Abstract:
The study responds to the increasing effect that climate change has on earth and society. In a global context of rapid urbanization and population growth the project aims to establish the role that architecture can play in the mitigation of climate change. It addresses the embodied energy and carbon footprint of architecture in an urban context. The architectural building type that will be investigated is a transport interchange, specifically the BRT terminal at Pretoria Main Station and associated prototypical BRT stations. An architectural response that promotes public transport use will be investigated. The proposed transport interchange will act as a seam to linking Salvokop with the city, while linking the whole of Tshwane. The architectural intervention will use strategies to respond to predicted climate changes for Tshwane, and adopt strategies to mitigate it. Architectural technologies will be investigated to ensure that the structure has a low carbon footprint and low embodied energy. Through energy conscious design strategies the energy use of the structure will be kept to a minimum. The design will also address the social and historical context of the Pretoria Main Station, to ensure a coherent transport interchange that integrates all modes of transport. The design will contribute to the historical character of the site with an ecosystemic layered approach, adding new functions and layers to the existing, to ensure its adaptability and sustainability. This study forms the part of a departmental research study through the department of Architecture at Pretoria University - “Environmental potential” and the United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] and Global Environment Facility [GEF]. It aims to comply with the prerequisites for an M[Prof]Arch degree while achieving the goals and objectives set by the research study.
