Abstract:
The dissertation is an investigation of the potential inherent
in creating a spiritually experiential and ritualistic
path and place within Pretoria Central. It challenges the
conventional typology of religious spaces and their engagement
with the city and its inhabitants, reasserting the role
of spiritual practice amongst everyday activities.
As a result of rapid and poor urban planning, our cities are
faced with an increase in lost spaces and a lack of open lots
that can be developed. If we do not address these issues
when designing within the city the current conditions
will be further exacerbated, leaving more voids within the
urban grain. The intention is to rehabilitate the existing
voids by turning them into places that nurture human
consciousness and provide an opportunity for reflection,
thereby adding purpose and exposure to spaces that are
often unseen or overlooked.
The experience of spirituality and the void will be
enhanced by the play of shadows, owing to their qualitative
and temporal attributes, which will assist the visitors
embarking on a spiritual path to connect with themselves,
others, the environment, and the beyond.
The three themes; spirituality, the void and the shadows,
form a conceptual framework to initiate a ritualistic path
and place as expressed through architecture.
