BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE Y2

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT

Finzi Saidi (PhD- UP)

YEAR COORDNATOR & DESIGN LEAD

Jabu Absalom Makhubu (MUD- Wits)

LECTURERS

Nomalanga Mahlangu (MArch- UJ)- Technology and Detailing Lead & Architectural Design

Mxolisi Ntshona (BArch- UCT)- Architectural Design

Steven Sotiriou (MArch- Wits)- Interdisciplinary Design Lead

Lethabo Mathabathe (MArch- UJ)- Computers in Architecture & Sustainable Design Lead + Interdisciplinary Design

Sanjay Jeevan (MTech- UJ)- Technology and Detailing

Thabang Motlhake (BTech- UJ)- Computers in Architecture

Afua Wilcox (MArch- Wits)- Design Studies Lead

Guy Trangos (PhD- HGSD)- History & Theory Lead

EXTERNAL EXAMINERS

Victor Mokaba (MTech -TUT)

Guy Trangos (PhD- HGSD)

Orepa Mosidi (March- Wits)

Mohau Moidi (MTech- UJ)

Students

MUHAMMAD, Mariam (she)

MANABA, Xhesasekise (she)

MUDAU, Tshilidzi (he)

HLATSHWAYO, Asande (he)

NGOBENI, Karabo (he)

MNDEBELE, Khanyisile (she)

SETHEMANE, Mphumelelo (he)

KIRRPUL, Kreeya (she)

CHINYANGANYA, Simbarashe (he)

MOTLAFI, Thato (she)

VERHOEF, Stefan (he)

NDLOVU, Fortune (he)

PILLAY, Kyle (he)

SIBEKO, Sakhiseni (he)

MUFAMADI, Khathutshelo (he)

MBATHA, Asande (he)

MAKGETLA, Tshepiso (they)

TSHIRITZA, Dan (he)

LETSIE, Bohlale (she)

BAVUMA, Phila (she)

MOLEFE, Naledi (she)

MPHAHLELE, Melitha (she)

PHAJANE, Mpho (she)

NGCAKANI, Okuhle (he)

MATANDA, Dovhani (he)

MAGUDULELA, Solwazi (he)

VISSER, Matthew (he)

MNAGAR, Shyam (he)

MAMADISA, Tebogo (she)

SIGAUKE, Pricilla (she)

GUERRA, Gerald (he)

HLUNGWANI, Tshwanelo (he)

NAIDOO, Joshua (he)

SEKHAOLELO, Thato R (she)

MASEHLA, Phemelo (he)

VORSTER, Renardo (he)

MAHLANGU, Michael (he)

MANGANYE, Tiyani (he)

DEWA, Khanyile (she)

NYINDE, Nonknyiso (she)

MVEMVE, Nkazimulo (he)

GOSAI, Mishka (she)

LOUBSER, Nic (he)

MAKOKOE, Chisom (she)

MADOLO, Qaqambile (he)

KANOKENA, Rafa (he)

DE BEER, Anke (she)

MAKEKA, Thabo (he)

HOWILL, Raymond (he)

NDABEZITHA, Emmanuel (he)

MASHELE, Nyeleti (she)

Head of Department in the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture at the University of Johannesburg.

The year 2022 marked the beginning of a new era for many students, especially second-year students of any university programme because they transitioned from two years of experimental online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While some of us may have survived the pandemic, we have yet to comprehend or discover the full impact of a pandemic. However, having emerged from the isolation of the COVID-19 era, we can all agree that the human-contact, collegiality, and warmth are indeed the most important values that humankind shall continue to hold dear during the rest of our lifetime. These values are evident in more overt than covert ways in the work of our B Arch Year 2 of 2022. These values are essential because our experience with COVID-19 means we may have to define new spatial arrangements in the environment describing new forms of architecture and space.

In this spirit, we celebrate the work of the B Arch Year 2 programme at UJ, marking a return to the collective experience of learning and teaching. I salute the work of our second-year group of young, dynamic, and brave academics with diverse interests under the leadership of the year- coordinator, Mx. Jabu Makhubu. Whose teaching, in any programme is a vital aspect of creating meaningful learning experiences for students. Thus, it is uplifting and energizing to see the diversity of academics who are teaching our second-year B Arch programme because each one of them brings to the studio - the site of knowledge co-production- their: identity; culture; and sense of inquisitiveness that students in contemporary South Africa and the greater continent of Africa ought to engage with in new and complex ways without the restriction of- knowledge canons, culture, disciplinary confines or context. The students‘ projects point to new ways of exploring and understanding the call for the decolonization of knowledge.

Similarly to Who teaches, the question, What to teach, is equally important in that what is selected to be taught should reflect contemporary society‘s ideals and values. The challenge is how to take advantage of the opportunities in that context to make new meanings, and in terms of architecture, it requires creating new spaces and experiences. This is what the themes for the B Arch Year 2 have done for its students in 2022, who have had very engaging topics like: ‘The Public Closet; Taking the closet/KIST outside; Intersecting Closets / Diorama, Veils of defense and Liberation; Bring Out The Closet; Outing And Thrifting The City; The Public Changing Room; The Arrival. For the B Arch Year 2 students, these themes that they grapple with as spatial explorations immerse them into the complex and transformative dialogues that reflect current issues and opportunities in African cities. What does it mean to have equitable access in societies and public spaces, as explored in the Queer culture of the LGBTQIA+ community? What does Arrival mean in our cities which have become much against internal and external migration? What do restitution and equitable economic opportunities mean in the city streets, as explored in the exerciseOuting And Thrifting The City? These exciting explorations have been done in an integrated manner that marries meaningful exploration with architecture‘s material and space requirements as a discipline.

For the B Arch Year 2 program has begun to engage in tangible ways what it means to decolonize the curriculum of architecture, and the results have been twofold: first, it has produced exciting projects for the student; secondly, I believe the projects instilled an increased sense of confidence in the way student express themselves- in their character and architectural expression. The B Arch Year 2 program of 2022 exemplifies in tangible ways what it means to decolonize the architecture curriculum. I congratulate the 2022 second-year teaching team and their students for their ground-breaking success.

The Bachelor of Architecture programme is an entry level qualification that covers the major knowledge fields in architecture. The programme focuses on a theoretical and critical understanding of design and architecture in order to prepare students for further study.

The second year of the programme uses an integrated approach to architectural design and thinking, drawing strongly on notions of seeing; (views, perceptions and positionalities), towards the technical and emotive making of architecture. The programme enables students to develop appropriate architectural language with which to engage the environment and users on a critical and meaningful level. A BArch 2 student will have the opportunity to explore contemporary architectural theory and to apply contemporary design tools to produce relevant contextually resolved architectural responses in a connected urban fabric. This course aims to develop:

• The ability to generate suitable representation techniques and outcomes in the making of architecture.

• An understanding of theory, context and precedent of architecture in Johannesburg and globally

• Introduce process driven methodologies for design, theoretical and technical thinking with experimentation and accuracy.

• Introduce agendas and approaches to the making and „reading“ of space and form in contemporary cities.

• Introduction to the behaviour and design of structural systems and tectonic applications in architecture.

• The ability to consider and analyse building envelopes, with a focus on the material and energetic transfers taking place at the interface between architecture and environment.

• Advance students’ knowledge of architecture historically, culturally, and professionally.

The South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP- professional regulatory body) guidelines require that at the end of this module the student should be able to:

• Demonstrate the process of evolution of architectural design through exploration of site factors and context

• Develop multiple ideas and concepts for design problems

• Develop design ideas with reference to the individual.

• Develop design ideas with reference to functional, technical, climatic and environmental requirements.

• Develop and present ideas from inception to a final product

• Communicate design intentions

The BArch Y2 sits in an interesting position within the overall programme, that is, inbetween entry and exit level. This position presents the opportunity to explore ideas widely, to experiment with representations and to speculate on alternative typologies. Moreover, students are encouraged to question, trouble and reconstruct their learning experiences and to critically reflect on their positionalities.