The transformation of architectural pedagogy towards a new model for architectural education at universities of technology in South Africa.
Loading...
Date
2016
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Architectural education and practice in democratic South Africa have been challenged to
respond to broad national imperatives which have completely transformed the educational and
professional legislative frameworks that govern the architectural profession. Two key
objectives emerged out of the transformation agenda: Spatial transformation and socioeconomic
redress. This posed challenges to architectural education, while at the same time
presented many new opportunities for universities of technology to develop their unique and
distinctive identities. However, the main criticism of architectural education at universities of
technology is that its historic strengths of technology transfer and widened access, have been
surrendered in favour of adopting curricula and pedagogic approaches of the traditional
universities. Industry and the traditional universities are of the opinion that universities of
technology should continue with a technology focused curriculum. The universities of
technology have generally reacted to this criticism by spending time and energy on
conceptualising curricula with a science and technology focus. The main argument of the
thesis, however, is that architectural education at universities of technology has to build on its
historic strengths while enhancing knowledge transfer to the benefit of society; this cannot be
confined in any narrow definition of a science and technology curriculum. The definition of
technology is asserted as a cultural construct and therefore cannot exist as distinctly separate
to the artistic creativity required of architecture. Artistic creation, however, cannot be isolated
in the ‘silo’ of studio production, but must emanate from socially engaged processes. The thesis
explores the historic influences on architectural education to understand the reasons for the
current state of architectural education at universities of technology in South Africa. Various
theoretical positions and ideologies on education, architectural pedagogy and learning space
development are critically analysed in the form of an extensive literature review. This is
supported by empirical research and case studies in order to determine the unique and
distinctive characteristics of architectural education at universities of technology, and their
value to context and society. The synthesis of the critical research culminates in a new
conceptual model for architectural education in South Africa, which is based on the principles
of neo-humanism, defined by contextual responsiveness through the constant engagement of
unit-subjective realities with the collective- society realities in a transformative, participatory
pedagogic paradigm.
Description
Doctor of Philosophy in Architecture. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2016.
Keywords
Architecture - Study and teaching (higher) - SA., Architecture - Education, Higher - SA., Modern movement (Architecture) - SA., Theses - Architecture.