Restoring reciprocity between man and nature through architecture as the mediating device

Abstract

In the quest for achieving a modern civilization, the interconnected relationship between nature and humankind has changed to one of disconnection. This disconnection does not only compromise the natural environment but also underpins most concerns about the health and well-being of people. This is reflected in rising trends in "diseases of affluence" such as allergies, food intolerances, asthma and eczema, which are increasingly affecting urban citizens of all walks of life. The proposed program is a wellness centre that is centred on the Slow Food initiative, promoting the concept that inner wellness is derived from appropriate eating habits. The program includes permaculture activities, a cooking pavilion and a culinary school, all serving as educational devices. A treatment clinic also forms part of the program to facilitate the healing of urban diseases. The site is located on the periphery of South Berea, functioning as a nexus area between the natural and urban conditions of Pretoria where reciprocity can be effectively restored. The aim of this dissertation is to explore how architecture can be the mediating device that on the one hand heals the deteriorating natural environment, and on the other heals humans that have been compromised by their environment, to ultimately restore the reciprocal relationship between them as part of the same living system. Regenerative architecture, bioremediation, biophilia and biomimicry will be investigated and adapted at different scales to create a theoretical design framework. This will support and inform the building to function as a social habitat that promotes resilient health in both nature and humans that is not only perceived as the absence of illness, but is expanded to include a state of general well-being, shifting the disconnected condition of "humans versus nature" to one of "humans with nature".

In die mens se soeke na 'n moderne samelewing, het die noodsaaklike interaktiewe verhouding tussen mens en natuur tot skade gelei. Hierdie gedronge verhouding het verslegtende gevolge vir beide die natuurlike omgewing, asook die algehele welstand en gesondheid van mense ingehou. Onder andere is daar'n toenemende tendens waargeneem, veral in stedelike gebiede, van siektes soos allergie, sinisitus, voedsel intoleransies, asma en ekseem, wat 'n direkte verwanskap met klimaat en omgewings veranderinge het. Die voorgestelde projek is 'n Gesondheidsentrum gabaseer op die "Slow-food" beweging wat die produksie van voedsel ondersteun wat geen toenemende las op die aarde se hulpbronne, ekosisteme en omgewing plaas nie en terselfde tyd die proses van genesing en algemene welstand vir mense bevorder. Die projek sluit permakulturele aktiwiteite in waarin die gemeenskap kan betrokke raak en 'n kulin?re skool wat oplossings verskaf vir 'n leefwyse waaruit beide die mens en natuur bevoordeel kan word deur toepaslike plant, eet en kook gewoontes. 'n Behandellingskliniek vorm deel van die projek om genesing te fasiliteer vir ernstige siekte toestande wat stedelike inwoners op 'n daaglikse basis ervaar in die konteks van 'n moderne samelewing. Die perseel is gele? in die omgewing van Suid Berea, wat tans funksioneer as 'n drumpel gebied tussen die natuurlike en stedelike kondisie van Pretoria, waar die wederkerige verhouding tussen mens en natuur weer herstel kan word. Die doel van die verhandeling is om ondersoek in te stel oor hoe argitektuur as 'n bemiddelaar geimplementeer kan word, wat enersydse herstel kan bewerkstellig van die natuurlike omgewing en die gesondheidswelstand van die mens en sodoende die voortbestaan van 'n gesonde en lewensgewende ekosisteem te verseker. 'n Teoretiese raamwerk met rigting-gewende ontwerp beginsels sal voorgestel word as 'n ondersteunings en inligting handleiding om die ontwikkeling van die argitektoniese taal ondersteun. Regeneratiewe ontwerp en ontwikkeling, Bio-remedi?ring, Biophilia en Bionabootsing is almal teoretiese beginsel wat verwys na die noodsaaklike interaksie tussen die mens en sy omgewing, om volhoubaarheid en toenemende lewenskwaliteit te bewerkstellig.