Abstract:
The chosen project is a response to the need of human beings to
connect with nature. It demonstrates how landscape architecture
can help to develop recreational open space that improves the
natural systems within the city and ultimately enhance human
and ecological wellbeing. The proposed solution will investigate
the relationship between population growth, urbanisation, open
space requirements and how to fulfil the need to connect with an
ecologically sound environment in order to create responsive
landscape architecture. The aim is to steer away from a monofunctional
landscape but to design ecologically functional spaces
that will address the public need and be the intermediate
biophysical connection.
Open space typologies are investigated in relation to their
functionality within the urban environment. Spatial requirements
according to the CSIR guidelines are used in order to determine
whether existing open spaces provision is adequate. The scales
of investigation range from microscopic research to the
implementation of the design. Recreational facilities should be
included according to the need thereof. The proposed facility is
thus composed out of various different programmes, each with its
own specific requirements. The composition of the open spaces
is according to the CSIR’s settlement development requirements,
proposals done by Encha Properties and MDC (Pty) Ltd. A
proposal by Tshwane identifies open spaces in general and to
complete the intermediate biophysical connection the design
propose a general programme assigned to other unidentified
adjacent spaces along the Apies River.
The spaces can broadly be divided into recreational open space,
educational recreation, sports recreation, cultural recreation, and
some mixed use spaces.
The Apies River serves as connector between spaces, as an
opportunity to create a green corridor along which people, plants
and animals can migrate
