Art for centuries has been a medium or a means for humans to communicate their views of the world and how we see ourselves in it. It is significant in the development of a society through the narratives we gain from the experience of observing it. However, art which aims to be a subject of the people can often neglect to truly reflect this in the manner it represents itself, or rather in which spaces it represents itself. The notion of „art galleries‟ and „art museums‟ strips art from connecting to the masses, giving it a sense of prestige and an elitist status, not addressing the man on the street, who himself has many narratives that require expression. This can then misinterpret the role and significance art has within society. Nevertheless, street art has become the connection between the man on the street and society who move past it on their paths to their destination. Mural art within the street and urban environment therefore represents the paintings one would see within a gallery. Mural art is especially significant in South Africa‟s urban streetscape, where the streets are now the platforms for mass education and cultural memory of the many diverse unheard narratives of those who occupy our cities. “Murals play a pivotal and vastly underestimated role in South Africa’s process of reinventing itself and redefining its identity as a multi-cultural, peaceful, and democratic society”. (Marschall. 2002) The purpose of this research is to then take this further, it aims to explore how mural art can be investigated and utilised as a social mechanism to empower the indigent community of Durban, whilst simultaneously creating more vibrant urban and built environments. Three social theories are identified within the research which will be coherent in understanding the basis of the dissertation, they are; ‗perception‘, ‗empowerment‘ and ‗representation‘ theory. These key theories will be investigated to generate the relevant literature to review, which is a key component of the dissertation, furthermore this review will inform the relevant precedent and case studies that will be critically analysed. From these theories, a key architectural theory is identified to connect the literature and the architectural intervention that shall be proposed. This is ‗critical regionalism‘ and the understanding of this is pivotal in the research‟s aim to generate a meaningful architecture that is of the place and its people. This dissertation will create an understanding of the indigent community and the circumstances that have led to these individuals experiencing their hardships. This shall then investigate how mural art can be used to empower these individuals by giving them a „voice‟ and allowing them to positively contribute to the urban environment through this subject. The gathered information of this research document will then determine a relevant response and appropriate architecture for the design of a Community Art and Assistance Centre for the indigent in Durban, South Africa. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2014.

This dissertation aimed at establishing the extent to which eThekwini Municipality aligned its Inner City projects to principles for urban regeneration and spatial planning objectives as outlined in the City’s Integrated Development Plan. The study makes reference to two distinctive inner city precincts; examining what led to current state of each precinct, through political, economic, environmental and social transformation. The Central Business District is looked at as a prime example of a degenerated space within the city and the Kings Park Sporting Precinct is looked at as an example of a successful regeneration endeavour within Durban. Information was obtained through primary and secondary sources. The bulk of the information gathered was through key informant interviews, shop keeper interviews, site visits, official reports and from eThekwini Municipality Shape File Data on the Geographical Information System. Through the analysis of data collected, the study found that eThekwini Municipality’s efforts to regenerate the Durban CBD have not been successful to date. The CBD is still in a severe state of urban decay with sustainable development only occurring in areas that are controlled by the elite. The study also found that the Kings Park Sporting Precinct has undergone extensive regeneration and proves to be a great asset to Durban for present and future generations. Its success however, also carries social challenges with the common perception that the precinct is an exclusive space. Almost 20 years post democracy, the eThekwini Municipality, is still struggling to maintain the integrity of its Inner City. Parts of the Inner City have improved but there and other parts that are still subject to extreme urban decay. The study makes recommendations for the economic, environmental and social improvement of the Durban CBD and for the social enhancement of the Kings Park Sporting Precinct. / M.T.R.P. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2013.

This research study addresses the issues associated with lost and wasted urban spaces. Lost and wasted spaces refer to areas which have no human activity or proper human interaction. They are the leftover unstructured landscape at the base of buildings. They also include abandoned buildings, waterfronts, train yards, vacated military sites, and industrial complexes. The research outlines the causes of lost and wasted urban spaces which occur within the eThekwini Municipality and urbanised spaces in general. Through the use of case studies and precedent studies, the research study investigates the various techniques, technological advances and approaches that could alleviate wasted spaces in the city. The Durban Esplanade and Point Waterfront development constitute the main case study areas; however, to fully understand how and why lost and wasted spaces occur within the urban environment, various other spaces which make up the cityscape were also investigated. For example, the city transport infrastructure and green spaces do not form part of the case studies, but have been included as part of the research into lost and wasted spaces. The research study seeks to take the issue of lost and wasted urban spaces a step further by combining it with issues related to sustainability. Through the use of the case studies, various possible solutions and alternatives to the alleviation of lost and wasted urban spaces are outlined and investigated. Examples of how lost and wasted urban spaces could be transformed from problem areas to spaces of opportunity are also explored. This was achieved by making use of computer-aided design and graphic illustrations to indicate the possible solutions that could form part of a holistic approach to the issues surrounding lost and wasted spaces in the built environment. The current planning legislation is outlined in order to provide a thorough understanding of the interconnection between environmental and sustainability issues which relate directly to the cause of lost and wasted spaces. Furthermore, the research study highlights the involvement of various built environment disciplines, including planners, architects and urban designers and investigates their role in the alleviation of lost and wasted urban space. / M.T.R.P. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.