A place in the shade of trees : Mthunzini Community Hospice for Mamelodi

Abstract

Our society is one in which death has become a predominant influencing factor of our social context, with the dramatic rise in AIDS related deaths. Yet the institutions that accommodate the terminally ill or the dying, have become stale, clinical and mechanical in both their architecture and their processes. This thesis proposes to re-address the physical environment of hospital and clinical architecture that facilitate the process of dying. The design of this Hospice and Educational Facility aims to reintroduce life within the architecture through the embodiment of movement, visual interest, meaning, memory, choice and integration. The project is located within the Mamelodi community along the Eastern edge of the Pienaar River, bordering a green space. The Mamelodi community is vibrant and rich, filled with self-expression and opportunities, and despite its impoverished services and urban fabric it provides the perfect platform for such a facility. Especially when combined with the indomitable spirit of the people who live there. The Project integrates with and serves the immediate context of Mamelodi. Through the facilities provision of functions - including hospice and outpatient functions, education, interaction, architectural language, as well as the community-accessible permaculture garden and redeveloped green space. AFRIKAANS : Met die drastiese stygings in vigsverwante sterftes het die dood 'n wesenlike invloed op ons sosiale verwysingsraamwerk geword. Ten spyte hiervan word die argitektuur en funksionering van instellings waar die sterwingsproses begelei word, as klinies, onpersoonlik en meganisties beskou en ervaar. Hierdie verhandeling beoog om die meganistiese en kliniese ervaring van sterwensbegeleiding in 'n hospitaalomgewing te verander deur die ontwerp van 'n hospice en opvoedkundige instelling. Die doel hiervan is om 'n argitektoniese taal te skep wat beweging, visuele verbeelding, doelgerigtheid, keuse en integrasie verpersoonlik.Die gekose terrein vir hierdie projek is geleë in die 'ou' Mamelodi-gemeenskap, langs 'n sytak van die Pienaarsrivier en aangrensend aan 'n gesoneerde 'groen' sone. Die Mamelodi-gemeenskap is kleurryk en opwindend, wat die ideale platworm vir ontwikkeling bied: die huidige lae vlakke van dienslewering en infrastruktuur, gekombineer met die ontembare gees van die inwoners bied 'n gulde geleentheid hiervoor. Aan die eenkant sal die projek met die omliggende en wyer gemeenskap van Mamelodi integreer en aan die ander kant sal dit die gemeenskap met nuwe fasiliteite voorsien, naamlik 'n hospice, buite-pasiëntdienste, geleenthede vir opleiding en interaksie, 'n herontwikkelde 'groen'-ruimte, asook 'n toeganklike tuin [wat ekologies selfonderhoudend is] vir die gemeenskap se gebruik.