Illustrated kinetics : a study in active architecture applied to a sports complex within Marabastad

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to provide Marabastad with a multi-sport centre with alternating levels of use and activity. Through kinetic architecture the structure adapts to Marabastad’s shifting nature. The centre serves schools within the Pretoria CBD, sport clubs and members of the public, constantly reshaping to cater for different needs. The centre is equipped with the necessary facilities to host practise sessions for teams taking part in the 2010 Soccer World Cup with ample space for fans and sport enthusiasts. This feeds off the established transport infrastructure that defines Marabastad. Inhabiting lost space within the urban fabric creates a site or destination for Marabastad dwellers to either partake in or watch the ongoing events, drawing the vibrant diversity of Boom Street towards the existing under utilised zone in the south, reinforcing the crumbling community structure. The building itself becomes a display case for sport, simultaneously creating awareness and intrigue. It can be described as a Centre for Illustrated Sports, a complex where Marabastad inhabitants can actively express their vibrant nature through physical activity.