Incidental great public spaces and the role of urban design in South Africa

Dario Schoulund,University Of Pretoria, South Africa ,Karina Landman

doi:10.18820/2415-0495/trp73.1

Abstract

Urban Design in South Africa as a formal profession has a relatively short history. However, in practice, there have been many examples of what must be considered both good and bad Urban Design. There have also been numerous debates at universities and conferences on what Urban Design should be. However, in the constant making and re-making of urban and rural space, Urban Design has a tenuous and weak presence. This article interrogates the rather low profile of Urban Design in the country and why it is not growing or better positioned compared to other countries. This is done through a discussion of three cases that illustrate the often incidental making of great public spaces in contrast to the thoroughly planned approach. The article argues that spontaneous projects of high quality, rather than over-planned projects, where shortcomings result from this preoccupation to rationalise, often have a greater potential to strengthen the role and value of Urban Design. Such an approach would favour incremental, flexible and sensitive proposals and interventions where spontaneity and adaptation are recognised and celebrated, as well as support the notion that urban design should set a framework for many role players to respond to in shaping the city.&nbsp

Highlights

It is somewhat surprising that the Urban Design profession in South Africa is perceived as weak or undefined compared to other countries and to the global growing trend experienced post-1980s (Madanipour, 2006)
Lund-Kriken (2010: 246) defines the flexible, spontaneous, human and adaptive nature of Urban Design as follows: Good city building is not created by complex statistics, functional problem solving, or any particular decision-making process
The significance of urban design lies in the role it plays in the overall transformation of cities

Summary

Introduction

It is somewhat surprising that the Urban Design profession in South Africa is perceived as weak or undefined compared to other countries and to the global growing trend experienced post-1980s (Madanipour, 2006). The small numbers of practitioners, of which currently a mere 76 are registered with the Urban Design Institute of South Africa [UDISA] and the current shortage of education options, as only two tertiary institutions, the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Cape Town, offer Urban Design in the form of a master’s Degree, set a limited professional platform. These aspects do not necessarily speak of stagnation, but rather of slow growth.

Objectives

Discussion

Conclusion