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The productive landscape : wetland rehabilitation at the lower reaches of the Liesbeek River

This dissertation explores the relationship between architecture, nature and the machine. It aims to investigate the potential for architecture to serve as a catalyst for site regeneration, specifically in a landscape that is undervalued in its current condition. The design, located at the lower rea...

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Main Author: Bhikha, Preetya
Other Authors: Noero, Jo
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics 2014
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access_status_str Open Access
author Bhikha, Preetya
author2 Noero, Jo
author_browse Bhikha, Preetya
Noero, Jo
author_facet Noero, Jo
Bhikha, Preetya
author_sort Bhikha, Preetya
collection Thesis
description This dissertation explores the relationship between architecture, nature and the machine. It aims to investigate the potential for architecture to serve as a catalyst for site regeneration, specifically in a landscape that is undervalued in its current condition. The design, located at the lower reaches of the Liesbeek River, explores wetland rehabilitation and agricultural production, by viewing architecture as a soft machine that becomes a part of dynamic systems in ecological landscapes. The boundary has been selected as the means for architectural engagement, and the layers of the site are explored for their potential to create identity.The proposed programme comprises of an architecture of inhabited site works, that embodies the process of natural water filtration, using water from the Liesbeek River. Natural ecosystems are restored through the cultivation of endangered wetland plants in controlled growing beds for wetland rehabilitation on the site. Filtered water from the constructed wetlands is then used in hydroponic farming, supported by a water research facility. The conventional typology of landscapes of production is augmented through public interaction, which is facilitated through the provision of public amenities. These include a healthy-food café, public pool and change facilities, as well as a public wetland recreational park. The dissertation shows that through the creation of a productive landscape that facilitates public interaction, value can be given to an under appreciated site, by establishing identity through activation.
format Thesis
id oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/7538
institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:33:08.525Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2014
publishDateRange 2014
publishDateSort 2014
publisher School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics
publisherStr School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics
record_format dspace
source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/7538 The productive landscape : wetland rehabilitation at the lower reaches of the Liesbeek River Bhikha, Preetya Noero, Jo Coetzer, Nic De Jager, Rob Carter, Francis This dissertation explores the relationship between architecture, nature and the machine. It aims to investigate the potential for architecture to serve as a catalyst for site regeneration, specifically in a landscape that is undervalued in its current condition. The design, located at the lower reaches of the Liesbeek River, explores wetland rehabilitation and agricultural production, by viewing architecture as a soft machine that becomes a part of dynamic systems in ecological landscapes. The boundary has been selected as the means for architectural engagement, and the layers of the site are explored for their potential to create identity.The proposed programme comprises of an architecture of inhabited site works, that embodies the process of natural water filtration, using water from the Liesbeek River. Natural ecosystems are restored through the cultivation of endangered wetland plants in controlled growing beds for wetland rehabilitation on the site. Filtered water from the constructed wetlands is then used in hydroponic farming, supported by a water research facility. The conventional typology of landscapes of production is augmented through public interaction, which is facilitated through the provision of public amenities. These include a healthy-food café, public pool and change facilities, as well as a public wetland recreational park. The dissertation shows that through the creation of a productive landscape that facilitates public interaction, value can be given to an under appreciated site, by establishing identity through activation. 2014-09-17T12:17:57Z 2014-09-17T12:17:57Z 2013 Master Thesis Masters MArch (Prof) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7538 eng application/pdf School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Bhikha, Preetya
The productive landscape : wetland rehabilitation at the lower reaches of the Liesbeek River
thesis_degree_str Master's
title The productive landscape : wetland rehabilitation at the lower reaches of the Liesbeek River
title_full The productive landscape : wetland rehabilitation at the lower reaches of the Liesbeek River
title_fullStr The productive landscape : wetland rehabilitation at the lower reaches of the Liesbeek River
title_full_unstemmed The productive landscape : wetland rehabilitation at the lower reaches of the Liesbeek River
title_short The productive landscape : wetland rehabilitation at the lower reaches of the Liesbeek River
title_sort productive landscape wetland rehabilitation at the lower reaches of the liesbeek river
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7538
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