[RE]Claiming Vigour : Designing an Urban Industrial Complex in Mamelodi Human Settlements and Urbanism

Abstract

Mamelodi still remains captive in the spatial legacy of Apartheid. With long travel times and virtually no employment opportunities in Mamelodi, the status quo is difficult for inhabitants to deal with. Economic theory suggests that industrial programmes employ the largest number of people, and are the most effective ways to grow the economy. Additionally, workers for industrial jobs rarely require intricate training or education, creating the ideal platform for entry level jobs. A theoretical investigation looked at the validity of functionalism for an industrial programme, but found it lacking. Critics charged functionalism with not considering all the functions a building serves unintentionally, which led to an additional layer of theory being added to the process. This was critical regionalism, selected for being contextually sensitive and appropriate whilst remaining grounded and practical about modernity. Precedents looked at the spaces Industries in Mamelodi used and the spaces international industries use, taking lessons from that. A site was chosen and analysed, and all the research was distilled into four drivers: Industry, Railway link, Level Change, and Modularity. This is quickly developed into a concept of creating an energy conduit, as a means to transfer the vigourous energy of Mamelodi to the outside world. And this finally led to a design. Located on a steep hillside, the design negotiates some steep conditions and staggers a bunch of separate buildings over the site. Breaking the monolith, these buildings also create intimate public spaces in-between, that become populated with the happenings of everyday life. Four chimney towers serve as beacons, and create small thermally comfortable spots in the public spaces. Shading devices extend indoor programs into the public realm, trying to blur the threshold between them. The building is adaptable, allowing materials to be re-used on a new location, and follows a strict grid and modular. This allows for the easy expansion and changing of spaces, as businesses should require. Further, pooling resources together allows the industries far greater access to services, systems and resources than they would be capable of acquiring on their own. And lastly, the central location with the railway and road links the industries not only with their employees but also to potential markets, allowing for greater profit and more sustainable economic empowerment. This dissertation shows a method for bringing economic empowerment to Mamelodi, using industrial programmes that share resources. It is possible to do this in a contextually sensitive way, without compromising on the quality of the spaces.