Study Leader:
Abré Crafford
Location:
25º47’19.50”S 28º17’03.57”E
Thrashers Skate Park
241 Serene Street
Garsfontein
Pretoria
Programme:
Community Skills Development and Art Therapy Center
Cosette-Marì Minnaar
The Building as Eco-Urban Filter
The study explores the possibility that a transition zone can become a ‘filter’ that surrounds an urban core. As a filter, the transition zone can regulate and rehabilitate ecosystem services to support human well-being.
The main research question focuses on how eco-systemic development can act as a filter while supporting human well-being. Through the research done in this study, it is evident that transitional zones around city centres are commonly derelict and unsafe.
Human well-being is under pressure as a result of the increasing degradation of ecosystem services, which is brought about by human misuse and urban densification. As cities and human populations grow, urban cores expand. This expansion results in constant re-zoning as well as the demolition and degradation of existing spaces (Preston, 1966:240). Basic human well-being is dependent on successful ecosystem services and the biodiversity of urban environments (Bolund & Hunhammar, 1999:299).
This study aims to identify, reintroduce and rehabilitate ecosystem services on an urban edge to facilitate the health and well-being of the community living there. The study addresses three main themes, namely: (1) urban zoning and development, (2) human well-being, and (3) ecosystem-service rehabilitation and reintroduction. By analysing the themes of urban development, well-being as well as social sustainability and ecosystem services, different theories and principles are identified to provide lenses through which the dissertation will be approached. The main lens is that of Vitruvius and the principles he sets out in Ten books on architecture, which relates all design decisions back to nature. Other theories, such as Ernest Burgess’ concentric circle model and the guidelines of the Living Building Institute led to the selection of the site and the design of the intervention.
This intervention aspires to become a catalyst according to which all transition zones in urban environments can be transformed from eye sores and barriers to filters and activators.