Abstract:
The dissertation investigated community connection to rivers in urban regions and the environmental
design of a multi-functional river landscape. It is about the investigation of community
connection, use, and appreciation to rivers in urban regions.
Worldwide there is constant growth and expansion of urban regions and a rapid increase
in urban populations. This leads to a demand for more clean and sustainable water sources
in urban regions upon which the people depend and can benefit from. The existing natural
water sources in urban regions are further challenged by issues such as water pollution.
The restoration, preservation, purification, and sustainable use of rivers are critical to ensure
future water services and environmental survival (Art.net, 2018).
An area east of Mamelodi next to a tributary of the Pienaars River, Hatherley Spruit, is selected
as the site for testing the hypothesis that the natural rivers in our urban regions can be
used to provide multi-functional river landscapes along the river for the community to physically
and psychological reconnect, use, and appreciate the rivers in urban regions by using
the concept of water as the binding factor and regenerative design theory.
Throughout the theory and design the approach was to introduce the challenges we face
regarding rivers in our urban regions using three different lenses to look at rivers, which are:
River as a functional system, river as a resource, and river as place. This led to the design and
investigation of an off stream water filter system that addresses a global problem but the
progam alongside the off stream water filter system is site and community specific.
The theory of regenerative design promotes the inclusion of the community in the design
process at different stages and levels of involvement. By means of the three lenses of resource,
function and place is viewed as interdependent parts of the design system. These
three powerful lenses guide the solutions to the challenges and provoke opportunities regarding
the design.
