The Secret Life of Streets

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the issue of homelessness by considering its relevance to the scope of the interior architecture discipline. The theoretical premise driving the investigation is based on the ‘urban interior’ and its relation to the South African streetscape. Thereafter, the notion of deployable domesticity is tested on Minnaar Street. Here, Minnaar Street is merely the testing ground, showcasing a universal issue, and therefore the proposed design has the potential to roll-out to areas of a similar social script. Urban domesticity is unpacked across a spectrum of scales: product; space; and system to accommodate an array of street occupants (temporary to permanent). These scales materialise in the conceptual strategy based on principles of: deployability, adaptability, scalability, old vs. new interface, closed loop systems and placement of control cores. The design technification however, places emphasis on the bodily scale through its investigation of deployability which considers: 1. Materiality: material combination and joinery techniques. 2. Assembly: ergonomics, modularity, fabrication methods, sequence of assembly, and assembly both off and on site. 3. System: fitting of sanitation services, use of standard components, furniture systems, and relation of one module to the whole spatial scenario. The three areas of investigation ensure that deployability is not only perceived as portability but also: transformability; flexible accommodation of services; adaptability to context; and potential for disassembly. The interaction between various role-players and the proposed design reflects the translation of domestic actions into the urban realm. Moreover, scenario testing in various locations reflects on the degree of deployability achieved by the design. In closing, the dissertation promotes urban domesticity and urban interiors as valuable avenues of future investigation within the discipline of interior architecture.