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South African Nature-based Solutions in Architecture: In Pursuit of Environmental Justice Through Design
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613916646866944 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Jacobs, Trevor Edward |
| author2 | Hamann, Maike |
| author_browse | Hamann, Maike Jacobs, Trevor Edward |
| author_facet | Hamann, Maike Jacobs, Trevor Edward |
| author_sort | Jacobs, Trevor Edward |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136077 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:44.982Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136077 South African Nature-based Solutions in Architecture: In Pursuit of Environmental Justice Through Design Jacobs, Trevor Edward Hamann, Maike Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Centre for Sustainability Transitions. Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Jacobs, T. E. 2026. South African Nature-based Solutions in Architecture: In Pursuit of Environmental Justice Through Design. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/6ffc334f-0e0a-4627-bbaa-b63e1e211415 This study explores whether the incorporation of nature-based solutions (NBS) in architectural design processes can contribute towards addressing environmental justice challenges in South Africa. NBS have seen an upsurge in research because of its social, economic and ecological benefits that contribute to climate change resilience and other stresses. NBS also plays a significant role towards addressing several sustainable development goals (SDGs) and urbanisation challenges. Its benefits are leveraged by ecosystem services (ES) which rely on the presence of urban green and blue infrastructure (UGBI). The distribution of UGBI is inequitably distributed where affluent communities tend to benefit most, leaving marginalised communities vulnerable to climate change risks and other shocks. The inequitable distribution and benefits of NBS makes it an environmental justice problem. Research on the intersection between NBS and environmental justice tend to focus on the distribution of UGBI in public spaces which falls under the responsibility of central governance agencies. Globally, central governance systems have been unable to adequately address environmental justice challenges predominantly due to systemic challenges. It is particularly challenging to for their systems to address procedural and recognitional dimensions of environmental justice. These dimensions deal with fair and inclusive processes that recognise the needs and values of different communities. The aim of this study is to explore whether architecture can incorporate NBS into its design processes. This has the potential to expand NBS at the private property scale and contribute towards a decentralised method of implementation to address environmental justice in the process. The research is conducted using a focus group session with twelve expert architectural professionals in a grounded theory approach. The results reveals that the architecture is well positioned within the built environment to act between bottom-up and top-down strategies. In addition, the architectural design process which includes an innate ability to solve complex socio-spatial problems, incorporates procedural and recognitional justice attributes. However, a tension exists between the incredible potential of design processes and an institutional legacy that makes it inaccessible to marginalised communities. The research finds that the systemic elitist legacy needs reformation before it can address environmental justice. The research provides as set of nature-based architectural solutions (NBAS) as a guide for individual practitioners and institutions to incorporate into design processes or institutions and policy makers to consider. NBAS in the design process requires a novel approach to architecture in how it incorporates or relates to landscape elements. A key finding in the study is a novel Global South contribution to NBS research based on 4 landscape-based sources of inspiration for architectural NBS. These were generated by data reflecting the values participants placed on social and cultural context. Masters 2026-04-22T06:54:23Z 2026-04-22T06:54:23Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136077 en Stellenbosch University 161 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Jacobs, Trevor Edward South African Nature-based Solutions in Architecture: In Pursuit of Environmental Justice Through Design |
| title | South African Nature-based Solutions in Architecture: In Pursuit of Environmental Justice Through Design |
| title_full | South African Nature-based Solutions in Architecture: In Pursuit of Environmental Justice Through Design |
| title_fullStr | South African Nature-based Solutions in Architecture: In Pursuit of Environmental Justice Through Design |
| title_full_unstemmed | South African Nature-based Solutions in Architecture: In Pursuit of Environmental Justice Through Design |
| title_short | South African Nature-based Solutions in Architecture: In Pursuit of Environmental Justice Through Design |
| title_sort | south african nature based solutions in architecture in pursuit of environmental justice through design |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136077 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jacobstrevoredward southafricannaturebasedsolutionsinarchitectureinpursuitofenvironmentaljusticethroughdesign |