7.

0 DESIGN APPROACH

7.1 ARCHITECTURAL IDEAS

The built environment should regain urban foci as places for common

SENSE OF PLACE

living and communal gathering. Buildings need to be meaningful sub-

In addressing the problem statement in the Introduction (Chapter 1:4)

places that relate to the landscape and the urban whole. A

there is a need to create the sense of place at the intersection. The

characteristic environment must be established in the city with a clear

ideas of Christian Norberg-Schultz are relevant in trying to establish just

distinction between the public and the private domains.

what is needed to achieve this.

The qualities that gave buildings character in the past have to a large
Norberg-Schultz (1980) argues that Modern settlements of which

degree been lost. Modern buildings exist in a nowhere that space flows

Mamelodi is an example, lack spatial enclosure and a good building

freely between the buildings. True urban insides are lacking in our

density. Buildings are freely placed within open space. Nodes, paths

cities.

and districts have lost their identity and the landscape has become
deprived of meaning. Character is needed in an environment to

Spatially, the modern city is based on a confusion of scales- a pattern

create a sense of place.

valid on one level has been transferred to another where it is less

successful. Qualities of Modern buildings such as open flowing space
and geometric minimalism work on a building scale but should not be
transposed to the urban scale. The subtle interplay of forms becomes
sterile monotony (Norberg-Schultz, 1980:195). Although the intentions of
the Modernist were good, the built environment really fell short of what
they aimed for.
The indiscriminate application of Modernist ideas on a city scale has
led to many monotonous new developments. The essence of
settlements is gathering but modern city design aimed for openness
which neglected the notion of gathering. The direction architecture

Fig.57: The present buildings of University of Pretoria do not relate to the

main roads and the public in the areas (author).

should take now is architecture as the recovery of space as it will be

the case at the intersection. The concept of place unites
contemporary architecture with architecture of the past, and this will
bring us back to the reality of things.

Man must be able to dwell poetically to make his life more meaningful.
Rich stimuli, in a meaningful environment possessing a character of its
own, have stimulating effects on people (Norberg-Schultz, 1980:202) as
the Centres buildings are planned to have on the local community.
Pictures showing examples of Charles Correas work that evoke a
feeling of place:

Fig.60: (Framton, 1996:188) showing the courtyard with pergola and

open to sky.

CRITICAL REGIONALISM

Fig.58: (Framton, 1996:188) showing outside working area with

colonnade of columns.

In his essay The status of man and the status of his objects", Kenneth
Frampton speaks of the modern public building as having been
atomised into a network of abstract institutions; what can be viewed as
the dissipation of the "agora".

"The world has lost its power to gather people together, to relate
and to separate them " (Framton, 1996:188).

Fig.59:(Framton, 1996:188) showing the corner of the building

Modern planning is monotonous and lacking in character.

gathering points needed in the urban environment

Suburbia speaks of individualism with the private homes on private plots

distinction between public and private domains

of land that don'

t relate to the street. The private realm has been placed

creating a stimulating environment

above the public realm in importance to the in modern design, but

sense of place as a meaningful social inside

both are needed. Modern buildings have turned their backs on the

Education through architecture.

public realm offering little interaction with pedestrians on the street

level. The emphasis now is on the individual in his apartment or office
high above the street level activity, leaving the street edges sterile.
The Centre will enhance the public and private interaction of spaces
within the centre and at the intersection.

7.2 DESIGN INFLUENCES

ALVAR AALTO AS A CRITICAL REGIONALIST
The work of Alvar Aalto is a very good example of critical regionalism.
Aalto worked in the Modernist tradition but included cultural and
climatic characteristics in the design of his buildings. His buildings are

In the essay "Critical Regionalism", Frampton writes that what makes

architecture regional is the vernacular style of the area, the climate,
available materials and craft associated with the people living in the
area. There is a "tension between universal modernization and the

very definitely site specific with great care given to the positioning of the
building on the site and how it connects with its surroundings. The
landscape and nature are integrated into the designs and building
landscape work together in harmony.

idiosyncrasy of rooted culture." There should be a "concentration on

Aalto'
s use of materials is particularly influential on the design of the

issues which relate directly to the specific place while adapting

Centres buildings in this thesis. In his brick buildings, Aalto expresses the

methods and approaches drawn from outside".

decorative and textural qualities of the brick. The Brick is used in innovative

Points of discussion drawn from the paragraphs above will specifically

be addressed in the design of the Centre:

awareness of the place

open to the sky spaces

the tree as symbol of a place

spatial enclosure-containment-urban insides

character in the development

sense of space buildings a sub spaces

ways that enhances the visual effect of a wall or plane. The effect that light
can have on such surfaces is exploited, making light an important
participator in the overall effect of the design, and allowing it to bring out
the sensual qualities of the materials.

A strong influence in this thesis is Correa'

s design of courtyards. They
are well proportioned and scaled relative to the interior spaces and
mass of the building. Interior spaces open out onto the courts, which
are always paved and shaded, and defined as enclosed spaces.
Other architectural characteristics influencing the Centres design:

the order, axes and pathways created by

circulation routes

natural lighting through skylights {see Fig 62(3)}.

solar control through the use of concrete or

Fig.61: (Weston, 1995:115) an outside wall of a house by Aalto with

wooden fixed louvers, or steel or bamboo rods

brick and tiles used to create a very decorative effect.

performing the same function

CHARLES CORREAS WORK

The buildings of Charles Correa are responsive to the environment,
specifically the climate. The climate in India and South Africa allows
the exterior spaces connected to the building to be open to the sky.
These spaces become important in the everyday lives of the
inhabitants and around which many activities revolve.

patterns of shadows cast by shading devices

onto floor and wall planes (3)

the vibrant use of rich colours either through

the use of paint or brightly coloured materials

the simplicity and minimalism of the designs

technology and materials are suited to the

context in which the building are constructed.

In many of the buildings, Charles Correa uses a single roof in one

plane that covers the building, uniting different spaces and elements

light revealed as a tectonic element by the

public buildings are open on the ground floor

level and easily accessible (2)

buildings are simple but very successful.

the sensual quality of the buildings

material use: rough concrete and face brick,

under one roof. Open courtyard are shaded and thus assist in the
natural cooling of internal spaces

coloured natural stone, painted plaster (5).

the relationship of the buildings to nature and

outside spaces

the spatial hierarchy within the building

ranging from large-scaled semi-public/public
circulation spaces to small private spaces

Fig. 62. Space relationship and characteristics at Construction Centre

(author).

BALKRISHNA DOSHI
The successful application of modern building methods in a developing
country illustrates how foreign trends can be successfully assimilated into

In Correa'
s buildings, external spaces don'
t exist as placeless open
courtyards; rather they possess an intense feeling of place and
meaning. It is hoped that the same quality will be achieved in the design
of the Centre.

a local context. Balkrishna Doshi'

s buildings in India are in the
Modernist tradition but in keeping with the vernacular style of the
context. Cultural references in the buildings connect them with the
past, and the resulting style is contextual. Some of the characteristics of
his design which the Centre will apply in its design are:

the

use

expressing

of
the

concrete
concrete

as

and
a

brick

structural

together,
frame

and

the brickwork as infill panels

material use: rough concrete and brickwork

which are robust materials needing minimal
maintenance

inexpensive materials suited to economic

climate and the local labour force

simple building forms in the Modernist

tradition

the order of the plans: buildings are organized

around the main circulation routes

available and industrially produced materials with an empirical

response to climate, all of which tempered the emergent tenets of the
Modern (Fisher 1998:123):
It could be argued that regionalist architecture will be generated by
the designer directly responding to the following aspects in a place
specific way: climate, materials, site, defence, economics and religion.
To this could be added the particular cultural expression of the
community (Fisher 1998:123)
Pretoria Regionalism is characterized by deep shaded eaves and
verandas, low pitched roofing sheets where possible, sun-shy windows
and sensitivity to landscape and land features. As Pretoria has an
established brick aesthetic, bricks are used where possible whether
plastered or un- plastered. Natural locally produced materials will be
used as far as possible, supporting local business.

7.3 CRITICAL REGIONALISM IN THE TARGET AREA

Relevant architectural design must take its clues from the local topography
and natural or manmade parameters of its surroundings. In the design of

7.4 SUSTAINABLE BUILDING DESIGN

this Centre a relevant aesthetic can evolve from a closer integration of art
and architecture. An integration of art and craft into architectural design
supports local talent, increases the uplifting character of architecture and

Sustainable development is development which meets the needs of the

provides opportunities for members of the community to become

present without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their

creatively involved

own needs. (W C E D.1987:4).

Relevant and functional architecture will also be applied with regard

to site and local climate. Most of the buildings around Pretoria are
what is called Pretoria Regionalism or Third vernacular. With this as
guideline the centre will make economic use of locally/naturally

The principles of sustainable building design were applied in a general and

specifically to selected buildings. The proposed buildings were designed as

new and healthy entities. The buildings have to be an integral part of the

something. That attitude started to become the basis of my approach

site. Buildings are positioned with regard to the sites form and orientation.

to design (Joe Noero, architect, in an interview with ADA magazine).

Use of local materials from the vicinity supports local businesses, facilitates
transportation arrangements and contributes to sustainability in the wider
sense of the word. It is expected that the materials used are energy
efficient, using minimum energy in production, transport and use. The
materials chosen are durable, long lived and easy to maintain and repair.
A loose fit approach was taken in regard with the design to ensure that the
buildings could be adaptable for future use, as well as for prolonged life.
Individual spaces might accommodate a variety of uses, some not
foreseen in the original design.

7.5 CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the character of the design for the Centre will be of

richly coloured and textured enclosed and interior with inside and
outside spaces connected and able to function together or
separately.
On the street edge the building will present a city scaled faade,
robust but inviting pedestrians off the street. The roof will facilitate a
transition of scales from the street faade to the lower smaller scale of
the interior courtyards.
The building will be legible, with clearly defined main pedestrian
entrance at the main entrance to the campus and the intersection
corner. Some of the circulation routes will be visible from the streets.

The General CONCEPT of the design will be that the buildings should
be designed in such a way that it the construction uses local skills and

The materials used will be readily available in the local context; steel

unskilled labour, supporting the idea that the community should be

and concrete will be used for structural frame and brick /concrete

actively involved in the construction of the facilities. In helping with

brick for wall in-fill panels with steel roof structure. Flooring in public

construction of the Centre, a sense of community pride and social

parts of the building will be textured natural stone or brick.

upliftment is achieved, making them feel needed and creating a sense

of ownership towards the facility in general.

People will be able to orientate themselves in the building around the

walkway spaces and as many rooms as possible will have a view out

.One must look at the way people build shacks and say its not an

onto the courtyard.

ideal unit of accommodation and one is not legitimising that kind of

Using the above architecture ideas as basis for design, the following

poverty, but in fact what people are doing is theyre taking action for

design guidelines will be followed:

themselves and creating something and that, surely ,is the beginning of

The connection between interior and exterior will be a basic

design principle to influence the design of the centre. The
spatial relationship between the various elements should be
experienced as a whole.

The climatic experience of the centre is very important. The

climatic passive design principles will play an integral part in
the individual buildings, as well as the centre as a whole { see
Fig 62 (3)}.

The centre will enhance the aesthetic quality of the area. Bright
colours will be used to create this effect {see Fig 62(6)}.

It will be important for the community to be able to identify with

the Centre and to perceive it as a vehicle for personal and
communal improvement and a gathering place {see Fig 62 (6
and 2)}.

The centre will be designed in such a way that it will become

an object of beauty within the community a place that
inspires a communitys pride {see Fig 62(2)}.

The architectural language should reflect the richness of

combining both AFRICAN AND WESTERN CULTURES
acknowledging the contrast, yet celebrating the unification
thereof.

Mono-pitched roofs with deep eaves {see Fig 62(7)}

Modular and structural frame with infill for easy adaptability and
flexibility {see Fig 62(4)}