This research initiative explores the architectural response to the health
implications of rapidly urbanising societies. The investigation looks at the
concept of a healthy city as a facilitator for sustainable urban health by a
holistic definition of the term. Here, health can be defined as a state of
complete physical, mental and social wellbeing (World Health Organisation,
1985) which argues that health problems are embedded in complex features
of urban life that fall outside the province for medicine. The relationship
between architecture and health is explored by a chronological investigation of
the process of urbanisation which uncovers key issues such as the
degradation of the urban environment through intensification and automobile
reliance. Furthermore, the destruction of the natural environment and the
ignorance of the socio-spatial dimensions of human habitats have led to a
series of physical and social health issues. The research identifies urban
design and housing examples which promote urban health through a variety
of concepts such as mixed-use development, the creation of social spaces
and the creation of a legible and coherent urban fabric and focuses on the
needs of the community. Essentially, the research points towards a social
architecture that provides a series of community services and amenities to
promote health as a holistic idea. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ukzn/oai:http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za:10413/7818 |
| Date | January 2010 |
| Creators | Duffield, Darryl. |
| Contributors | Mahinda, Githitu., Yavo, Phillipe., Levi, Isaac. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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