The research question posed in this study asks what qualities, characteristics and cultural significance need to be embodied within an urban environment that make the area worthy of conservation-oriented protection through laws and policies. The research question was explored through an assessment of the townscape of Vredehoek, an informally(1) proposed conservation area in Cape Town where there is a relatively high concentration of Art Deco buildings. The selection of Vredehoek as a laboratory within which to ask this question is due to the presence of contested opinions amongst various stakeholders and heritage-claimants about the cultural significance embodied within the built fabric of this place. This study aimed to identify what elements of the built environment of Vredehoek are of special interest, what qualities and characteristics these elements of special interest embody, to understand and articulate the values that inform these qualities, and to identify to whom these elements are valuable and why. Criteria were established with which to determine whether the identified qualities and values are special enough that when synthesised, the resultant significance of the place warrants protection through heritage area designation. The criteria developed with which to assess and evaluate proposed urban conservation areas, including Vredehoek, require that such environments need to embody cultural significance and characteristics informed by an urban history reflected in its authentic manifestations developed over time through continuity of use with a high townscape quality established primarily through the aesthetic unity of its component parts. Through historical research, the studying, mapping and analysis of the area's urban morphology, built environment and natural landscape, and the identification and evaluation of values held by heritage-claimants and views held by those critical of Vredehoek's proposed designation, evidence regarding the conservation-worthiness of Vredehoek has been assembled and assessed within the framework of criteria developed to evaluate heritage area designation. It has been found that the environment of Vredehoek does not embody high townscape quality nor does a strong aesthetic unity of its components exist. Furthermore, the area is not a richly layered environment reflecting continuity of use, the existence of cultural significance within the place is limited to a relatively small part of the townscape - a collection of Art Deco buildings demonstrating a moderate degree of architectural merit. Thus the environment of Vredehoek does not meet the criteria required for heritage area conservation.

Conservation in Montagu started in the early 1970s, with the rescuing and restoration of significant buildings and the declaration of 21 National Monuments (now called Provincial Heritage Sites), which safeguarded those buildings when no other heritage protections were in place. This was followed by a conservation study by Todeschini and Japha in 1990, identifying heritage resources, delineating conservation areas and providing guidelines. This case study has found that, with a few exceptions, the conservation endeavours in Montagu during the past 40 years have been successful.

This study investigates the perceived heritage significance of township churches. This is done by means of a case study which focuses on early churches in Langa, particularly the Wesleyan Methodist and the African Methodist Episcopal churches. The hypothesis is that heritage values are attached to certain churches of Langa and that these are regarded as heritage resources as a result of a particular character or built form. In support of this hypothesis, the intellectual realm of churches and heritage values was explored and the historical and spatial context which informed the development of the churches, investigated. A strong emphasis was placed on ascertaining the heritage values of the Langa community in a series of interviews. To understand the values attached to churches, views have been solicited from community members residing in the neighbourhood of the identified churches, members of the clergy and congregants and a number of 'experts’ - people who have been involved in the study of heritage in Langa, either from an academic or community perspective. Sixteen interviews, which took the form of focused, semistructured discussions, were conducted.

The (Re)Discovery of Mapungubwe in 1933 sparked an ongoing 89-year journey of interpretation, re-interpretation, hidden agendas, scientific racism and an evolution of worldviews. In being as deeply meaningful and entrenched in the South African psyche as it is, Mapungubwe features in a variety of representations. For this thesis, a selection of these representations were made of both those considered historical and contemporary. These were discussed and unpacked in accordance with the broader research question examining if their accuracy matters. In this unpacking archaeological theory is discussed, as well as the nationalist ideologies and racial science which was attributed to it in the early 20th Century. In addition to the selection of representations, a history of the re(discovery) and discoveries of Mapungubwe is also discussed. Ultimately, it does not matter if representations of Mapungubwe are accurate or authentic, as these facets are framework dependent, and have been found to each carry their own meaning or 'truth' around the Mapungubwe story.

An integrated thermofluid modelling methodology for pulverised fuel fired utility-scale boilers that is computationally inexpensive, fast, and sufficiently accurate would be valuable in an industrial setting. Such a model would enable boiler operators to investigate a range of off-design operating conditions, which includes flexible operation. The aims of this study was: to develop a reduced order computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of the furnace and radiative heat exchangers that captures all the important particulate effects while using a Eulerian-Eulerian (EE) approach; using the reduced order CFD model to generate a database of results that covers a wide range of operating conditions; to develop a data-driven surrogate model using machine learning techniques; to integrate the surrogate model with a 1-D process model of the complete boiler; and finally to demonstrate the use of the integrated model to investigate flexible operation and off-design operating conditions. The validity of the CFD modelling approach was demonstrated via application to a 2.165 [MWth] lab-scale swirl pulverised fuel burner, as well as to a 620 [MWe] utility-scale subcritical two-pass boiler, both operating at various loads. The results were compared to measured data and a detailed CFD model using the conventional Eulerian-Lagrangian (EL) approach. A computational speed enhancement of 30% was achieved. The data-driven surrogate model uses a mixture density network (MDN) to predict the heat transfer in the furnace and radiative heat exchangers, together with the uncertainty in the predicted values. The integrated model was validated against applicable measured data and then applied to a utility-scale case study boiler to investigate the optimal burner firing positions for low-load operation, as well as to investigate the effects of fuel quality on the overall boiler performance. It was shown that the integrated data-driven surrogate model and 1-D process model can predict the overall thermofluid response of the boiler and the uncertainties associated with it with good accuracy, whilst maintaining a low computational effort when compared to a conventional CFD model coupled to 1-D process model.

Arakawa and Gins, radical philosophers of the future, desire to construct life beyond the human condition. Their unique and original contribution to philosophy can be discerned most evidently in their concept of reversible destiny, an innovative response to our mortal condition. ‘We have decided not to die’, their ultimate declaration, is a testament not only to their architecture – an architecture predicated on the notion that death must be combated – but also, and perhaps most importantly, to its ability to teach us to think differently about the future. Even, and perhaps especially, the most fundamental and basic assumptions of our species are deliberately and evocatively called into question. It is this resistance to the present – in learning how not to die, in educating life differently – that will be addressed in this dissertation. The claim made here is that the highly instructive architectural philosophy of Arakawa and Gins produces a positive and useful philosophy of life, which orients us towards a new century of philosophy that operates beyond the human condition.

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Sustainable Built Environments Senior Capstone Project / Sustainable certifications are expanding in popularity within the built environment as the construction industry is progressing towards sustainability, while benefits are becoming more valuable to the businesses that reside in sustainably certified spaces. These benefits, such as thermal comfort and natural daylighting, not only translate to enhancing employee’s health, but employers within sustainably certified buildings have found greater retention rates in employees, improved business recruitment, as well as higher productivity in employees. The range of this analysis is directed towards two businesses that reside in sustainably certified buildings, DPR Construction-Phoenix in Arizona and the Mosaic Centre for Conscious Community and Commerce in Edmonton, Canada. Both buildings will be assessed for the impact their sustainable space have on their business. The purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of holistic and specific components of sustainability certifications, exclusively LEED and Net Zero Energy, on businesses. The study was unique as it was conducted by interviewing an integral consultant/designer in the construction process that still currently works in the building. The interview revealed that DPR Construction found employees to be more comfortable in their workspace, thus suggesting that productivity would be improved however this cannot be measured. The Mosaic Centre found new business advantages such as utilizing the space for tours and community engagement opportunities that have given the businesses within the Mosaic Centre unique marketing opportunities to improve business. This analysis will help commercial building owners gain insight on the business impacts of implementing sustainable building components to achieve a LEED certification, Net-Zero Status or a Living Building Challenge certification.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between personal factors and perceived built environmental factors and walking behaviour among middle-aged and older adults. The sample consisted of 647 people aged 45 years and above. Walking behaviour was assessed using pedometers. Decreased walking was significantly associated with increased age (r=-0.366, p<0.001). Education level (F=4.13, p=0.016) and self-rated health status (t=6.07, p<0.001) were positively associated with walking. When considering the effect of age, education level was no longer associated with walking. Better perception of general safety (F=3.105, p=0.005) and fewer safety concerns (F=7.531, p=0.001) were positively associated with walking. Age and self-rated health status jointly contributed to the walking behaviour (p<0.001), explaining 16.2% of the variance. These findings may suggest future neighbourhood interventions for age-friendly communities in Winnipeg, and help to accommodate changes through addressing perceived neighbourhood safety concerns and facilitating increased physical activity among middle-aged and older adults.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between personal factors and perceived built environmental factors and walking behaviour among middle-aged and older adults. The sample consisted of 647 people aged 45 years and above. Walking behaviour was assessed using pedometers. Decreased walking was significantly associated with increased age (r=-0.366, p<0.001). Education level (F=4.13, p=0.016) and self-rated health status (t=6.07, p<0.001) were positively associated with walking. When considering the effect of age, education level was no longer associated with walking. Better perception of general safety (F=3.105, p=0.005) and fewer safety concerns (F=7.531, p=0.001) were positively associated with walking. Age and self-rated health status jointly contributed to the walking behaviour (p<0.001), explaining 16.2% of the variance. These findings may suggest future neighbourhood interventions for age-friendly communities in Winnipeg, and help to accommodate changes through addressing perceived neighbourhood safety concerns and facilitating increased physical activity among middle-aged and older adults.