M.Tech. (Architectural Technology) / This thesis is an attempt at changing the urban visions of the inner-city of Johannesburg, in particular Marshalltown. Through the generation of a new urban network/ transport orientated development (T.O.D) within the inner-city , the underlying aim of this thesis is to enhance the inner-city of Johannesburg and to promote a more sustainable way of life for it's current and future residents . Essentially, this thesis is an urban regeneration project which re-appropriates existing building stock within the inner city, in hope of promoting Marshalltown as a vibrant, safe , liveable, dynamic and sustainable environment . This thesis favours the compact city approach, which promotes high density , mixed use development, public transport and community living. The proposed architectural intervention for this thesis deals with the appropriation of an existing auto and general shop situated on Anderson street , Marshalltown, and converts it into a mixed-use building which aims to improve and enhance the quality of life with in the precinct .

M.Tech. (Architectural Technology) / The once racially segregated urban fabric of Johannesburg is experiencing dramatic transition with different needs, attitudes and cultures. Patterns of use have altered and so has the social demography of the city and the urban fringes_ "The large business sector continues to move to the suburbs in a bid to find growth and security to be replaced with small retail outlets lessening the amount of money available to the Johannesburg council to revamp the CBD". Finance Week, Politics and Urban Renewal, June 19-25 1997, p17. Depressed areas, areas Jacking council funding within the city need to attention to divert possible neglect, to restore greater confidence within the business sector. The Doornfontein area of Johannesburg is one such area with a new collective vision created by the community, professionals, business, and local and provincial government, may possibly lead the CBD on a road to recovery. This eclectic area consisting of commerce, retail, commercial, educational, light-industry, and housing sectors, all working independently from one another and from the rest of the CBD could possibly benefit from a unified urban renewal project incorporating all sectors of the community. Doornfontein and Johannesburg's "metropolitan system is presently facilitating urban decay". Finance Week, A Tale of Two Cities, September 0410 1997, p16…

Abstract This thesis focuses on identifying and satisfying opportunities through the regeneration of underutilised land in our cities. It investigates the potential and benefits of transforming these land parcels to maximise accessibility, use, and function. Consequently influencing urban renewal and urban connection. The thesis initiated through identifying the possibilities and opportunities which exist upon the Killarney Country Club site in Lower Houghton, Johannesburg. Its location, size and exposure are key to its potential, furthermore its current status makes transformation plausible and desirable. The Killarney Country Club is a sizeable strip of greenery centrally located in the Johannesburg context. It offers significant linkage opportunities throughout Johannesburg and high public exposure. In its current state it is heavily underutilised, allowing access to a select elite minority and in turn creating a stifling element in the city. Theoretically the Killarney Country Club can be described as a Heterotopic space. A space without a place, juxtaposing its context and existing as a world within a world. However, it ultimately possesses the ability to transform to meet the needs of an evolving society. These heterotopic concepts, debated by Michel Foucault, are regenerating the underutilised A Catalytic Intervention for Reactivation Within a Revived Urban Green Artery a b s t r a c t influential theories which I explore during this thesis. The success of this regenerative intervention requires a comprehensive urban framework which lays the foundations for an equally significant architectural intervention at the core of the proposal. The urban intervention includes elements of linkage, activity, high density, mixed-use and place making. The improvements see the transformation of the Killarney Country Club into an accessible, connected and active city node, which embodies a social and recreation facility. The facility promotes outdoor activity, wellness and interaction amidst a heavily altered and environmentally conscious new urban context. To attract and generate activity to the site I have proposed a public square at the heart of the transformation, on-to which is placed a catalytic architectural intervention for regeneration. The proposed built intervention is a Social + Recreation Complex which is comprised of three interconnected but separate buildings. The Social+ Recreation Centre, the Conference + Events Centre and The Exhibition Centre. The building becomes a threshold between urbanity and nature. It promotes, and most significantly, initiates and sustains the regenerative transformation. / MN (2016)

There is a certain gender inequality which has been engraved into the city’s social fabric. This engraving has been done over centuries of patriarchy and has been further embedded through the rise of capitalism (with the centralisation of labour and wealth within the masculine domain). For this reason it may be deduced that cities were developed with ’men in mind,’ One of the most significant remnants of this male dominated past has been the construction of our physical city; Though we have accepted the city at face value and tried to make it as equal as best we can, the truth remains that these environments were not designed with women in mind at all. And so while we now have laws and regulations professing our freedom and equality as women, the truth is that we now live in an age of gender brutality, within a physical environment which perpetuates the old patriarchal norms. But no one is to blame for this inequality. I also do not believe that it could have been avoided. The more important and productive question is how do we go about breaking old norms in a truly sustainable way, to better achieve equality for all? The basis of this thesis has stemmed from the exploration of the above question. What does a truly equal city look like, and how may we go about creating one? To try and answer this question, I have tackled various theories on female integration into the city, basically concluding that now is the time we stop isolating women in institutions in the city, and rather try and deconstruct and adapt existing environments to better cater to the needs of all users, instead. To try and achieve this, the project focuses on the deconstruction and adaptation of the male dominated taxi rank, situated within the larger transport industry, in order to better accommodate the female user.

Research report submitted to the School of Architecture and Planning, University of the Witwatersrand, in the fulfilment of the requirement for the Masters of Architecture (Professional). / Thesis (M.Arch. (Professional))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, 2016 / A clinic is a uniquely positioned function in a community. It can become the heart of an area, integrating a large range of functions with and for the public. Whether it be through interactions with business, police, artists or the community, all parties can benefit from the interactions. A redeveloping inner city area, especially one undergoing increasing levels of social uprooting, such as New Doornfontein, can benefit greatly from the community reinforcement and rebuilding that a healthcare facility can provide. With the negative impact of gentrification visible, and a drive towards potential social unsustainability in the area, a need for a centralised community driven scheme is apparent. The brief of the project called for a socially sustainable adaptive reuse healthcare-based scheme situated on a series of industrial sites in New Doornfontein. The area has been used by industry for 85 years, where currently businesses continue to operate. However, New Doornfontein has been undergoing a change, with existing industry becoming run down and abandoned, and the expansion of the new Maboneng phase taking over. Residential density is increasing, creating a demand for more social-based facilities such as healthcare and education. / EM2017

M.Tech. (Architectural Technology) / The aim of the design of the dissertation is to create a transient and exclusive public organization in Ballito. Which is rapidly developing coastal town on the north of Kwa-Zulu Natal North Coast. The development of the framework through the ‘old heart’ of the town is intended to reinstate an identity to a particular place. The infrastructure ruptures the exclusive wall of privatized developments that shape an impenetrable barrier to the other regions greatest assert- the ocean. The space will serve all members of the community as well as seasonal or sporadic visitors and is activated by the imminent identification of its surroundings –and event. The infrastructure will also act as the machine of town – servicing and supplying resources through a sustainable systemic cycle. Unexpected environmental threats are managed in a manner that respects the sensitive coastline. A thorough situation analysis of the region is conducted together with the municipalities IDP. A regional and urban framework is conceptualized to understand the site as an important future node whilst addressing insensitive and myopic development trends of sprawl, exclusivity and segregation.

Research report submitted to the School of Architecture and Planning, University of the Witwatersrand, March 2014, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Urban Studies. Supervised by Professor Claire Benit-Gbaffou. / A response to socio-economic issues (crime, disinvestment) and management-related problems (grime) in Johannesburg’s urban neighbourhoods; Residential City Improvement Districts (RCIDs) are seen as a powerful strategy on the road to socio-politico-economic prosperity for inner city areas, and are thus increasingly being implemented. Having led to the renovation/regeneration of public furniture – ‘sanitised’ lanes, upgraded pavements characterised by surveillance cameras and functional lighting – and attraction of business; RCIDs such as Hillbrow’s eKhaya appear to slowly but surely be reconfiguring perceptions of inner city neighbourhoods as ‘slums’ and/or ‘no-go crime hot spots’. Yet in so far as RCIDs appear to be effecting positive urban neighbourhood change, their impacts on the (‘inside’ management of) buildings comprising them still remain to be seen. Using the interesting case of eKhaya Neighbourhood CID Hillbrow South – a ‘voluntary’ RCID which is arguably the first of its kind in a densely populated low-income urban neighbourhood – this research focused on the relationship between internal building management and external public space management in inner city Johannesburg’s RCIDs. The study was particularly concerned with uncovering the extent to which norms and rules governing eKhaya’s public space may infiltrate the governance/politics of the internal building governance and/or supervision. In attempting to do this, the study used the eKhaya RCID building caretakers/managers – in their capacity as transmission belts and brokers between RCID drivers (property owners, RCID coordinators) and tenants - as its primary objects. Drawing from, among others, the Foucauldian concept of ‘Neoliberal Governmentality’, Lipsky’s ‘Street-Level Bureaucracy’and Olivier de Sardan’s ‘Practical Norms’; the study made use of housing supervisors’ daily micro-practices to uncover the extent to which rules and norms governing eKhaya are internalised, appropriated, negotiated, bent, and resisted within – and around - residential buildings constituting eKhaya RCID

A research report submitted to the School of Architecture and Planning, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Development Planning. / The strategic spatial plans of the City of Johannesburg have been centered on densification as a key spatial planning tool to address spatial fragmentation by facilitating development of affordable housing through the private sector. City of Johannesburg and Johannesburg Development Agency have developed a working relationship with TUHF Pty Ltd to co-promote priority areas for affordable housing development. TUHF is a financial provider that provides access to finance for entrepreneurs to purchase and subsequently convert or refurbish buildings in the inner cities of South Africa. The research examines the support being provided by City of Johannesburg, Johannesburg Development Agency and TUHF in supporting small scale developers in the inner city of Johannesburg. One of the key concepts of the research is that of the small scale developer which is a slippery term to define. In order to ground the research and define a sample , small scale developers were defined at the inception of the research according to TUHF’s recognition and support of emerging property entrepreneurs operating in the inner city. The conceptual framework explores the complexities of the interaction of the small scale developer with the municipal instruments to gain development approval and with financial institutions to access credit to finance developments. The research uses the inner city as a case study as it provide an ongoing site based application of initiatives that are supposed to support small scale developers. The research uses semi-structured interviews, participant observations and secondary data to examine how small scale developers are being supported. The main research finding is that there is no nuanced definition of the small scale developer from the perspective of the City of Johannesburg and TUHF. Small scale developers face administrative, technical and financial challenges in the property development process and the collaboration between municipal agencies and financial institutions plays an important role in the support of small scale developers. / TL (2020)

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis emerges from the transdisciplinary work of the Enkanini Research Centre Association. Since 2011 this Association has focused on incremental informal settlement upgrading using Enkanini, Stellenbosch as a case study. This thesis explores whether management techniques and operational practises of microfranchising can support the establishment of alternative service delivery configurations in the context of in situ informal settlement upgrading. Following a transdisciplinary and multiple-case study research methodology, the theoretical argument is presented that a synthesis of the strengths and vulnerabilities of contemporary innovations from the urban development field augmented by the principles and management techniques of microfranchising could strongly influence future in situ informal settlement upgrading. In exploring this argument two sub-questions are analysed in two free standing journal articles. The first article explores the potential synthesis of the fields of microfranchising and incremental urbanism, specifically alternative service delivery configurations in the context of in situ informal settlement upgrading. The literature on incrementalism and microfranchising originate from diametrically opposite ideological traditions, namely contemporary urban development and the management sciences. However it is argued that convergent patterns highlighted by points of coherence and convergence between the fields indicate that the proposed amalgamation has strengths potentially useful in addressing mutual weaknesses inherent to both perspectives. The intersection between these two distinct theories has potential to stitch together a new community fabric, deliver basic services, promote economic and social development and integrate the oppressed into the formal economy. Building on this theoretical synthesis the second article explores potential best practice microfranchising cases. Three microfranchising cases are reviewed, Unjani Clinics NPC, African Honey Bee and Nuru Energy. Each case presents specific within-case lessons and microfranchising techniques. Cross-cutting themes from all three cases highlight knowledge, that when bolstered by everyday urbanism thinking, could be instrumental in developing a microfranchising consolidating, operating and scaling model for the iShack and the continued testing of the proposed synthesis. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis het ontstaan uit die transdissiplinêre werk van die Enkanini Research Centre Association. Sedert 2011 het hierdie vereniging gefokus op die inkrementele opgradering van informele nedersettings, deur van Enkanini wat net buite Stellenbosch geleë is, as 'n gevallestudie gebruik te maak. Die studie ondersoek of die bestuurstegnieke en operasionele praktyke van die mikrofranchisebedryf die vestiging van alternatiewe diensleweringskonfigurasies in die konteks van in situ opgradering van informele nedersettings kan ondersteun. Na afloop van 'n transdissiplinêre en meervoudige gevallestudie navorsingsmetodologie word „n teoretiese argument gevoer dat die samevoeging van beide die sterk- en swakpunte van die huidige innovasies van die stedelike ontwikkelingsveld aangevul sal word deur die beginsels en tegnieke van die mikrofranchisebedryf. Hierdie tegnieke en praktyke het die vermoë om in die toekoms in situ opgradering van informele nedersettings sterk te beïnvloed. In die verkenning van hierdie argument word twee sub-vrae in twee vrystaande tydskrifartikels ontleed. Die eerste artikel ondersoek die potensiële samevoeging van die velde van die mikrofranchisebedryf en inkrementele stedelikheid, met spesifieke fokus op alternatiewe dienslewerings konfigurasies in die konteks van in situ opgradering van informele nedersettings. Alhoewel daar in die literatuur oor inkrementalisme beweer word dat die mikrofranchisebedryf afkomstig is van lynregte teenoorgestelde ideologiese tradisies, word daar aangevoer dat konvergente patrone uitgelig word deur punte van samehang. Ooreenkomste tussen die velde dui daarop dat die voorgestelde samesmelting sterkpunte het wat potensieel nuttig kan wees om wedersydse swakhede wat inherent aan beide perspektiewe is, aan te spreek. Die samesmelting van hierdie twee afsonderlike teorieë het die potensiaal om ‟n gemeenskap te bou, basiese dienste te lewer, ekonomiese en maatskaplike ontwikkeling te bevorder, asook om die onderdruktes in die formele ekonomie te integreer. Geskoei op die voorafgaande teoretiese samevoeging, ondersoek die tweede artikel die potensiële beste praktyke in die mikrofranchisebedryf. Drie mikrofranchisebedryf-gevalle word hersien: UnjaniKliniekeNPC, Afrika Heuning By en Nuru Energie. Elke geval bied spesifieke binne-geval lesse en tegnieke in die mikrofranchisebedryf. Deurlopende temas van al drie gevalle beklemtoon kennis, wat met die ondersteuning van alledaagse stedelike denke, instrumentele waarde vir die ontwikkeling van 'n mikrofranchisingkonsolidasie, bedryfstelsel en skaalmodel vir die iShack, asook die deurlopende toets van die voorgestelde samevoeging, kan inhou.

M.Tech. (Architectural Technology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract