Architecture And Social Integration

It was acknowledged in the hypothesis that ‘socially meaningful architecture can be used as a design driver in the design of a Pan-African Centre to promote social integration’. This was strongly supported by the interviews conducted with the community in the Point precinct of Durban as they felt the need for an architecture that will bring about integration. 15 out of the 15 participants agreed that such architecture will assist in creating connections with their culture and history. This process of social integration was hypothesized as an enhancement to the creation of an African architecture identifiable by the users. The research looked at ways of finding factors that will make this African architecture successful. The successfulness of this architecture will should have capacity to enhance social integration and have some cultural and traditional value to its users.

Interactive Architecture and its link to historical background

Through the study of the chosen precedents and case studies, the research has made it clear that a design is much stronger through the link it has with the sites’ social aspects and environmental issues. It has been shown that linking the history of a given place, be it cultural, traditional or architectural, also increases the relevance architecture have on its region and most importantly the everyday users. This linkage permits for originality and modernization while at the same time sustaining its relevance to its users, period and site. Using history to design for the community, the concept of modernizing the indigenous architecture does not mean the designer should not apply cultural ideas on the architecture. The designers should rather impose this cultural element that will improve on the ...

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...hey seek to find a second home away from home. This can be achieved with an architecture that’s based on the peoples’ culture, tradition and history. This function will search for architecture with purpose, and phenomenology; place making. The users’ sensory experience of space will increase because the architectural approach does not abandon the relationship that people develop between themselves and the building.

The study of the present literature, precedents, case studies and interviews with the communities has assisted in finding a conclusion based on observation. The goal of this observation is to develop an architecture that develops the research findings that will translate into a meaningful architecture which will enhance social integration. The philosophy behind this architecture is that it satisfies human needs by expressing meaning to the community.