Talkspace : among infill and void : a language learning centre

Abstract

The following dissertation will consider the contemporary education of natural languages and explore its influences on designed space in an urban environment. The concept of weaving cultures together by using languages will be investigated in order to produce an architectural intervention of amalgamated infill and voids. The structure of natural languages willl be used as a departure point to propose a public facility on the University of Pretoria's main campus. This facility will fit into a network of public gathering spaces proposed in the area, and will be in the form of an interactive learning and information space that will provide the users with an opportunity to engage in intercultural cross pollination in various languages. The site was selected for its ability to enable the opportunity for social interaction and design exploration, and it is significantly located at a point where two major urban grid patterns touch each other. The proposed design celebrates this concept of convergence in which voids between cultures are filled with understanding. The success of the proposed project will depend on the ability of the language learning centre to integrate with the urban fabric and most importantly, facilitate the education of language, communication and cultural interaction.