A model to address marginality of the architectural profession in the South African discourse on informal settlement upgrade

Abstract

Informal urbanism is regarded as a global concern challenging formal systems of governance, economy and social justice. The architectural profession is largely considered to be marginal to this discourse, with recognised contributions seen as intermittent, exceptional and once off. The research is interested in determining the causal factors contributing to this continued marginality and determining whether it is possible to mitigate such apparent indifference. It investigates the current discourse internationally as it pertains to the global south, as well as in the South African context to establish some of the noted contributions made by architects and how this has resonated within the debate. From this refl ection, main issues underpinning the conditions surrounding informal urbanism are extrapolated, that in turn contribute to the identifi cation of certain key factors that can be considered causal to the marginality of the profession. The research will illustrate that the process of architectural engagement requires transformation in order to be more responsive to the complexity of the circumstances surrounding informal settlement upgrade. Learning from internationally accepted methods of engagement, it is proposed that the Community Action Planning method developed by Goethert & Hamdi (1997) can serve as a basis for such transformative practices, in as much as it requires augmentation in order to be successfully applied to architectural design processes. Applying this proposed method to a studio module in a school of architecture over a period of four years, the research illustrates that key issues contributing to the existing marginality of the profession can be mitigated to a certain degree, with the understanding that such an approach is required at various levels of professional education and praxis to ensure true transformation.