Designing for a liveable post-apartheid inner city through a multi-functional public environment

Abstract

The focus of this dissertation is the establishment of the “public structure” urban design approach that enables the development of a multi-functional and liveable Inner City environment. The public environment is identified as the key element in the city, as it enables urban living and public life. The latter takes physically place, and is in part, directed by public space and its components, identified as ’public structure’. It is the role of the urban designer to direct the physical design and layout of the public structure such that it supports urban life in all its facets. The public structure approach is based on an understanding of public life from a socio-logical perspective, and the current state of public life in general terms and in the South African context. The characteristics and components of “public structure” are identified through urban design theory. The interrelationship between public structure and public life, society and the forces that shape it are identified and considered; again in general terms and in the South African context. A historic overview is undertaken which assesses the role of public structure in enabling a multifunctional and sociable public life in urban environments. The principles elicited from the above analysis are combined with an assessment of urban design theory that is based on a philosophy of urbanism to yield the public structure urban design approach. The approach is applied in an Inner City case study and evaluated; from which conclusions are drawn and recommendations are made