Abstract:
A rite of passage is the exploration of cultural catalytic spaces in the urban context.
A space where The traditional ritual is celebrated.
The project is an exploration that addresses a grand narrative of what happens as generations of African
people move from the rural context into the Peri-urban township of Mamelodi. The narrative explores
the loss of traditional practices experienced as people find themselves in Mamelodi due to limitations
imposed by geographical constraints through narrative as a generator of design.
Generations of Women in this context have kept the fabric of the township in tact and have created
strong social networks that have helped them survive the harsh conditions found here. The women of
Mamelodi are the breadwinners, the mothers, the custodians and by mobilising the women an entire
community is empowered.
The project draws inspiration from the collective cultural memory of the central cattle pattern of traditional
Bantu settlements found in the rural areas,where the women come from. The project looks at an
Architecture of inversion by placing the women at the center of this layout using the central cattle pattern
as a template, through the design of a Kgotla designated for women.
A social space dedicated for the women of Mamelodi, a space that reclaims public space for those that
keep the fabric of this township in tact. A beacon that celebrates traditional practices in the township of
Mamelodi.
The project looks at how architecture can help in the preservation of traditional cultural practices.
A celebration of Traditional ritual enhanced by the daily ritual of the women of Mamelodi through the
design of The:
Lekhuleni Initiation School for Girls.
