Spirituality, Void, and Shadows - a spiritual path in place in Pretoria Inner City

Abstract

The dissertation is an investigation of the potential inherent in creating a spiritually experiential and ritualistic path and place within Pretoria Central. It challenges the conventional typology of religious spaces and their engagement with the city and its inhabitants, reasserting the role of spiritual practice amongst everyday activities.

As a result of rapid and poor urban planning, our cities are faced with an increase in lost spaces and a lack of open lots that can be developed. If we do not address these issues when designing within the city the current conditions will be further exacerbated, leaving more voids within the urban grain. The intention is to rehabilitate the existing voids by turning them into places that nurture human consciousness and provide an opportunity for reflection, thereby adding purpose and exposure to spaces that are often unseen or overlooked.

The experience of spirituality and the void will be enhanced by the play of shadows, owing to their qualitative and temporal attributes, which will assist the visitors embarking on a spiritual path to connect with themselves, others, the environment, and the beyond.

The three themes; spirituality, the void and the shadows, form a conceptual framework to initiate a ritualistic path and place as expressed through architecture.