A critical analysis of participatory design processes leading to the employment of low-tech emerging building technologies
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University of Pretoria
Abstract
The study investigates the impact of industrialisation on an architects' roles, proposing a shift towards
incorporating low-tech building technologies through participatory design processes. It critiques the shift from
the architect as a master builder to a more fragmented role due to advances in industrial techniques. The
research aims to re-establish architects as integral to the entire building process by emphasising sustainable,
community-based, and culturally resonant construction methods. Modern design processes are linear and
separated from the rest of the construction industry, where practitioners mainly use conventional
technologies.
This research report explores the use of low-tech emerging building technologies and participatory design
processes in a South African context. The focus will primarily be on hand-based, local and indigenous
building technologies and how these methods could positively influence the design and construction
processes. The main questions of this study deal with how a participatory design process can lead to the
employment of low-tech emerging building technologies. The study focuses on when and why South African
practitioners who follow a participatory design process employ low-tech emerging building technologies. It
also explores the value of employing low-tech building technologies and how they could aid in better
understanding the value of indigenous building technologies.
The methods used in this study to analyse data are as follows: Firstly, five themes were identified from the
literature to assess different projects and practitioners in the South African context. These themes include
unskilled and skilled participatory design and hand-based, local, and indigenous building technologies.
Existing case studies in an emerging building technology catalogue format have been analysed according to
the themes. The following practitioners who most resemble this specific study were chosen from the
catalogue to be interviewed. Their feedback was analysed using the same categorisation tool for the themes.
Finally, precedent studies were conducted on each interviewee's projects and analysed according to the
themes. A better understanding of low-tech building technologies through the adoption of participatory
design processes could lead to the adoption of it by more practitioners in the South African context. Thus
leading to more cultural, economic, ecological, and socially sustainable design practices.
Description
Mini Dissertation (MArch (Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2024.
Keywords
UCTD, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Craft, Emerging building technologies, Participatory design, Hand-based construction, Timber construction, Earthen construction
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG-09: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
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