Mahlangu

Kgalaletso Fortune MAHLANGU

Bridging opportunities through the design of a community cultural centre in Oukasie Township, North West

Supervisor Co-supervisor Dr MEN Nkambule, PhD (Arch) Mr MJV Mokaba, MTechArch (Prof)

The dissertation aims to propose a community cultural centre in the township of Oukasie situated in the NorthWest Province. By proposing a collaborative community cultural centre dedicated to the vibrant socio-cultures of the township of Oukasie. The objective is to solve the underlying need for a socio-cultural space that will expose township skills and cultures to allow people from different communities to collaborate.

During the author’s studies, he participated and was part of vibrant and active socio-cultural programs such as dance music events and other recreational, creative functions that contribute to the creative economy of the township. The socio-cultural functions (dance music) that form part of the community’s cultural identity are stagnant in growth and are not recognized by neighbouring communities and potential growth contributors such as investors,organisations and the Department of Arts and Culture and Social Development.

The stagnation is caused by a need for a suitable space for those socio-cultural functions. Current informal spaces that event creators of dance music events use have negative contextual impacts and are not fit to attract potential growth and recognition. Research is done on infrastructure provided by the local government that is not designed with placemaking characteristics and not designed with community in mind.

Research is also done on the current informal spaces on how stakeholders of dance music events use those spaces over facilities provided by the local authority. The analysis of those spaces shows placemaking characteristics, community involvement during development, and collaboration amongst participants.

The research proves how facilities provided by local authorities do not show involvement of the community, do not consider the unique needs of different sociocultural functions/programs of the community. This leads to stakehoders and participants using informal spaces with placemaking characteristics that allow for flexibility of different socio-cultural programs mainly dance music and collaboration amongst participants.

Keywords

Collaboration, Opportunities, Socio-Cultural programs, Creative economy, Placemaking