Creating sanctuary within an inhospitable world is one of man’s inherent needs. Even in the desert, Man’s sole means of survival is determined by whether he can find oasis: a fertile place within the vast expanse of the dry desert which provides the contrast of water and shade. In medieval times, Man feared the unknown world of the dense wilderness and used the enclosed garden – hortus conclusus- as a means to protect himself from nature and to create his own internal world of safety. Today, in the 21st century, Man is contending with the harsh conditions of the contemporary urban landscape: “a hybrid landscape in which the distinction between city and environs is erased” (Aben and de Wit 1999:250). which continues to develop horizontally and vertically. This contributes to presenting and creating fragmented and unstable conditions, which need to be addressed. Rob Aben and Saskia de Wit (1999) are authors of the book, The Enclosed Garden: History and Development of the Hortus Conclusis and its Reintroduction into the present-day urban landscape. Both writers believe that if the urban wilderness of today can be likened to the feared natural wilderness of the middle ages, then the hortus conclusus or enclosed garden typology could serve as a landscape design tool which provides man with sanctuary and relief from the city. The enclosed garden typology has withstood and transcended a variety of geographical, climactic and cultural conditions over many centuries. Its adaptability and survival lies in its ability to be the “mediator between dwelling and nature, building and landscape” (Baker 2012:22). Despite its relevance as an architectural and landscape design tool, it is not commonly considered for use in the present day practice of landscape architecture. Nor is it used by designers to solve the problems which exist in the current urban landscape. It is for this reason that Aben and de wit (1999) have thoroughly documented and analysed the development of the enclosed garden typology from its time of origin, to the present day. In addition to this, they have devised four new theories of enclosed garden typology (based on historical precedent), which they believe, provide suitable spatial design principles which can be applied to the contemporary urban landscape. The theory of enclosed gardens has validity due to the fact that it critiques the current urban environment. Investigating and testing this unfamiliar theory of enclosed gardens is thus a relevant topic for landscape architectural research. This dissertation will perform a series of spatial design experiments which will apply and test these theories in order to determine the enclosed garden’s relevance as a successful urban landscape design tool and whether it should be used in the context of Johannesburg’s open space system. / Dissertation (ML(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2014. / Architecture / ML(Prof) / Unrestricted

Responding to the needs of a rapidly growing urban population, Stockholm is investing in multiple urban development projects, one of which being Slatkthusområdet, the so-called meatpacking district located in the southern area of the city. Atrium Ljungberg, the Swedish developer responsible for a big parcel of the land in the area, envisions making the slaughterhouse district into an attractive destination for business, society and people in search of cultural life. The developer aims to transform the location from an industrial site to a lively neighbourhood for the society, with a diversity of activities that will work together with a food market in one of the main buildings of the area. Their plan is to establish a food destination that will have a leading role in Slakthusområdet. In the long run, the food destination will become the hub and the unifying link between the various actors and residents of the area, but also a destination that will lift Stockholm as a reference city for gastronomic experiences. It is a crucial issue to look at the identity and experience of a place, especially when proposing the urban renewal for an area that has long been known to have a significant representation in a city. By utilizing placemaking tools and lessons from the feminist urban planning movement, I ask how can we - urban planners, designers, and architects - contribute to placemaking by encouraging certain behaviours, such as collective cooking? Furthermore, from a commercial point of view: how to brand a place? Is it possible to make a win-win, where the developer, the inhabitant, the city, all gain from a place establishing an identity through food? While using Slatkthusområdet as a case study, this thesis project aims to undergo a review of the actions happening in the area, and the actors involved, in order to propose a strategic plan for the urban renewal of the neighbourhood. This plan could be used by the authorities responsible for making decisions regarding urban planning in the city of Stockholm. The celebratory nature of food is universal In search of the universal element that could inspire the creation of public spaces in Slakthusormrådet and extend the domestic life from indoors to outdoors, food as a social tool was continuously appearing as a recommendation during my search. Every single culture and religion uses food as part of their celebrations. Sometimes food means survival, sometimes a status, and in many cases, it is a synonym for pleasure. Regardless of the reason, everyone needs to eat, and the process of cooking and preparing each meal is part of many domestic lives around the world. Slakthusområdet is the ideal scenario to experiment with this concept: their history is connected to food production, and the leading developer of the area has the intention to establish the site as a food destination in the city. Thus, I aim to use eating habits to bringing different groups to the public spaces attracted by one common interest: food