like the acknowledgement of traditional leaders and arguments about where the provincial capital should be. Furthermore this has delayed the processes of drafting the provincial constitution.The shortage of space has recently been the major contributor to sudden urge for the need for a new legislature building. The Pietermaritzburg complex is currently being scattered along Langalibalele Street, with the debating chamber on one side and the administrative building located across the street. Further down is the office of the Premier. The sudden increase of the local government service structure has furthermore increased a definite need for the new building that will aim to address the current issues. It is therefore crucial for the Legislature Buildings to express the new socio-cultural paradigm that has emerged in KZN. [South Africa Report, 1995] / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

Not available. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of Natal, 2003.

This study is concerned with the manner in which households create strategies to mitigate environmental risks in informal settlements for example Lacey Road which is located in Sydenham in the eThekwini metropolitan area of KwaZulu‐Natal. Informal settlements result from migration and urbanisation trends whereby people from rural areas migrate to the city in search of job opportunities and a better life. Many fail to find the formal employment opportunities they seek and find themselves having to provide their own shelter. These circumstances culminate in the construction of informal settlements in and near the city. People settle on land that is often undesirable for development because of geological or environmental pressures e.g. it has unstable soils, the land is located within flood plains or on very steep slopes. The vulnerability approach and political ecology framework underpin this study. These two approaches have been used in order to understand the capabilities of informal settlers to cope with risks they are faced with. They have been also used to understand how human activities and political systems may be linked to the spread of environmental degradation and risks. Household survey and key informants interviews were used to conduct this study. The findings of the research show that Lacey Road informal settlement is exposed to various risks such as floods, fire, waste disposal, and indoor air pollution and other health risks. It is clear that residents from Lacey Road are regularly exposed to the harsh realities of spatial and environmental marginalisation. The main reason for their vulnerability is the lack of service delivery by the municipality. This is due to a unique set of power relations where the community does not have profile to force the municipality to provide access to basic services. It is within this context that the researcher sought to analyse and explore the interface between environmental risk management and coping strategies of residents within informal settlements. Whilst there are general risks that face all residents of informal settlements, the researcher also considered what is specific to the Lacey Road settlement in Sydenham. The intention of this research is to identify environmental risks being experienced in Lacey Road informal settlements. Furthermore, to understand household strategies employed to mitigate those environmental risks at Lacey Road. / Thesis (M.Sc.U.R.P.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

In Durban as well as many other cities around the world one can find the phenomenon of street children. Studies have highlighted various factors such as historical, political, social and economic, which have contributed to the formation of this phenomenon. The aim of this project is to analyse these factors in an attempt to understand the underlying issues and circumstances that lead to the phenomenon of street children. In conjunction with this, one needs to study existing examples of architectural solutions both local and abroad in order to identify the fundamental requirements that a design of this nature would need to include. It is also important that one analyse the local context as it may hold region specific needs that may not be evident from studies of foreign examples. This project seeks to identify the specific methods of rehabilitation and development, in order to create a successful architectural solution. In order to achieve this, one needs to recognise the specific design needs of children in an attempt to create a more conducive environment for rehabilitation. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

The power of education with its range of different fields has had a dramatic impact on our world, and more and younger students graduate every year. This growth and flooding have forced institutes to expand exponentially. And with the idea of internationally recognised degrees, many institutions have changed their curriculums, and some have even changed the institution titles e.g. Durban University of technology that was once called the Durban institute of technology and also the University of Natal that is now called University of KwaZulu Natal. This change has also forced these academic institutes to expand not only in terms of number of students, but also physically, with new buildings being built and also some even change the degree titles. The aim for the new Department of Television, Performance and Staging for Durban University of Technology is to attempt to facilitate this growth and change. To facilitate these changes, the scheme is to be divided into two main aspects – to reunify the existing growth and suggest new better ways of facilitating the growth. Secondly – the new Department of Television, Performance and Staging will not only set out the new dimension in future growth but will also architecturally facilitate the existing growth and change. This dissertation will then focus on a specific department within the Faculty, which is the Department of Television, Performance and Staging which will house the existing and to be upgraded Video Technology and Drama Studies departments. The focus on this department is to explore the relationship between the university and the public engagement, to enhance and upgrade the quality of the existing department. The Department of Television, Performance and Staging tries to explore concepts in architecture – utilising Video Technology and Drama Studies as a exploratory tool for students and professionals to promote architecture to a larger audience. The audience wants to be entertained and as well as informed through architecture that explores and expresses notions of space and structure through the use of shape, form, light, balance, colour, movement and expression. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.