A special prize for the best use of clay face brick in a project was awarded to Wian Jordaan
WIAN JORDAAN UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA ‘ The Act of Refuge : Facilitating spatial practices of mobile urban dwellers in the inner city of Pretoria ’
In the inner city of Pretoria , daily commuters in the public realm are confined to the sidewalk – a space of transition that promotes anonymity , indifference , and transience . These mobile urban dwellers have a desire for a place of refuge – a place to dwell , to call their own , and to escape the disorder of the street .
The intention of this dissertation was to explore how a place of urban refuge can be created in the public realm by facilitating new and existing temporary acts of refuge of mobile urban dwellers . New approaches to space-making were developed to explore how architecture can influence the behaviour of users and their everyday spatial practices by manipulating their perception of space , in order to mediate between the lived and conceived dimensions of space .
“ I believe that healthy urban environments allow people ’ s everyday lives , identities , and rituals to be played out in public spaces . People ’ s relationship to the built environment and public spaces in the inner city of Pretoria are fractured and require alternative solutions ,” says Wian .
68 Student Awards