EXPLORING PUBLIC INTEREST DESIGN
2020 Honours Studio at the Department of Architecture, University of Pretoria
Exploring Public Interest Design is a presentation of student work that considers the role of architects and technology in design solutions when working in informal contexts in South African cities. This online exhibition showcases the contributions made from the Urban Citizenship and Climate Adaptation Studios that were undertaken by students in the Architecture Department at the University of Pretoria. As contextual premise, these two studios mapped and investigated two informal settlements, Melusi and Plastic View, in the City of Tshwane. By presenting selected projects and reflecting on the studio outcomes, this exhibition is a critical inquiry to addressing informality in South African cities under the COVID 19 restrictions of 2020.
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA DEPT of ARCHITECTURE
HONOURS STUDIO CLIMATE ADAPTATION + URBAN CITIZENSHIP
“What is the role of the design profession within the informal sectors of our society and how should it be adjusted to be more responsive?
Opinions and voices from our student body from our student body in terms of their experience of working within informal settlements and how they think the discipline (architecture, landscape architecture, or interior architecture) should adjust to include these marginal settlements within the general practice.
Q&A WITH STUDIO CO-ORDINATORS
Mr Jan Hugo (Honours Studio leader - Climate change Adaptation studio) and Dr Carin Combrinck (Honours Studio leader - Urban Citizenship Studio and Honours Coordinator and Director of the Unit for Urban Citizenship)
Questions Carin
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How do you see the role of designers in our built environment, in this case specifically architecture, changing with the phenomenon of increasing informality in our cities?
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How do you think can we include the marginalised sectors of our cities into the more formalised sectors and process of the society?
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What do you think should be adjusted or enforced within the pedagogy at Tertiary institutions to enable this?
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How do you think has COVID 19 changed our manner of engaging with these informal contexts?
Questions Jan Hugo
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Why should we include the informal or marginalised sectors of our cities into our general climate change response strategies?
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Engaging with individuals and communities are obviously important, but how do you see the role of technologies in these response measures?
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What is the role of the designers, in this case specifically architects, in these points were users, societies and technologies overlap?
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What do you think should be adjusted in how teach at our Tertiary institutions to address this?
Q&A WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS
We included industry professional in our exhibition by conducting short interviews with people from various fields who have worked alongside architects and designers. These videos are available via the website or the UP_Arch YouTube channel
1. What aspect of spatial design/architecture has been of value to your industry and how would you like to see it progress in the future?
2. What are the challenges that you experience when implementing public interest initiatives in the communities that you engage with?
3. Has working with architects allowed for any innovative or interesting findings specific to your industry that you would like to share?
4. What role do you think architects can play in terms of civic engagement in the built environment?
COMMUNITY FORUM