PORTFOLIO SIWEI SHI 2015 MAUD PROJECT 1
PREFACE This portfolio presents how I use strategies and tactics of re-appropriation as a methodology to understand ideas of public space contextualised in Johannesburg and what are knowledge and experience I have learnt via this process. In addition, it includes not only my individual work, thinking and contribution but also group work. Through this Project 1, I attempt to consider the city as a fixed order embodying physical and social factors and explore the definition and form of public space. Johannesburg as a quintessential African city has an own specific context that it has experienced transforming the apartheid city into the post-apartheid city. Nowadays, with its developing globally, there are increasingly different races, social class and nationality working and living here. Despite the construction of modern high-rise building and the urban regeneration of the inner city, there is still a lack of a safe and accessible public space. Due to the special condition that we can’t situate in Johannesburg in fact, it is not rather easier to understand the specific context. Thus, the studio was divided into two part, one is to explore a specific topic each group via making a short film, is to develop a spatial design strategy for the development of inclusive public space in Juta Street, Johannesburg, which is based on the design principle and value of inclusive public space of group. Therefore, our main aim, as a group, was to redistribute spatial environment in order to encourage everyone sharing space, and to find a way of improving the quality of public space and densifying the diversity of function.
CONTENT
1
[Overview] --Reflect the whole process
2
[Urban Context] --Contextualising the city
3
[Design Strategy] --Group strategy, principles and individual strategy
4
[Reflection] --Critical reflecting
ey i om atin ng G m g at he un r i n ic a tin g g
Overview
tu
C
Si
Su
The Short film Contextualising
Methodology
rv
Methodology Gathering Mapping surveying
Background Cognizing South Africa Johannesburg Braamfontein
Exploring a specific topic Sharing different kinds of topic with coursemates
Spatial Design Strategy I Contextualising
Precedent study
Understaning
Presentation
Provisional manifesto Researching Public Space& Public Life in Johannesburg Respect for the Environment
Humanistic Concern
Ease of Movement
Dynamic participation
Engaging with Creativity
Shared Space
Selecting and developing principle
Rethinking if principles are suitable for specific locality
Review
5 -10 Design principles Articulating
Addressing broader and general concerns in the design of public space
Values
Spatial Design Strategy III
Review
Spatial Design Strategy II
How to adjust after receiving feedback Linkage Variability Equality Communication Sustainability Security Education Feedback
Contextualising analysis
Final reflection
Feedback
Should consider how to utilize social media as a tool to seek comments Using more illustrations and sketches instead of text
Interventions need to be connected with main skateholders Intangible elements should be considered more Narrative of strategy could have been better integrated into map
g in at g
un
G
at
he
rin
m
om
C
ic
g
in
at tu
Si
Background
The Short film Contextualising
Su
Methodology
rv
ey
in
g
Methodology Gathering Mapping surveying
Cognizing South Africa Johannesburg Braamfontein
Exploring a specific topic Sharing different kinds of topic with coursemates
Contextualising
Precedent study
Understaning
Provisional manifesto Researching Public Space& Public Life in Johannesburg 5 -10 Design principles Articulating Values
Addressing broader and general concerns in the design of public space
[2]
Urban context
Background
[location analysis]
The site of project 1 is located in South Africa, which is a multivariate country with a wide variety of cultures, languages and religions.Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa. It is the capital of Gauteng province. Due to the complicated context, this part presents that how we interpret firstly. SOUTH AFRICA GAUTENG
JOHANNESBURG
BRAMMFONTEIN
Limpopo
Brammfontein
North-West
Pretoria
Tshwane
+
Johannesburg Bloemfontein
Fordeburg Durban
West Rand
Johannesburg Fkurhuleni
Doornfontein
+ Hillbrow
Maershall town Hillbrow
Ferrerisdorp
Sedibeng
Port elozabeth Cape town
Mpumalanga
+
Newtown
Hillbrow
Free State
Maboneng
Selby
GAUTENG
2
Largest economy in Africa
5
Races
11
Offical languages
6
Religions
34.5% of South Africa’s GDP is generated in Gauteng
10% of Africa’s GDP is generated in Gauteng
The biggest city in South africa
The Capital of Gauteng
Major
business hub
Major
curtural hub
Major
commuter hub
[Apartheid and Post-apartheid city]
Petty apartheid: detailed social segregation including separate sections for whites and non whites Urban apartheid: how urban areas were moulded according to the Group Areas Act Grand apartheid: the creation of 'independent' homelands for each of the African ethnic groups
European urban and economic patterns were superimposed on colonised political areas, and human settlements were created by whites for whites.
APARTHEID CITY IN TEANSITION
APARTHEID CITY
COLONIAL CITY
1910 SEGREGATION CITY
1950
1985
1986
1970 The Black Consciousness Movement
1994
TOWARDS A POST-APARTHEID CITY Five key programmes were identified, namely: meeting basic needs, developing human resources, building the economy, democratising the state and society, and implementation.
Conclusion
The complex spatial history and development of the urban planning and design in South Africa can be broadly discussed in these three distinctive contradicting principles. 1.White City vs. Black Township 2.Public Space vs. Privatized ‘Collective Spaces’ 3.World Class City vs. World Class Interior
[Urban morphology analysis]
[Hillbrow]
[Maershall town]
?
What kind of inclusive public space could be developed in Johannesburg? [Newtown]
[Brammfontein]
Provisonal Manifesto
Existing issue
Principle
Social-spatial Segregation Lack of social cohesion
Value
Ease of movenment
Linkage
Respect for environment context
Equality Communication
Humanist Concern Inequality and unsafety
Education
Engaging with creativity
Security
Dynamic Participation
Sustainability
Shared space
Variability
Precedent NO DEF INE D Due to the limited urban public space, the concept of shared space is a power way of increasing public activities and facilitate potential communicating in the streer. Shared space can afford different functions and events in the same place at different times.
FACE(W SUR OO N AD E RO
onomy l ec ma or
Kerk street’s transformation is decided to develop Kerk street as a space for informal trade, with the establishment of its well-known market. That allow people to live in a city where they are able to make the most out of their lives, and specifically to make a livelihood for themselves. This means, providing the opportunities for people to construct entrepreneurship, and not to deconstruct it.
f
) RF
Informa l an d
Critical Reflection [Advantage]
- Methodology is logical - Supported by lots of interesting examples related to principle - Concerning about some specific issues
[Disdvantage] - Should contextualising public space in Brammfontein - Should have specific stakeholders and think their need and behaviour - Some concept of principles are genernal
Spatial Design Strategy I
Provisional manifesto
Presentation
Selecting and developing principle
Rethinking if principles are suitable for specific locality
Spatial Design Strategy III
Review
Review
How to adjust after receiving feedback Feedback
Final reflection
Feedback
If a range of tangible and intangible element be considered If consider strategy in different types of scale
Spatial Design Strategy II
Should consider how to utilize social media as a tool to seek comments Using more illustrations and sketches instead of text
Interventions need to be connected with main skateholders Intangible elements should be considered more Narrative of strategy could have been better integrated into map
[3]
Design Strategy
[Group work]
Design processe Existing condition-Johannesburg
Implementing new walking Participation
Improving funtionality
Existing condition-Juta Street Encouraging public transportation Inclusive activity
Existing condition-Brammfontein Bluring the boundaries
Existing condition-Juta Street
Creating green spaces
[Design strategy] Enriching trip mode
Shared space
Improving walking environment
Reducing the usage rate of private car Introducing multi-storey carpark
Encouraging the use of Public transportation Implementing new walking system
Providing equal trade environment Redistribution
Revitalisation Dissolving the boundaries Ease of movement
Creating green infrastructure Bluring boundaries and Extenting pavement interface
Connecting surroundings Inclusive activities
Densify function
Replacing function
HIGH The crime rate in Johannesburg is very high due to the 40% unemployment and the complicated social situation.
LOW
Current situation
the use of public spaces activities
Creating different types of green spaces according to the surroundings will increase people’s invovlement in the public space.
informal business connection to the outer space
There is conflict in the city between registered street trades, informal street traders and formal retailers.
The high level of private car usage contributes to the poor air quality in Johannesberg
Due to apartheid spatial planning, Johennesburg is a fragmented city with some poor existing transport networks
the near term
crime rate the use of private cars
the medium term
the long term
Key finding [Urban growth in Johannesburg]
Brammfontein
1886-1895
Brammfontein
1890-1900
Brammfontein
1901-1940
Brammfontein
1941-1960
Brammfontein
1961-1976
[Polycentric City]
Brammfontein
1977-2000
[Land use analysis] [Low accessiblity] [Traditional Polycentric City] [Educational function along street]
[Lack of park]
Brammfontein [Lack of residental] [Johannesburg Inverted policentricity] [Commercial function orientation]
N National Roads
Railways
Sample Suburbs
Due to the development of sample suburbss, the city construce of Johannesburg has a special urban curtural landspace that is non-central city.
Brammfontein
2001-2011
[Existing condition analysis] Some areas of Juta Street have a lot of existing greenery, while other have none or nearly none. This is uneven distribution and not coherent. Existing Greencery
Relatively consistent, with the densest route being along the major road that crosses the centre of Juta Street.
Pedestrian Movement Two main roads interact with Juta Street and the whole road is used for traffic.
Car Movement
N
Cars used almost the entire length of the road to park on.
Parking along the street There are some parking lots: most are south east and they are not evenly distributed.
[Juta Street] Parking lots
Majority of building are used for commercial and retail, with residential buildings being sporadic. Buildings’ Function
Public space belongs
who?
Where is the boundaries between public space and private space?
Street services
who?
Having used internet sources to find information about Juta Street, as a group we were stuck by the
amount of cars parked along the pavement
and how much space this uses up. Our concerns are that the large footprint of parked cars could be utilised in a much more effective way. Currently, the cars not only take up valuable space but also form a barrier that encloses each side of the pavement rather than uniting them. An enclosed pavement can in fact contribute to the walkability of Juta Street, but we would like to explore alternative ways of doing this. Also, the use of cars in Johannesburg contributes to their poor air quality, so we also would like to focus on improving environmental sustainability by encouraging other modes of transport. This space freed up by redistributing the cars can be used toform an inclusive public space to further increase the attractiveness and walkability of Juta Street.
Encouraging the use of public transport
[Link to Corridors of Freedom]
[Existing transport system analysis]
B
B
Brammfontein B
Juta Street
Legend Bus stop Bus route Train route B
[Contructing public transport system]
National Roads
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
Sample Suburbs
Corridors of Freedom project
Johannesburg has embarked on its ‘Corridors of Freedom’ project. Thus I think we can connect with this project in order to not only open up better lines of transport to improve connectivity of the city, but also to produced densified housing and other amenities and in effect break up old urban patterns.
N
Legend Bus stop Interchange station BRT station BRT route Bus route Min-bus route Cycling route
Railways
B B
Designing and implementing interventions that encourage the use of alternative modes of transport is our first step to reducing the amount of cars parked on Juta Street. The implementation of a ‘park and ride’ system has been considered to allow motorists to leave their vehicles in a less central location, and travel on a bus that operates from the car park to areas around the city. We also propose a multi-storey carpark to be built in a vacant lot on Juta Street. With this intervention, private cars can stopped in these car parks instead of in the street.
[Contructing public transport system]
Building Bus Networking and Linking to BRT
B
Planning BRT system
B
B
B
B
B
Legend Bus stop Bus route Min-bus route
B
B
Legend BRT station BRT route
B
N
Planning Bicycle Lane and Bike-share System
Building interchange station and Integrating Bus and bicycle station
C
C
C
C C
C
C
C
C
C
C N
Legend Cycle hire station Cycling lane C
N
Legend Interchange station
[Small scale intervention] Linking to walking system
Temporary on-street parking
Distributing road section
B B
Legend Bus stop Interchange station Cycling route Temporary stop/ on-street park Vertical parking B
Combining with retail
Shared cycling system
Critical reflection [Advantage]
- Considering this intervention from different scale - Following group strategy structure - There are lots of detail connecting with other interventions - Finding some evidents to support the concept of intervention
[Disvantage]
- Lack of researching if these interventions meet people’ needs - Lack of researching if these form adapot the development of city - Some concept haven’t considered the stakerholders - Intangible element should be considered
Blur bundaries and extenting street interface Encouraging disvantage people to develop some informal trades here without licence and bluring the boundaries between theses trades and formal business in the street. That is to say, the goverment deregulate street regulation and attract different kind of retailers and traders to work here. People share the spaces in the Juat Street for different purposes. It can increase opptunities for potential communicating.
[Discontinuous street public space] Formal sector(35%)
Agree: People selling on street make area safer(56%)
N
[Dissolving street public space and buildings]
local/temporary market N
Semi-open Shopingmall
Local crafts Art street gallery
Formal or Informal businees ownship
Informal sector(65%)
Perspections of street trade
Agree: Street sellers make damage image of area(44%)
[The process of bluring bundaries] Formal business/retail Pavement
Road
Pavement
Vendors routes
Formal business/retail Existing situation
Retail
Retail
Formal business/retail
Formal business/retail
Formal business/retail
Formal business/retail
Pavement
Shade space
Temporary space
Temporary space
Formal business/retail
Formal business/retail
Formal business/retail
Formal business/retail
Shift the surface of road
Embeding shade space for Informal trade
Dissolving the boundaries
Encouraging free trade
Motivating potential communicating
Local product market
Flea market
Temporary space Formal business
[Stakeholders and activities]
Socializing
Street art
Residential
Seasonal events
Worker
Festival
Student
Vistor
N
Shift on-street parking to parklet
Pedestrain orientation
Extenting pavement
Extening retail area
Enriching pavement function
Critical Reflection Looking back on the project 1, I have learnt and experienced a lot though only six weeks. Through each review, design is not a linear process make me rethink the previous work what my group and I have done. The interesting thing is that we have different academic background, thus, as a group, It is not easier to cooperate with each other in the beginning. I realised that we should make group plan and agenda that are beneficial to make progress. Despite different perspective at same point from each us, I think persuading your group-mates or comprising yourself is an effective way of learning from each other and finding new point to improve or amend work. At same time, I found that there are lots of difference approaching a design between UK and China. From the Urban design Tools and Methods course, I began to consider I should spend much time on testing my idea rather than focus the outcome. Therefore, I applied it as my methodology to develop and explore project theme. Due to condition that we can situating in Johannesburg, it is fresh thing to contextualise for me. Basically, it is impossible to develop an effective strategy to address local issues. Thus, the group design and research methodology is the key thing to approach the next stage. Facing the specific context which has 11 official languages, 6 religions and various culture, thus sharing is our core value. Finally, we thought we reach our goal in spite of some concept generally (I have analysis advantage and disadvantage of each part in the portfolio).
Reference
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