Nurturing architecture : shifting conventional architectural approaches towards regenerative architecture

Abstract

The natural world consists of incredibly complex and integrated systems. Ecosystems and biodiversity all work cohesively to sustainably maintain the basis of our very existence on the planet. These interrelationships form the foundation of all living things and have zero impact on the natural environment. Mankind hugely influences natural systems through its introduction of technological systems . This influence is traceable to the unsustainable extraction of natural resources, which became wide-spread in the industrial era. Since the start of the industrial era, city borders have rapidly expanded often leaving the inner-city decentralized. Such expansion has made its mark on the central business district of Pretoria, where natural voids have been created in the city fabric. The environment in the CBD, through the impact of human activities, is in a state of decay, which is a threat to the very existence of the ecological environment. Architecture needs to return to its roots and find a spatial condition to co-exist with the natural realm in a regenerative manner. Thus utilizing nature s ability to solve problems that we currently struggle with. This dissertation focuses on regenerative architecture. The ecological environment, and certain insects in particular, provides us with countless solutions. Unfortunately, we sometimes mistake the innovation and services of insects as the aggravation of pests. The proposed program therefore centers on the research of these insects and on learning what they can provide for the greater good of humanity s future; a future where humans and nature have a mutually beneficial relationship. This project also taps into the closed-loop-system of the regenerative theory in which, nothing is seen as a single entity, but rather as a system where anything is beneficial and interrelates to everything. This theory can only strengthen and densify Pretoria s inner city, filling the voids with systems and contributing positively towards the regeneration of resources.