School of Built Environment and Development Studies

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Afrocentric placemaking and architecture in contemporary urban built form: a case of Bulawayo’s civic precinct, Zimbabwe.
(2019) Mthethwa, Majahamahle Nene.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
Inspired by Afrocentrism ideologists such as Molefi Kete Asante (2007), the researcher advocates for non-dominance of one community by any other, as this has created problems across sub-Saharan Africa. The social phenomenon of internal colonialism thrives on cultural authoritarianism that the ruling elites or dominant social groups accentuate through the built environment. This study explored collectively accepted makings of Afrocentric sources that would inspire Afrocentric placemaking and architecture in contemporary urban built form and promote social equality, justice and a sense of belonging. The study of these Afrocentric sources would motivate architects to design contemporary local built environments that respond to African value systems. The study focused on the Mthwakazi Nation’s historic capital, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. A mixed method approach was adopted, with a qualitative method applied generally and a quantitative one locally. Special consideration was given to concerns such as African cosmological orientation, culture and identity that pivoted indigenous legal, political, governance and economic institutions. This enabled a narration of precolonial built forms. Various concepts and theories such as placemaking, social identity, symbolic interaction theory, Afrocentricity and existential theory were drawn on to explore the possibility of contemporary architectural design and urbanism that captures the African worldview. Given their ability to exhibit identity phenomena, the focus was civic spaces and buildings. International precedents such as the Sydney Opera House and its linkage to the Bennelong House in Australia, which demonstrate the extent to which Australia has taken on the mantle of European culture and the significance of historical events as a source of inspiration in urban placemaking. Symbolic interactionism evokes indigenous ecological features to encourage creation of locally responsive built Page | viii environments. The Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature is presented in this study as a typical example. Built forms and parallel historical developments were examined from the precolonial, to the colonial and postcolonial periods to identify appropriate Afrocentric sources for contemporary placemaking. In Zimbabwe, Shona traditional built forms were anchored by Great Zimbabwe while King Lobengula’s historical settlement of koBulawayo reflects amaNdebele architectural developments that date back to KwaZulu. Both kinds of traditional settlements provide indicators to Afrocentric sources for envisaged strategies in placemaking and architecture in African cities. To the African mind circularity and movement capture what the cosmos represents. Movement is rhythmic, regular and seasonal. With respect to symbolic interactionism, circularity and movement is how the cosmos reflects itself to an African mind; hence the criticality of organic and rhythmic motion in his/her art and architecture. The study contends that the Collective Centred Afrocentric Placemaking (CCAP) knowledge model is to assist the conceptualisation of Afrocentric placemaking and architecture in contemporary urban built form and thus create an authentically existential sense of belonging in African cities.
Architecture and childhood development : towards establishing architectural design guidelines for children's environments in South Africa.
(2016) Cloete, Magdalena Catharina.; Harber, Rodney.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
The research in terms of Architecture and Childhood Development is based on an understanding that Architecture serves society and has the potential to impact positively on children. The research is grounded in a postmodern theoretical enquiry, and the primary purpose of architecture is established as the process of creating places for people to dwell. The concern with childhood development and more specifically Early Childhood Development relates to the universally recognised potential of changing society through early intervention and provision of quality childhood development. The research relates to the principles of The UN Convention of The Rights of The Child, and aims to initiate the transformation of the architectural design of spaces for children, to achieve a positive impact on childhood development for children in South Africa. The research problem is defined in terms of the concept of the built environment and how it impacts on childhood development, seldom considered in the provision of Early Childhood Development in South Africa. The key question is: How can architectural design provide nurturing and stimulating environments that influence the care, education and development of children between the ages of 0-6 in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa? The research methodology includes a literature review, policy analysis and collective case study. The literature review examines the theoretical framework of phenomenology and perceptual theory, as well as concepts of placemaking, dwelling, child development theories, and educational studies relating to children’s spaces. The key concepts of Responsiveness, the Third Teacher and Community are established. The methodology of The Pattern Language and design guidelines from the UK and Australia are investigated to assist the understanding of these concepts translated into architecture. The policy analysis reviews the Rights of The Child, as well as ECD implementation both universally and in South Africa. The case study highlights the methods of translating the theoretical concepts of Responsiveness, Third Teacher and Community within the Kwa-Zulu Natal context as implemented by architects. The research concludes with a framework for the design guideline for children’s environments in South Africa.
The architecture of railway stations and transportation nodes, towards the design of a proposed new commuter railway station in Kingspark sports precinct.
(2008) Mtembu, Mxolisi Sikhumbuzo.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.; Wang, Derek Trygve.; Duncan-Brown, Alethea.; Brewis, Deon.; Wilson, Anthony.
In a world of increased daily travel, more efficient means of transporting people become all the more relevant as citizens constantly try to bridge time and distance in an effort to get to work and other meeting places. The ability to transport large numbers of people at the same time, establishes the rail transport as one such mode viable for this task. As a result, cities throughout the world constantly revive existing rail networks and introduce new ones to cater for this growing traveling demand of the 21 st century. The most popular forms of transportation in the city of Durban, namely the bus, taxi and private car are the main contributors to the traffic congestion and air pollution problems in the city, hence the need to reconsider the importance of the train. Following international precedent, South Africa is planning to revive its railway services by changing its image and ensuring passenger safety in order to establish it as a major public transport system (Ministry of transport, 2006). In creating the building form of railway station buildings, it is necessary to understand passenger movement and activity within the station as well as the spaces required for such activities. This is vital if the designer has to make a meaningful contribution to society though his building intervention. Railway stations do not function in isolation to other modes of transportation in the city, hence the need for this study to consider the station in a node or interchange context to enforce its role within the city's transportation system as a whole.
Changing roles of women in housing processes and construction : the case of Lobatse Township, Botswana.
(2005) Kalabamu, Faustin Tirwirukwa.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
This thesis explores variations and shifts in gender roles in housing delivery and the construction. Although presently excluded from construction activities, women have in the past constituted substantial proportions of builders in many countries worldwide. In parts of sub-Saharan Africa, for example, women have traditionally been responsible for building house. However, recent studies and reports indicate that women in Botswana and other countries in the region are grossly underrepresented in construction activities. The few women currently employed in the construction industry work mostly as labourers. Boserup and other scholars have attributed the gendered division of labour to economic development, technological changes, patriarchy, capitalism colonialism or modernisation Based on qualitative and quantitative studies undertaken in the township of Lobatse, Botswana, and adopting a pluralistic and holistic approach, I however posit that gender roles and relations are outcomes of negotiation and normalisation processes through which men and women (as individuals or in groups) use their power and positions in society to access and control resources and services. The outcomes and negotiation processes are themselves conditioned by a web of interacting and intersecting historical, social, economic, political and environmental factors. I further argue that in the context of Botswana, traditional gender roles were shaped by prevailing patriarchal ideologies and institutions, the country's fragile environment, subsistence modes of production, and frequent intertribal wars that characterised the region. However, men's takeover of housing and construction activities that emerged during the colonial period was due to the intersection of Western influences, men's temporary migrations to South Africa, commoditisation of labour and the introduction of the market economy. Women's exclusion from the construction industry has since been entrenched through the atrophication of women's traditional building skills caused by widespread preferences for exogenous building materials and Western style houses. Due to lack of non-traditional building skills, women have been forced to work as labourers in the waged construction industry or as unpaid managers, supervisors and caterers in self-help housing. Robbed of their ability to build houses, women have been obliged to negotiate new gender relationships and strategies for accessing and owning houses.
City morphology and effective control mechanisms: towards land use optimization and sustainable development: a case study of Lagos mega city.
(2018) Agamah, Franca Unekwu.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
Rapid urban growth and resultant modifications to the environment have significantly changed urban morphologies. Given the rapid growth of metropolitan Lagos and its constrained access to land, spontaneous, muddled patterns of development have resulted in unsustainable development with varying consequences for the environment and its inhabitants. These have implications for carrying capacity, aesthetics, resources and urban liveability and call for policy formulation and measures to plan and control development patterns. The hypothesis of the study was underpinned on the argument that land utilization and control of urban spatial growth are functions of adequate planning and effective frameworks in achieving sustainable development. The study provides a framework for assessing urban structure and morphology with a rationale for planning sustainable cities. It reviews the dynamics of urban growth and its complexities alongside planning and design methods and approaches. The study notes that different elements of cities respond to various stimuli that should be taken into account in seeking to achieve sustainable development. Lagos mega city’s policies and spatial development strategies have, unfortunately, not done so. Guided by critical and pragmatic theory, the study employed triangulated mixed methods to assess the morphology and temporal growth of Lagos mega city and the factors that influence it; it examined urban planning frameworks, policies and control mechanisms; implementation, enforcement and compliance. Three study areas (Lagos Island, Apapa and Victoria Island) were purposively selected as case studies and data were collected through onsite surveys and observation; interviews with planners and the administration of questionnaires to property owners. The findings show that the metropolis is characterized by poor land utilization and ineffective control of urban development which is constrained due to surrounding water bodies and burdened by rapid population growth. The hypotheses tested using the T-Test statistic indicate that while poor land utilization and uncontrolled urban spatial growth are not exclusively a function of poor planning and ineffective frameworks, changing city functions and urban growth have implications for land use that require forward planning. The study therefore developed the Land Use Optimization and Effective Control Model that encapsulates approaches, process and factors towards compact, mixed-use development for a sustainable urban form. The model will guide planning agencies and development plans to align with the objectives of sustainability.
The effects of economic structural adjustment programme and the shelter development strategy on the housing construction industry in Zimbabwe.
(2001) Mucharambeyi, Kudakwashe Godfrey.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
The motive behind this dissertation involved the scholastic empirical testing of the impacts of development policy, pursued at macro-economic level in housing and construction industry in Zimbabwe during Economic Structural Adjustment Programme (ESAP) between 1990-1995. It further explores the understanding of the variety of interconnections between macro-economic in light of structural adjustment and Shelter development Strategy. The introductory focuses on conceptualisation of the dissertation in relation to contemporary policy and academic debates. A historical review of both macroeconomic and shelter industry management policies experienced in Zimbabwe prior to ESAP are examined. Architecture structure of the adjustment programe specifically in the in creating an enabling environment in respect to the overall macro-economic reforms in relation to the shelter industry is sketched. Party Two deals with housing and Zimbabwean construction finance both prior and after ESAP, comparison with other African countries is reviewed-positive impacts of liberalizing a sophisticated financial sector, limited impact in attracting foreign investment and negative impact of reduced government investment on the housing construction industry. The final section deals with the impact of adjustment and shelter strategy on job creation and income levels. Also focuses on the responsiveness of the construction supply to adjustment and enablement policies. The development of ideas surrounding this research and methodology of fieldwork are also discussed. Conclusion and recommendations are drawn to fulfill the dissertation-Scholarly.
An evaluation of housing strategy in South Africa for the creation of sustainable human settlements : a case study of the eThekwini region.
(2011) Govender, Gonaseelan Barlow.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
Given that access to adequate housing is defined under South Africa's constitution as a fundamental human right, it is understandable that the post Apartheid government focuses significant time and expense on establishing human settlements intended to redress the historically unequal distribution of wealth and resources. This thesis is concerned with looking at why, in spite of this attention, the government has underperformed in delivering low income housing projects that evolve into socially sustainable and integrated communities. Since there is no substantial evidence that a comprehensive study of the consolidation of human settlements has been done in South Africa, this research and the recommendations it engenders will be an important resource for planning truly sustainable and integrated human settlements in the future. Both theoretical and applied research methodologies were utilised in this thesis to examine specifically six human settlements in the KwaZulu-Natal Ethekwini region, selected for their diversity in terms of social, economic and location characteristics, as well as the differing historical circumstances surrounding their establishments. That the analysis included three settlements with Greenfield and social housing projects developed during the Apartheid regime and three settlements established after the 1994 democratic elections, permits comparisons to be drawn and so facilitates a deeper understanding of the successes and failures of the creation of sustainable housing settlements. A thorough review of the limited literature in South Africa in this field and an assessment of strategies contained in the National Housing Policy, was complimented by a more practical approach, including the use of a Delphi survey method, which was conducted with experts in the housing field, policy makers and settlement inhabitants, and extensive on site data collection. This investigation shows that, paradoxically, the Apartheid housing settlements, designed to entrench racial segregation and inequality, have in fact flourished as consolidated communities, in comparison with post Apartheid housing projects. The thesis draws the conclusion that in the Apartheid settlements inhabitants are using their housing units as an invaluable asset to improve their living conditions and to create a sustainable environment. However, in the settlements developed by the post Apartheid regime, inhabitants are struggling to use their home as an asset to improve their living conditions and to create a convenient and sustainable environment. Consequently, poverty, social exclusion and vulnerability of the beneficiaries of low-cost housing are deepening. While this does not justify the Apartheid policy of enforced removals or the subsequent social evils, the sense of ownership that ensued from forcing inhabitants to thererafter pay for their dwelling based on a calculated proportion of household income, is key to understanding this disparity. In comparison, post Apartheid housing policy, framed within a socialist agenda, does not allow for equitable distribution based on income levels and so for the mainly poor and economically inactive inhabitants, there is an absence of this same ownership incentive to either care for or improve the dwellings that they are given. Furthermore, the current National Housing Policy fails to take a holistic approach to the issue since its priority is simply meeting short-term high demand to eradicate the most visible effects of Apartheid. Subsequently, the National Housing Policy has failed to consider how access to education facilities for children, availability of consumer goods and the proximity to commercial activity, jostle with the need for shelter as high priorities for low income households, which fundamentally affects the success of any housing policy. For this reason, several beneficiaries of post Apartheid housing units have sold their homes to raise income to meet more pressing needs. All social housing settlements that formed the sample of this research study have long term viability issues and so replicating any model is problematic. The thesis suggests therefore, that in the future, legislators and policy makers look towards cultivating mixed use housing settlements centred around vibrant commercial, business and retail sites with connecting public transit and pedestrian networks, and various tenure options, including rentals, rent-to-buy and outright purchase. Development initiatives taking into considerations the reforms and recommendations outlined in this thesis could be implemented on housing projects that use developed buffer zones of land that were left over from the Apartheid era housing policy or on "lost spaces" within existing human settlements. The advantages of such a new approach for creating sustainable housing settlements provides an opportunity to link spatially and economically dislocated communities while ensuring beneficiaries and stakeholders in housing settlements meet a wider variety of needs. The conclusion that this thesis draws is that South Africa needs a post Apartheid approach to create sustainable human settlements. The Delphi Study reveals that the strategy to be adopted should represent the expectations of both policy-makers and beneficiaries. Consequently, this thesis proposes a sustainable housing development model and has developed guidelines and processes that take into consideration the many issues affecting housing policies and so becomes a workable tool for future housing professionals. Consolidated and integrated settlements that evolve into socially sustainable communities then becomes a real possibility.
An evaluation of rural housing policy and implementation : towards the development of appropriate rural housing that contributes to local identity and regional diversity : a case study of Mpukunyoni area in KZN-South Africa.
(2005) Buthelezi, Busisiwe P.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
The study is mainly characterised by social, cultural, and economic aspects that influence the housing typology and design in rural areas, since these places have been in a critical condition compared to urban areas. This has led to the use of design suitable for urban areas in rural areas. This act threatens to undermine rural characteristics such as rural settlement patterns and traditional housing which acknowledge people's origin and lifestyle. As a result, people fail to contrlbute to their own development mainly because of the technological advancement that acquires people with intensive skills. The study was conducted in the rural community of Mpukunyoni in Mtubatuba. The residents still live under the traditional leadership of Inkosi Mkhwanazi. The housing project implemented in the area highlight some complications because of the housing typology that the developers have used which fails to incorporate cultural meaning in them. This questions the role played by the community which sees enabling approach as a possible solution. It encourages people themselves to be gradua11y drawn into their development. It aiso alleviates poor conditions and empowers people to restore their human dignity while recognising their potential. The study sees a need for rural housing policy to be revaluated so as to include other relevant factors like incorporating traditional authorities in decision making so as to influence the policy makers to recognise cultural aspects because rural and urban areas are not the same therefore, they must be treated differently. In that way, the developers can have a clear understanding of what housing means to rural people so as to provide them with. housing that must be passed on from one generation to the other.
Housing delivery systems : an evaluation of public-private partnerships towards provision of adequate housing for the middle-income group in Lagos Nigeria.
(2012) Alabi, Anthony Sule.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
This research thesis examined the applicability of the enablement paradigm in the public-private partnership (PPP) of housing delivery systems (HDS) in Lagos among middle-income groups using the periods of changing historic conditions as baseline for the analysis. Nigeria’s postdemocratic Housing and Urban Development Policy for the first time in 2002 recognized the formal private sector as a major stakeholder in its framework. This recognition was in line with the World Bank’s policy recommendation for governments to create enabling environment for private sector participation in housing provision. The major changes by this policy were the grant of access to land with ownership tenure and access to housing finance with low interest rate. This thesis underscores the failure of the Housing and Urban Development Policy framework in Nigeria to achieve real gains in housing delivery. By unbundling the determinants of HDS in Lagos, this research identified the universal objectives of housing delivery in terms of the quantity and quality of housing and its environmental quality. The findings from this research work identified significant correlation between failures in government policies and poor stakeholders’ delineation and roles. The study further associated stakeholder’s delineation and role to PPP optimization: By so, identified PPP as the fulcrum for resource, process and social optimization towards achieving AHD. Through an extensive analysis of historic conditions, theories and policies nationally and internationally, this research drew relevant lessons which informed its conceptual departure for unbundling PPP within HDS. It also relied on empirical data obtained from quantitative and qualitative research instruments drawn from four estate typologies and three categorized stakeholder’s respondents’ frame it used in evaluating HDS. In its contribution, this study developed a project lifecycle framework for housing development, a proposal for PPP effectiveness and an Adequacy Evaluation Technique (AET). Common to these models was the delineation of the universal objectives of housing from which the 3-Qfactor of housing quantity, and quality and the quality of housing environment emanated as a measure of value added contribution. By this, the study established a departure from previous architectural approaches which promised value satisfaction as a functional derivative of design. Through these models, PPP can be designed at the architectural and operational levels towards achieving AHD through the window of the universal objective of housing delivery; and can be evaluated for functional satisfaction and real value (return on investment) based on assessment of profitability of housing development actors/partners. The second major contribution is the delineation of stakeholders in three dimensions namely, the household, the housing development actor/partner which reflects changing roles and circumstances and the housing development experts. Of emphasis are the changing roles and circumstances that this study is able to delineate from its literature and field work through an understanding of the social focus groups which exist within the Lagos settings. This study in conclusion emphasizes the need for delineating stakeholders’ roles contextually as a pre-condition to initiating partnerships. It also posits that there is need to deduce all resources, processes and social context as the framework for PPP before initiating partnerships. It established that, current policy practice already targets the middle-income in its use of PPP, and this can be extended to other social income groups and that the basis for the utilization of PPP should stem from an understanding of specific application of the three-step adequacy evaluation technique (AET) developed by this study as a relevant tool for evaluating the adequacy of housing development projects.
Implications of housing design and layout systems for crime prevention in housing residential neighbourhoods in the metropolitan areas of Durban.
(2001) Ndlovu, Fundokuhle P.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
It is believed that housing designs and layout systems for crime prevention have either positive or negative implications on the actual prevention of crime. Therefore this research explores the exact implications that housing designs and layout systems have in relation to crime especially in neighborhoods of Durban. In this regard, the concepts, assumptions surrounding work on the field, including defensible space principles, crime prevention through environmental design and the housing design principles are thoroughly discussed. Various principles especially defensible space principles are emphasized in this study: Surveillance, territoriality, access control, image and milieu. Hence other supporting paradimes like housing design principles including housing structures, support activities and gated communities are highly elaborated. These analytical criteria were used to examine two neighboring residential areas characterized by different planning and design systems in the area of Woodlands in terms safety. The assessment is mainly a comparison of the gated residential neighbourhood and the non-gated residential neighbourhood. Procedurally the evaluation entails analyzing both areas in terms of layout and housing design, observing both areas in terms of behavior and reaction of residents within their areas and analyzing the views and perceptions of people living in both areas. The findings indicate that in comparing the two areas in terms of safety the gated residential neighbourhoods displays high level of safety as compared to the non-gated community. Overall housing design and layout systems for crime prevention have positive implications on crime reduction in residential areas. However different recommendations are made in an attempt to improve crime free housing designs in offering both real and perceived safety.
The influence of Protestant doctrine on the development of church architecture.
(2011) Maduna, Thandeka.; Kucukkaya, Ayse Gulcin.; Yavo, Phillippe.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
Church architecture has evolved dramatically since its inception. It has changed shape, size and form, from simple houses converted to meeting places, to grand Gothic cathedrals, to high-tech auditoriums and modern structures of various shapes and sizes. Throughout the ages there have been many factors that have played a role in this evolution. Not only religious factors, but also economic, social, and political factors, have all contributed to the dynamic changes in church architecture. This thesis focuses on the manner in which the Protestant doctrine has influenced the development of church architecture. This research explores the validity of the idea that spaces and forms of architecture are influenced by the values and beliefs of the people they belong to. There are many movements within Protestantism; because of this there are a variety of architectural forms for their buildings, therefore there is no particular Protestant church architectural style. This study determines how different doctrines and values have influenced church design throughout the ages, through examining various examples of religious architecture, focusing on the doctrinal issues that have played a major part in the design. This is not a comprehensive survey of the history of church architecture. Theoretical discussions on place, meaning and the concept of function are directly relevant this study, which seeks to find ordering principles that inform the creation of functional and meaningful places for people. The main principle that arose from this research is that people, their beliefs and values, and the site need to be the primary design generators in the design of a church complex as they are in any other building.
Informal housing delivery : assessing it's potential contribution in formulating enabling low income housing standards : the case of Kamatipa settlement in Kitwe, Zambia.
(2006) Mwango, Mundashi Alexander.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
This study looks at the potential contribution of informal housing delivery in establishing enabling low-income housing standards in Kitwe, Zambia as a way of addressing the shortage of adequate and affordable housing for the urban poor. Informal housing delivery is increasingly being seen as the urban poors' response to the chronic shortage of housing in most cities in developing countries. Proponents of informal housing delivery have been alluding to the many positive impacts that informal housing has on the poor households since the 1960's. This aspect is slowly gaining acceptance in many housing policies in developing countries that are now opting to work with rather than forcefully relocated informal dwellers. The Zambia National Housing Policy set an ambitious list of objectives aimed at realising its goal of providing adequate and affordable housing to all income groups in the country, including the reform of housing standards which currently inhibit the incorporation of informal housing techniques and materials into conventional practices. However, there appears to be no framework within which this objective will be achieved. The study, therefore, investigated the positive attributes of informal housing delivery through a literature review of standards and general discourse and policies regarding traditional, informal and formal housing settlements. Through the literature review, a set of indicators was established to measure and analyse informal housing standards prevailing in Kamatipa, an informal settlement north of the city of Kitwe in Zambia and building regulations that substantially hinder the incorporation of these standards into conventional low-income housing standards. They study establishes a number of positive attributes of informal housing in Kamatipa and the regulations that they contravene under current standards. It concludes by making recommendations towards establishing guidelines for assimilating these positive elements in a reformed regulatory framework to achieve enabling low-income housing standards in the city and country.
Information and architecture : the synthesis of information and architecture in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2006) Forbes, Angela.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.; Frescura, Franco.
The changing nature of society has caused existing methods of knowledge dissemination to become ineffective, and even the types of information and knowledge required by people has changed. Therefore, through the study of the needs of today's society in regard to knowledge and information, and the study of existing systems of its transmission, an appropriate method for dissemination in today's environment will emerge and inform the manifestation of this in the built form. This study aims to discover how architecture needs to respond to society's requirements, in an age dependant on information. Therefore, the research explores the definitions of information and the systems presently employed for collection, storage and dissemination. It is an important element of society that affects individuals and the state. Information's relationship to the built environment and the importance of appropriate architectural expressionis established in response to the study and is applied to the local context of KwaZulu-Natal.
Inner city housing and the role of the church in housing development : four cases in South African cities.
(2002) Talbot, S.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
This research seeks to explore what role the church can, should and does play in the dynamics of inner city housing. Given the experience of certain overseas church groups at the successful implementation of housing initiatives this research seeks to explore what certain groups are doing in various cities to establish their ideal of the new Jerusalem. This is in keeping with the vision of Isaiah in chapter 65-66.where the church has a responsibility to transform the place of the city to a place of hope and joy and celebration .This is the motivation that drives this study to see how the church can play a role in the housing development of the inner cities of South Africa. Very little has been written on this newly emerging field for the church in South African cities. Hopefully this will motivate, empower and encourage others to follow those who are already involved in this new challenge to the South African and African inner city church. Four cities in which contact with housing related projects has been established will be used as case studies. These four cities coincidentally cover the largest proportion of urbanised South Africa namely the Johannesburg/Pretoria urban agglomeration and the Durban/Pietermaritzburg area. Apart from the aforementioned reasons, the fact that there are limited church-based inner city housing initiatives in South Africa, it was felt that these case studies could provide an initial base for research. A more detailed rationale is listed in the section on the scope of the dissertation.
The integration of culture, fashion and architecture in bridging existing cultural diversities : a proposed multi-purpose fashion centre for Durban.
(2010) Ganesh, Vinolen.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
The need for social integration of South African residents has been and continues to be a topic that is at the forefront of social development in the country. Durban is one of South Africa’s most diverse urban centres due to its heritage and historical background. This dissertation aims to explore the notion of cross cultural integration through a common medium that all kinds of people engage with on a daily basis, fashion (or clothing). Thus, this dissertation deals with the integration of cultures, fashion and architecture towards the creation of a proposed multi-purpose fashion centre for Durban. People represent themselves, their heritage, religion and personal attributes through clothing. From a politician or business man to a musician or a priest; clothing is a means of identifying the type of person one is. Clothing is therefore a representation of cultures. Similarities can be drawn with architecture in the way that it represents the period of a buildings creation or the aesthetical values and technological advancement of culturally contemporary societies. The fashion industry is also one that carries a large commercial weight in all economical sectors making it a relevant and practically sound industry to support. From the design to the manufacturing and distribution of clothing, fashion is a powerful global entity that extends beyond countries and cultures. The research undertaken will comprise of primary and secondary data. Primary research will formulated through the analysis of precedent and case studies together with interviews conducted with relevant people. Secondary research will be expressed in the form of a literature review containing theoretically applicable data. The conclusions and careful combination of these research methods will result in the establishment of recommendations that will dictate a suitable and relevant architectural response to the creation of a fashion centre.
An investigation into the privatisation process of public rental housing in the Durban Metropolitan Area, case studies of Kwa Mashu and Bayview.
(2000) Lazarus, Samuel Daniel.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
Housing built by local authorities for low income housing has gone a long way towards providing a range of housing options for the varying needs of those who are forced through circumstances to rely on the public sector for their housing. Selling off the rented housing stock to sitting tenants has enabled large numbers of families to become homeowners. The sale of rental housing stock has been long viewed by theorists with much scepticism. Therefore much research has gone into, amongst other things the government policy of "load-shedding" in order to decrease the welfare burden of the state. Few studies however have been able to capture the perceptions and attitudes of the beneficiary families. A major thrust of the National Housing Policy is to increase the access of housing to previously disadvantaged individuals. One such method is that of privatisation and the sale of public rental stock to sitting tenants. The study will attempt to investigate the process of privatisation as adopted by the Metropolitan Council and resistance that it has faced.
Low-income inner-city housing as an option in the housing delivery process : a case study of the Albert Park and Point Road areas.
(1997) Mfeya, Tabiso.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
No abstract available.
Neighbourhood revitalization : the case of Austerville, Durban, Republic of South Africa.
(1995) Bedderson, Seymour Alistair Benedict.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
No abstract available.
Reconciliation and reconstruction of post-genocide Rwanda : a search for an appropriate architectural expression.
(2006) Mudenge, Josephine Kairaba.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.; Frescura, Franco.
African countries have for a long time undergone a series of problems that include; genocide, racism, economic depression, colonisation, civil wars, and so on. These have left many African societies in hopeless situations that entail considerable intervention. This study will explore the possible causes of conflicts mainly genocide and collective violence, in which the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda will be the main focus. This genocide which led to the massacres of one million Tutsi and moderate Hutus in approximately one hundred days left the entire Rwandan society fragile and divided. It is perhaps the worst of its kind in recent history. After the 1994 genocide, Rwanda was characterised with a tattered social fabric, dilapidated infrastructure, economic repression, and as a consequence massive refugees displacement into neighbour countries. Despite the tragic consequences of this genocide, the government of Rwanda has been working tirelessly to find lasting peace arid reconciliation for its broken and divided society. In order to understand the possible causes of this tragic event in Rwanda, this study will explore' the situation in Rwanda in pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial periods, and in this case, the 1994 genocide. This analysis will then become a basis on which tools that can foster peace and reconciliation will be sought. Architectural expression among others will be explored as a tool that can promote reconciliation and unity among people. As a tool that shapes peoples way of living, architecture will be the emphasis of this study in order to achieve the above these goals. An appropriate architectural expression will thus sought, that which not only acts as medium for the memory of genocide, but also as a tool to achieve reconciliation and reconstruction of Rwanda's broken society.
Regularizing informal settlements for sustainable housing development for the urban poor : the case of Nairobi, Kenya.
(2011) Diang'a, Stephen Onyango.; Adebayo, Ambrose Adeyemi.
In Kenya, as in most developing countries, the provision of adequate housing for the urban poor has been an elusive exercise for the past five decades. Since the early 1960s when serious concerns were raised over housing provision for low income groups and the proliferation of slums and informal settlements, various intervention strategies have been applied without much success. The failure of these interventions has been attributed to high costs of implementation hindering their replication, and displacement of targeted beneficiaries by better endowed income groups upon their completion. As a result, the realised moderate density housing has been transforming into multi-storey housing with intense densification. Housing and the built environment in general are realised within the prevailing systems of social, physical, and economic, settings and are influenced by development and urbanization trends. The purpose of this study therefore was to identify, account and document the prevailing systems of settings and the embedded systems of activities in the informal settlements that determine and sustain them in the city of Nairobi, Kenya. The study analysed these systems at the city, the neighbourhood, and the dwelling levels with the objective of establishing relevant systems of settings and their embedded systems of activities appropriate for adaption in the regularization of informal settlements for sustainable housing development for the urban poor in Nairobi. Both qualitative and quantitative research methodology was utilised in this explorative study. The research methodology applied entailed questionnaires, interviews, observations and discussions. Three case study areas were selected representing three different settings for informal settlements namely; informal settlement on government land with minimal level of interventions; community based informal settlement upgraded for rental housing; and site-and-service settlement informally transforming into multi-storey tenements. Theories and concepts that informed this study include Environment-Behaviour Relations, Environment-Attitude Relations, Sustainable Livelihoods, Social, and Market Theories. The study was conducted in Mathare Valley informal settlement of Nairobi which is located approximately six kilometres from the city centre. The settlement was selected because of the varied informalities it hosts in addition to being the oldest informal settlement in the city. The findings of the study show that the social, economic and physical systems of settings are crucial determinants of housing outcomes and determine the location, nature and characteristics of these settlements including the activities they embody at the city, the neighbourhood and the dwelling levels. Similarly, the study shows that the dwellers adapt to the prevailing systems of settings in response to their livelihood constraints, opportunities and capabilities. As a consequence, limitations arising from economic constraints have led to the predominance of rental housing over owner-occupied housing. Limited access to land has led to crowding and densification. Poverty and unemployment has led to uncontrolled commercial activities within residential neighbourhoods. The study recommends that intervention approaches spearheading regularization of informal settlements commence by considering the problem of informal settlements at city level where their recognition and acceptance is important. This should then be related to job opportunities, ease of access to work, and other social amenities. At the neighbourhood and dwelling levels where the two are intertwined, emphasis should be given to maximum utilization of land and development of housing typologies that evolve with economic improvement of the nation. The government and local authorities should still be responsible for infrastructure development whereas private investors encouraged to develop rental housing targeting the low-income groups and on land designated for such purpose by the government. Market forces should be allowed to determine rent levels.

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