Tree of ethos a vertical disposition in the heart of the CBD
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Date
2018
Authors
Hayes, Ruan
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Abstract
This thesis symbolises the notion of the tree as an interpretive device for a
new methodology of the skyscraper - a typology which is able to dictate the
balance between order and disorder and to serve as protection from and
resourcing of the future demands of the City. The spirit of the tree contests
the ethos of a fractured City and relates to the characteristic spirit of the
diverse cultures of the city. It conveys an era of unity for the diverse cultures
living, working and playing in the City, expressed as an initial iteration of an
inclusive vertical city within a city, manifested in the attitude and aspirations
of a growing Johannesburg. This research report centers on Johannesburg’s
current and future demands in terms of the notion of urban life within the
building structuring policies of the City. It endevours to explore theories of
inclusive urban ordering systems with specific focus on the skyscraper as an
iteration within the dense grid confined by physical barriers of separation.
The author’s research analyzes the factors keeping Johannesburg attached
to the legacy of segregation embedded in the spatial order - regulatory
barriers and infrastructure dictated through a fragmented skyline. The
research further challenges those principles for a unique and inclusive urban
life which starts at enclaves of current and future skyscrapers. By analysing
the demands of future urban conditions such as rapid urbanisation and
climate change, an initial statement can be visualised into a response for a
resilient future City model. Through a clear understanding of the factors
which have shaped the skyline and which still dictate the fragmented
urban life within the City, it is hoped that this proposal will introduce a new
inclusive order as an initial vertical iteration within the heart of the CBD.