after mining

After Mining

Victoria Lee Fabron

St Edmunds College, Cambridge

2014

ThesisA dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the MPhil in Environmental Design in Architecture (Option B) 2014

14,819 words

This dissertation is the result of my own work and includes nothing which is the outcome of work done in collaboration except where specifically indicated in the text

Signed _________________________

Date ___________________________

A localism agenda for growing a new South African university

Acknowledgements

Ingrid Schroder - University of CambridgeAlex Warnock-Smith - University of CambridgeJoris Fach - University of CambridgeFelipe Hernandez - University of Cambridge

Beattie BlakemoreWendy PullanElena PascalBarbara Campbell-LangeMary Anne SteaneThomas WeaverPeter CleggTom Fox

Simon Smith

Hannah Le Roux - University of WitwatersrandDiaan Van Der Westhuizen - University of WitwatersrandJonathan Noble - University of WitwatersrandJean-Pierre de la Porte - IASAI/Deloitte

Placement supervisor: Klaus Neumann

The partnersCarin Nel and Adrian Radcliff, for their inputErik Jansen van Rensburg and Xico Meirelles for involving me in work at the University of StellenboschMichael Madden for his guidance and hospitality in JohannesburgDevon Smart for his guidance and hospitality in Durban

Friends and family in South Africa and the UK that provided support, as well as the many people in Kimberley and across the country who shared their valuable input and personal experiences with regards to the thesis topic.

Supervisors

Design

Structural engineer

Local academics

MLB ArchitectsThanks in particular to:

Special thanks

Contents

1.1. Context Kimberley and the Northern Cape A local varsity current policy

1.2. A transforming education system Legacy of division A new type of university A new type of research

1. 3. Education, politics and identity

2.1. Iterative urban growth A catalyst for development? Iterative growth strategies An integrated approach Everyday engagement

2.2. Shifting Landscapes Learning through mending Reconfiguring ground Site condition Ground treatment processes The self-generating university A productive force Use-oriented based research units Shared facilities The comprehensive university Material implications

3.1. Wider urban development Dispersed campus/Dissolved boundary Future growth

3.2. Embedded identity (conclusion)

bibliography, references & illustrations

AbstractAim & MoethodologyLocalismMotivation

Project introduction

Part 1:Context & project drivers

Part 2:Project details & implications

Part 3:Growth & conclusion

3Abstract This thesis project is concerned with the establishment of a new university in Kimberley, a stagnated mining town in a sparsely populated area of South Africa. The founding of this institution of higher education; the first to be newly established since the end of the apartheid era, has the potential to be a highly politicized project and given the tendency for universities in Africa to be built as symbols of national identity, there is an aspiration to develop a university that is relevant to the previously undermined populations of South Africa and reflects the new constitutional character of the rainbow nation.

A direct form of localism is adopted as a driver for developing the institutional and physical structure of the university. Built on the tailings dump of a world-famous diamond mine to the west of the city centre, the project develops an iterative system of growth that is deeply embedded in the landscape, constructed largely through processes of mine rehabilitation. Driven by a developmental agenda that responds to the realities of the disadvantaged surroundings, the university is geared toward local socio-economic development; an approach that directs the coming together of community, industrial and academic enterprises towards shared goals to create a new type of university.

The research is the product of:- review of key policy and key literature regarding current issues in South African higher education to include educational, philosophical and sociological theories; detailed analysis of Kimberley to include first-hand investigation through drawn material, photographic documentation and interviews with local Kimberley residents; second-hand investigation of place to include examination of both historic and contemporary resources; visitation, detailed documentation and critique of a number of existing universities and prominent post-apartheid civic buildings across South Africa; an 8-month work placement with MLB Architects in Cape Town to further my understanding of the architectural profession in South Africa; and various interviews with South African architects, academics and students.

4Early project master planningFig. 1.

5Is a adopted philosophy whereby the approach to drawing design inspiration gives preference towards or a strong attachment to the characteristics of a particular region locality

Reverses the trend of globalisation by discriminating in favour of the local (Hines, 2000)

Nurtures the empowerment of local people, to become more self sufficient and to take more responsibility for the development of their surroundings; moving portions of power away from national bodies and toward local communities (NALC, 2010; Shuman, 2000)

The thesis explores the relationship between universities in South Africa and their local surroundings through the adoption of a localism agenda to drive the design of a new university in Kimberley. It aims to develop an institutional and spatial identity for the new South African university by drawing from the particularities of the city and an in-depth understanding of the changing South African education system to generate a design project. As an architecturally focused thesis, the spatial, material and urban implications of the strategies arising from this ideological approach are explored, and the relationship between institutional and architectural character is investigated.

The thesis questions the extent to which architecture can embody an ideology, a pedagogy or curricular vision. The ideological and pedagogical structures of the university have been developed in parallel to the design strategies in order to explore this question; thus, the thesis has attempted to bridge the gap between the analysis and practice of architecture. On a wider scope the thesis also questions the extent to which the approach, whilst rooted in the local context, can inform precedents for new universities across South Africa.

In the past there been a tendency in post-independence African architecture to design buildings using existing European frameworks, but with the addition of African traditions to create expressive forms. (Elleh; 2002, Kutlermann, 1969; Lloyd, 2011) It is often protested that the Africanisation of architecture not adequately permeated into design further than aesthetics. For the developmental localism mission to inform the institutional identity in an authentic way the mission must resonate through all aspects of the university planning and cannot simply be confined to a question of imagery. Thus, the universitys curriculum, planned configuration, spatial character and construction must all resonate with adopted ideologies. This understanding is reflected in the structure of the thesis, where the design chapters explore the implications of a localised agenda along these lines.

Methodology and Aim

Localism:

6N12 highway towards KimberleyFig. 2.

7The localism agenda advocates for the new Kimberley University to be deeply rooted in the locality, engaging with the immediate surroundings beyond the extent that universities traditionally would, in order to play a more direct role in the development of what is currently a dying town. The university develops in partnership with local industries and communities through shared facilities, live research projects and training programmes; producing particular skills, knowledge and equipment that contribute to the growth of the university. This approach fosters a relationship between the university and host town that is mutually beneficial, as the university improves the quality of life and industrial value offered by Kimberley, and in return the institutions body of knowledge and quality of education is enriched by the local engagement.

Within the context of Kimberley and indeed South Africa, where 60% of children live under the poverty line and 5.2 million people live with HIV,(Unicef, 2010) a direct localism agenda is almost inseparable from that of a developmental university. A developmental university refers to the term used by Coleman (1986) to describe an institution where the academic activities are specifically focussed on the reality of the developing context. The developmental mission, fuelled by a social justice and economic empowerment agenda, implies a university that is highly responsive, especially to poorer surrounding communities, and service orientated, whereby the universitys activities in service to society is held to be of equal weight to teaching and research. (Yesufu, 1973; Ngara , 1995; Waghid, 2009; Moulaert and Nussbaumer, 2005) Sociological and educational theories that have arisen through the investigation of the developmental mission have largely influenced the design thesis.

Much of the literature on the topic of the university and service to society highlights a distinction between whether this responsiveness is direct, regarding the university as an active driver for change (UNESCO, 1998; Nkomo

and Sehoole, 2007; Mbabane 2010; Lawton Smith, 2007) or indirect, suggesting that service to society rests within the universitys traditional scope of producing good-quality knowledge and graduates. (Simons, 2006) The different concepts have been expanded on by publications into three commonly adopted categories; an instrumentalist view, an engine of development view and a self-governing institution view. The instrumentalist view assumes universities to have a concentration of resources, particularly expertise, that should be applied to solving pressing development issues, the engine of development notion focuses on strengthening knowledge and innovation capacity of a place as a way to fuel development and the self-governing institution ideal reflects the indirect service role. (Pillay 2010; Cloete et al. 2010, 2011) The driving concepts behind the adoption of the localised developmental agenda reflected in this thesis lean predominantly toward the more direct views of university service. A publication for the Centre for Higher Education Transformation (2011) suggests the Developmental University concept is an instrumentalist notion that assumes universities have a surplus of expertise and presumably spare time that must be applied directly, or in partnership, to pressing socio-economic issues, such as poverty, disease, governance and the competitiveness of industry. Nkomo and Sehoole (2007) and Mbabane (2010) however describe the developmental university concept as more of a catalytic model whereby the university views itself as a developmental agent or node, engaging with the developing community in a meaningful way. Their definition also advocates the adoption of comprehensive innovative strategies, whereby teaching programs have inbuilt research components with appropriate monitoring and implementation capabilities that will turn them into local and regional assets. (Nkomo and Sehoole, 2007) In the thesis, this catalytic model, resonating with an engine for development approach is advocated, and the relationship between academia and application is explored.

Localism

8The developmental localism agenda is adopted as a driver for building an authentic identity for the post-apartheid South African institution. The local approach over attempted Pan-Africanism or Nationalism is adopted in the hope that by limiting the context from which to derive design parameters from, a more genuine and holistic response to growing the university is developed. As the first new public university to be established since the end of apartheid, there is the opportunity for the university to cultivate an environment that is relevant to the African population and reflect the aspirations of the country that calls itself the rainbow nation. However, there are inherent challenges in serving such a diverse society, both culturally and geographically, (Botha, 2010; Viljoen, 2005; Goduka, 1999; Makgoba, 1998) and the production of a university master plan that attempts to respond to this context is at risk of being overly assumptive. Following this, design strategies to provide flexible and iterative university growth are attempted. This is not conducive to the development of a traditional long term master plan normally favoured by the government; rather, it is a strategic move away from it.

The project is informed by both the locality of Kimberley and by key issues derived from the historic, political and theoretical context of universities in South Africa. The new university is largely affected by the historical context of South African education, where universities were not originally positioned to reflect the aspirations of the majority of the African population. This has left both a significant need and an opportunity for rethinking university design in a fundamental way; giving rise to new teaching and research models. Education is highly celebrated in Africa; therefore, education buildings are often seen as significant identity-forming civic building projects; tools for inspiring a new African identity

through architecture. (Elleh, 2002, Kutlermann, 1969) However, these civic architecture projects can become icons for the promotion and legitimisation of political agendas, led by national governments and disconnected from the aspirations of the communities they are situated in. The establishment of the new university in Kimberley is largely a national government led project and whilst reports regarding the new Kimberley University have shown a degree of local engagement and realistic planning (DHE, 2012) the role of a university in what is a relatively low socio-economic system is questioned.

These issues have been introduced in more detail in Part 1.

Motivation

9Kimberley city hallFig. 3.

10

Context & project driversPart 1:

Miners memorial and civic park, KimberleyFig. 4.

12

Kimberley

Johannesburg480km

Cape Town960km

13

Durban790km

The Northern Cape Province is the most sparsely populated region of South Africa, a semi-arid plateau covering around 30% of the land area with only 2% of the population (Statistics South Africa, 2012); Kimberley is its densest urban area. It is home to a predominantly Afrikaans speaking population, along with Tswana, Xhosa and English; each of these cultures being deeply rooted in the province. The Northern Cape is also the home of the last remaining San (original South African inhabitants) people and is one of the richest areas for indigenous heritage sites, rock carvings and languages. The province covers parts of two distinct biomes, the Great Karoo and Kalahari deserts, and is known for its vast, remarkable landscapes and an intense climate, with temperatures ranging between -8C and 40C. It is an area with a famed variety of flora and fauna, and a healthy agricultural industry.

The Northern

Cape

Map of South Africa highlighting Northern Cape Province Fig. 5.

14

A compilation of photographs from the journey between Cape Town and the Northen Cape city of Kimberley, South Africa - a return journey covering just over 2000km.

The shots have been arranged with the horizon line as a constant, with the aim to express the extent of open plateau and accentuate the natural or man-made breaks in this horizon across the expansive landscape.

Driving the

Northern Cape

16

Photograph: Miles and miles of histories - sign outside of KimberleyFig. 7.

17

Photograph: Miles and miles of bugger all - sign outside of KimberleyFig. 8.

18

Kimberley

Photograph of famous Big Hole mine with city in backgroundFig. 9.

20

The original mining

city

Kimberley is a mining town located in the Northern Cape Province. A Boer farm settlement until the discovery of diamonds in the 1870s created the great diamond rush with an influx of people arriving from all over the world - in 1873 Kimberley was the second largest town in South Africa with over 40,000 people. (Roberts, 1976) This formed a rapidly expanding Colonial city with buzzing trade, impressive mobility and civic infrastructures and the beginnings of what are now monumental industrial landscapes. The original School of Mines was located in Kimberley, setting foundations for thriving tertiary education. Unfortunately for the town, as the gold mining industry in the Johannesburg Witwatersrand swamped the scale of the diamond industry the school, along with much investment, relocated to Johannesburg. (Murray, 1982) Today, remaining evidence of Kimberleys big ambitions are the disproportionately large amounts of infrastructure; an airport, national railway and roads; and a rich collection of colonial-era monuments and institutions.

Although the mines have been a major employer in Kimberley for over a century, the mining operations in the city are planning an operational life span of little over 10 years and therefore a shift in industry has been inevitable. This shift is happening towards a number of other areas; as the administrative capital of the Northern Cape Province there are an increasing number of civil service jobs, the tertiary education system is planning some growth and there are several heritage-rich sites being developed for tourism. The infrastructural assets of the city have also contributed to employment; the area remains a potential transport hub between major South African cities. (Department of Higher Education & Training, 2012) However, the relative potential for these industries still leaves an employment deficit when in comparison with the previous economic power held by the mining companies. Kimberley continues to be considered a dying town, with an unemployment rate at around 40% of its estimated population of 300,000. (Statistics South Africa, 2012)

21

Aerial photograph, Kimberley (original image courtesy of Google Earth, 2014)Fig. 10.

24

central business district1

Main commerical street, Kimberley city centreFig. 11.

27

Kimberley city centreFig. 12.

28

Kimberley train stationFig. 13.

30

medium/light industrial2

31

Diamond & Jewellery medium industrial areaFig. 14.

32

tourist development & big hole3

33

The Big Hole, replication villageFig. 15.

34

civic park4

35

Civic parkFig. 16.

37

Existing tertiary structures - Kimberley Further Education CollegeFig. 17.

38

mine tailings dump5

39

View from entrance to tailings dumpFig. 18.

40

Plans to establish a new university in Kimberley arose in 2010 as a direct consequence of national policies. The National Plan for Development 2030 (National Planning Commission, 2011) was a long-term plan driving provincially focused growth strategies, raising the issue that the Northern Cape Province did not have a public university. Tertiary development in the area was a move to stop more mobile local young people from migrating to other provinces to study, and the less mobile from being dissuaded from higher education altogether1. (Department of Higher Education & Training, 2012) As the Northern Cape legislative capital, Kimberley was selected as the main seat for the institution, driven by an existing availability of mobility infrastructure, institutional infrastructure and cultural infrastructure (the array of historically prominent landmarks, museums and surrounding conservation areas) to support the new development. (DHET, 2012)

The Kimberley University is hoped to revitalise the historically prominent town through the cultivation of new tertiary industries and provide a mechanism for the realisation of previously abandoned regeneration ambitions. (DHET, 2012; de la Porte, 2013) There has been criticism that the population of Kimberley and the wider region, where only 40% of youth have completed secondary school (Unicef, 2010) would benefit more from investment in trade schools, higher education colleges and basic education. (CHET 2011) The positive socio-economic impact on the surrounding community was cited as; the creation of jobs through construction and employment of university personnel, leading to a multiplier effect in the local economy created by subsequent spending and an increased demand for local goods and services. This makes local development an indirect result of the universitys presence in the city. This thesis advocates for a more direct approach to effecting positive socio-economic change in Kimberley and an alternative university project is explored in this thesis that aims to align local needs with national plans.

Whilst the thesis proposal is alternative, it is not strictly in opposition to national agendas. There are many elements of government steering that support and direct agendas for a locally-focussed, developmental university, the primary driver being the Education White Paper.2 (Department of Education, 1997) The paper preceded much of the post-1994 policy regarding higher education, which has attempted to remediate the segregated system and reflect the values of the new constitution, gearing towards ensuring a stable economic growth that is linked to combating poverty and inequality. Subsequent papers (National Plan for Higher Education, 2000, 2001) expanded on these points, driving the restructuring of the previously fragmented higher education system to a more accessible, regionally-orientated one. These policies also called for increased responsiveness to the developing context, referring to both teaching activities and research, where the desire for growth in pure and applications-driven research tackling critical national needs was addressed. Despite these clear governmental drivers towards developmental universities, many question the actual role of the state given lack of funding or power available to steer developmental agendas, coupled with the decline of the legitimacy or decentralised role of the state. (Muller 2005; Clark 1983) Also, policy may set out strong aims for the developmental agenda, but they do not tend to cover how this would be undertaken within the institutions. (Meyer, 2007; Cloete 2006; Favish 2003) Additionally, writers have been critical of the marginalisation of the social dimension of responsiveness, undermining institutional contribution to public good and overlooking one of the key facets of the developmental university. (Favish, 2003) As such, the creation of a collaborative approach to building the university through partnerships with the city, local industries and organisations, has largely influenced the design strategies for the proposed project.

A local varsity?

This fact seems to be 1. supported by discussions with Kimberley residents

see also Higher 2. Education Act of 1997,

Department of Education

41

North Circular Road area, KimberleyFig. 19.

44

Archival maps of Fig. 21. Kimberley, pre-1950 and post-1950, showing area of forced reolcation and demolishion

45

The group areas act is a one of the main acts of the apartheid regime - people of different race were designated different zones of the urban area and required by law to relocate there. This had a permanent impact on the organization of the towns and cities of South Africa.

46

Following a historic division of labour in South Africa along racial lines, there is a need to create a university that reflects an appropriate curriculum and makes realistic steps towards remediating the legacy of disempowerment and exploitation that tarnishes the countrys history. Known for its wealth of natural beauty and resources, South Africa is still characterised by economic and social inequality and this is painfully evident in the education system.

Apartheid was a series of laws passed by the South African National Party government from the 1950s to 1990. Its end came with the election of the African National Congress in 1994. Although racial separation had been ongoing in South Africa from the colonial era, apartheid made this official and clearly enforced. These laws began with the registration of the population and categorization into different races, followed by segregation providing separate areas, facilities and amenities along these lines. The laws resulted in the forced relocation of groups of people from land that was reserved for other races within the capacity of drastic urban planning, the evidence of which is clear in the city plan of Kimberley. Apartheid laws also specified what levels of jobs non-whites were allowed to train for and obtain. There has always been fierce controversy surrounding this regime, from both within the country and internationally. Within South Africa, both political conferences and violent protests or acts of terrorism were ongoing. Many laws were passed in an attempt to mitigate this; banning large gatherings in public areas, restricting movement geographically for different races, prohibiting the formation of black trade unions and many other union activities.

A legacy

of division

Photograph: For Fig. 22. use by white persons

47

During the apartheid era, education was seen as central to promoting the apartheid regime and the system was segregated in 1953, led by the Bantu Education Act. Apartheid-era acts originally created a separate education system for non-whites that were designed to prepare them for the working class in service to the white population. Apart from at the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape, few black people were initially afforded a university education. In 1959, the Extension of University Education Act declared that whilst black students were not allowed to enrol at the existing universities, there would be the establishment of racially exclusive universities for black South Africans. These bush colleges were located remotely from the main towns such as the University of Limpopo near Polokwane, in the later established Bantu Homelands, or in the centre of areas designated for the non-white populations. The native universities were placed under the control of the government with the intellectual agenda to educate these sections of the population for their prescribed role in the apartheid system, to be teachers and doctors for their own people, or Bantustan administrators in the established native areas. (Sheehan, 2009) For those classed as coloured (mixed-race) there were coloured institutions that grew into their own autonomous institutions in the 1970s.

The effect this regime had on the education system in South Africa has been devastating. As with most of Africa, university developments in South Africa were historically characterised by the adoption of Western European philosophies. These perspectives of civilization raised the view that African culture; its ideas, histories, traditions and forms of knowledge, was primitive, offering little value to the development of society. (Ramoupi, 2012) Additionally, the main drivers of the apartheid regime related to the protection and promotion of white culture and the reservation of jobs or resources, and the

university system during the pre-democracy era was largely directed by those in power to be a means of upholding the current order. (Sheehan, 2009) Thus the few universities catering to the African population in South Africa were established with very little autonomy or academic freedom, (Napier, 1985) did not reflect the cultures or aspirations of African people and were largely underfunded. Whilst there are moves toward remediating the broken education system, there remain severe issues facing tertiary education in South Africa. Higher education in the country has a dropout rate of 45%. (IEASA, 2011) Financial difficulties are partly to blame for this, but the lack of adequate social or academic support and the fairly alien environments that African students find themselves in when at university are also important considerations. Adding to the need to maintain and grow graduate numbers are the issues of overcoming the racial segregation within the system and institutions, continual funding of historic and emerging institutions and overcoming great imbalances in quality of facilities. The racial organisation of the apartheid education system has meant that the classic problem of industrial or vocational courses being held with lower regard has been exacerbated and the quality of such education has been compromised. Also, the lack of access to decent secondary schooling and lack of finances severely limits the possibility for a large number of African youths to make it to university. (Statistics South Africa 2012, Unicef, 2010)

The thesis explores strategies for building a university that is more inclusive and accessible to a wider demographic. The thesis also suggests that a localised curriculum-as-a-vehicle-for social-change approach may provide important benefits toward the development of an appropriate programme of study for local South Africans.

48

1896

1900s

1903

1912

1924

Dutch, English Classics, Mathematics, Music, Fine Art, Law

Astronomy and Geography, Natural Philosophy, Physical Science, Botany, Zoology, Mineralogy and Chemistry

Engineering

Faculty of Medicine, Department of Education

Commerce

4 faculties;

Humanities

Law

Science

Commercial Sciences and admin

Education

Basic humanities: English, African Languages, History, Geography

Social Sciences: Psychology, Sociology

Commerce: Accounting and Economics

Law and Science added

1989

1990s

University of Fort Hare- colonial university catering for black africans

University of Cape Town- elite university, predominantly white european

Rand Afrikaans University- new models of learning for Afrikaans working class

VistaUniversity- basic affordable university for black Africans

Education - teacher training

Agricultural education

Pre-medical for local hospital

Business and Commerce

Law - clerk and interpreter training

Theology and minister training

1905

1920s

1929

1916-37

1931

1949

1967

Historic examples - original curriculums

Case studies reflecting original curriculum development for universities catering to different populationsFig. 23.

49

University of Fort Hare- grouping of arts and sciences together, in different blocks around a quad

Vista University- smaller structures- general use facilities for shared use - affordable- smaller gathering spaces - no central focus

University of Cape Town- specialising in science and technology (as the main economic driver) - clear distinction between arts and sciences- organised along tiered streets with central focus

Rand Afrikaans university- rise in mixed departmental structures - clear focus on science and technology- heavily shared circulation and gathering spaces

Science, engineering and technology

Humanities and social sciences

Mixed departmental

Business, commerce and management

Historic examples - faculty organisation

Case studies reflecting original faculty organisation for universities catering to different populationsFig. 24.

50

18%

Total student numbers by institution type

Student representation - total student numbers

(45% students drop out without completing)

Total public university enrollments

Over 25 yrs old Postgraduate student enrollments

(only 7.4% graduated in 2009)

(48% of these drop out)

130000360000

900000

Total:900,000

320,000 152,000 128,000 300,000

International students

7%

150000

Proportion of 18-24 year olds entering higher education

Student representation - proportion of population

COLOURED

WHITEINDIAN

AFRICANSTUDENTS:

TRADITIONALUNIVERSITY TYPE:

COMPREHENSIVE

TECHNOLOGY

DISTANCE LEARNING

= 2000 STUDENTSKEY




30%27.5% 42.5%

= 2000 STUDENTSKEY

Pretoria

Johannesburg

Bloemfontein

Durban

Cape Town

KIMBERLEY

LESOTHO

SWAZILAND

18%








130000360000

900000

:900,000 students

320,000 152,000 128,000 300,000


7%

150000



COLOURED

WHITEINDIAN

AFRICANSTUDENTS:

TRADITIONAL

UNIVERSITY TYPE:

COMPREHENSIVE

TECHNOLOGY

DISTANCE LEARNING

= 2000 STUDENTSKEY




30%27.5% 42.5%

= 2000 STUDENTS

Overview of universities in South Africa, 2012Fig. 25.

51

Pretoria

Johannesburg

Bloemfontein

Durban

Cape Town

KIMBERLEY

LESOTHO

SWAZILAND

18%








130000360000

900000

:900,000 students

320,000 152,000 128,000 300,000


7%

150000



COLOURED

WHITEINDIAN

AFRICANSTUDENTS:

TRADITIONAL

UNIVERSITY TYPE:

COMPREHENSIVE

TECHNOLOGY

DISTANCE LEARNING

= 2000 STUDENTSKEY




30%27.5% 42.5%

= 2000 STUDENTS

18%








130000360000

900000

Total:900,000

320,000 152,000 128,000 300,000


7%

150000



COLOURED

WHITEINDIAN

AFRICANSTUDENTS:


COMPREHENSIVE

TECHNOLOGY

DISTANCE LEARNING

= 2000 STUDENTSKEY




30%27.5% 42.5%

= 2000 STUDENTSKEY

18%








130000360000

900000

Total:900,000

320,000 152,000 128,000 300,000


7%

150000



COLOURED

WHITEINDIAN

AFRICANSTUDENTS:


COMPREHENSIVE

TECHNOLOGY

DISTANCE LEARNING

= 2000 STUDENTSKEY




30%27.5% 42.5%

= 2000 STUDENTSKEY

18%








130000360000

900000

Total:900,000

320,000 152,000 128,000 300,000


7%

150000



COLOURED

WHITEINDIAN

AFRICANSTUDENTS:


COMPREHENSIVE

TECHNOLOGY

DISTANCE LEARNING

= 2000 STUDENTSKEY




30%27.5% 42.5%

= 2000 STUDENTSKEY

52

Under current national higher education policy, particularly the Higher Education Act of 1997 (National Commission on Higher Education, 1997) and the National plan for Higher Education (Ministry of Education, 2001), there has been a drive in South Africa to significantly improve accessibility to higher education for the previously disadvantaged non-white South African population. Strategies to achieve this include the substantial expansion of the existing higher education system, intending to double the number of student places available, official quotas on all universities to enrol more black African students and the large-scale restructuring of the higher education system. In 2004-5 attempts to join the range of racially and programmatically segregated institutions were made through a series of mergers; creating larger, all-inclusive, multi-campus universities. Through this restructuring, underfunded traditional universities established for the black population were adopted by larger, more established universities to increase the facilities and support available to the previously disadvantaged sites. Some technical training colleges, called technikons were updated to Universities of Technology in order to elevate the status of vocational training. More interestingly, vocationally orientated technikons merged with traditionally orientated universities in an attempt to create a new type of university called comprehensive universities, a hybrid between traditional research-led institutions and polytechnics; with a wider range of programmes available to bridge the historic rift between occupational and academic programmes. (Department of Education, 2004)

Those traditional institutions that did not merge with others were still faced with a proposed reconsideration and Africanisation of the curriculum that had previously served a different purpose. However, there is frequent criticism of the extent or success of this, given the robust or slow-to-change nature of the traditional institutions and the historically underdeveloped understanding of appropriate African indigenous pedagogies or knowledge.3

A new kind of

university

WHITE NON-WHITEPOST-MERGER

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan

University of Johannesburg

University of Venda

University of Zululand

Walter Sisulu University

University of Durban-Westville

University of Cape Town

Cape Technikon Peninsula Technikon

Durban Institute of TechnologyTechnikon Natal

Mangosuthu Technikon

Umlazi Campus of the University of Zululand

Free State Technikon Vista University Welkom Campus

Technikon Northern Gauteng

Technikon North-WestTechnikon Pretoria

Vaal Triangle Technikon

University of Venda


Rand Afrikaans University

Technikon WitwatersrandVista University East Rand and Soweto

Vista University Port Elizabeth CampusPort Elizabeth Technikon

University of Port Elizabeth

Absorbed universities

University of Transkei

Eastern Cape TechnikonBorder Technikon

University of Natal

University of the Free State University of the North Qwaqwa

Vista University Bloemfontein Campus

Potchefstroom Christian Higher Education

University of the North

Medical University of Southern Africa

Vista University Mamelodi Campus

Vista University Sebokeng CampusUniversity of the North-West

University of Fort HareRhodes University East London

Rhodes University

University of Pretoria University of Pretoria

University of the Free State

University of Fort Hare

North-West University

University of KwaZulu-Natal

University of Limpopo

University of the Western Cape University of the Western Cape

Stellenbosch University

University of the Witwatersrand


Rhodes University



Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Central University of Technology

Durban University of Technology

Tshwane University of Technology

Mangosuthu University of Technology

Vaal University of Technology

Traditional UniversitiesSplit universities(multi-campus) Universities of Technology

Comprehensive Universites




University of Venda













University of Venda









University of Natal









Rhodes University











Rhodes University











Opinion reflected in a 3. range of discussions with

South African students and graduates

53




University of Venda













University of Venda









University of Natal









Rhodes University











Rhodes University











Outline of South African university mergers following 2005 restructuringFig. 26.

54

Photograph of University of Johannesburg Kingsway campusFig. 27.

55

The University of Johannesburg is an example of a large scale multi-campus merger, combining the traditional Afrikaans university, Rand Afrikaans University, the British, industry-focused technical school of the Technikon Witwatersrand and the affordable, township based campus of Vista university Soweto to form a comprehensive university serving a wide demographic. (Brink, 2010) Challenges faced by merging institutions included establishing new identities for the new unified institutions, finding a balance between promoting overall unity and keeping the identity of individual campuses, accommodating different institutional cultures, traditions and policies, and the organisation of the significant size increase of the institutions. Locating the framework, faculties and programmes across multiple campuses has posed challenges, with course duplications occurring across different sites and many scholars have been sceptical about the viability of a move from specialising in either vocational or liberal to combining both. (University World News, 2008)

1

2

3

4

1. Rand Afrikaans University

3. Technikon Witwatersrand

2. Bunting road campus

4. Vista University Soweto

Location of merged campuses at the University of JohannesburgFig. 28.

56

With regards to university curriculums, distinctions between teaching for professions (engineering, design, architecture, teaching, law) and teaching for other reasons such as developments of human aspects (languages, history, philosophy, mathematics, chemistry, geography, human sciences) are often highlighted. These different aspects of curriculum are commonly referred to as vocational and liberal types of knowledge - vocational knowledge being that which is useful for contemporary society and liberal knowledge covering more universal knowledge (Marsh, 2004).

In the attempt to generate a new model for a comprehensive university that encompasses both vocational and liberal knowledge, the curricular organisation of the university model proposed in this thesis encompasses a new type of academic unit, the Use-Oriented Basic Research (UOBR) units. Theories relating to UOBR draw from the work of Stokes (1997) who describes the endeavour as basic research that seeks to extend the frontiers of understanding but is also inspired by considerations of use (Stokes, 1997: 74). The basic research refers to dealing with theoretical problems in order to advance fundamental knowledge; whilst the direction of the research undertaken is inspired by the by problems faced in contexts of application. Stokes asserts that UOBR is not simply an adding together of pure and applied research, but rather a new type of research, a synthesis that is more than the sum of its parts. UOBR resonates with methodologies of action research whereby a group of disciplines are brought together through shared aims relating to social justice or development. (Cardno, 2003)

Literature regarding the organisation of UOBR units draws from theories regarding the relationship between liberal and vocational knowledge. According to Jurgen Habermas theory of cognitive interests, there are three ways that knowledge is constructed empirical-analytic (technical) historical-hermeneutic (practical) and emancipatory (critical). This model was

further developed by Grundy (1987) to one that advocates a curriculum based on the practical interest (relating theory to action) and advocates the adoption of a dialectical approach (two-way teaching between teacher, learner, knowledge and society). The practical, applied approach to learning promotes interaction and understanding, self-reflection and values, and in a localised context aims to facilitate the students engagement with the regional (and African) content.

A new kind of

research

Applied research models, based on work by Cooper (2011) Fig. 29.

Model A: research publicised by third-part agent

Model B: based on centres of excellence

Model B: virtual centres, existing through networks

The inclusion of a 4. research agenda is also

supported within an institutional view of

the university; Van Schalkwyk (2012)

concludes that activities that strengthen academia

are more likely to be associated with the institutionalisation

of the responsive missions because they

do not conflict with traditionally accepted

and internalised role of university.

57

It is commonly cited that contemporary universities are important participants in what is called the global knowledge economy. In this new era of economy, knowledge production and technological innovation become the most important productive forces (Pinheiro, 2010) placing universities as vital engines for upgrading the national productive systems and aiding development. One of the most frequently cited works to expand understanding of this new society is that of Gibbons (1994), who describes the knowledge economy as a societal expansion from mainly Mode 1 (pure, disciplinary, homogenous, expert-led, supply-driver, hierarchal, peer-reviewed) to Mode 2 (applied, problem-centred, trans-disciplinary, heterogeneous, hybrid, demand-driver, entrepreneurial, network-embedded) processes of knowledge. The implications surrounding dealing with these two types of knowledge relates to the relationship between what is commonly known as pure and applied research or teaching; this resonates clearly with the South African government ambition to develop comprehensive universities. Participation in the global knowledge society has clear implications for research activities, but also for teaching activities, fuelling the need to train graduates with the range of academic and extra-curricular skills to successfully navigate this system. Given importance of encompassing this Mode 2 knowledge, a curriculum based on the practical, applied interest is often advocated, not only as aiding in the responsiveness or relevance of the curriculum to the outside world, but also in enriching the quality of the academics. Giving due consideration to the nature of the university as knowledge orientated and highlighting the value this has in the global knowledge economy, an exclusively vocational approach to university education is widely considered to be insufficient. Many authors have maintained that the value of higher education in developing reflective, cognitive and analytical skills makes an equally valuable contribution to society, and

an overemphasis on application or service to society may result in an effective downgrading of knowledge and skill. (Naude, 2003; Cloete et. al, 2011; Dell, 2011) This is articulated by Lategan (2009), who states that Society needs universities that can enlighten it and not universities that undertake all kinds of activities except those in which the university should be engaged. Therefore, whilst the university focuses on localised training, it is important that the generation of new knowledge to strengthen the core of the university is still undertaken. This relationship between outreach and research is in fact a cycle; where the universitys contribution to society is through knowledge product, the strength of the academic affects its success in this endeavour more. In return, in order to be sustainable, the academic needs to be strengthened by these activities. 4

As such, the thesis suggests a new university model that encompasses industrial production, skills training and use-oriented basic research to promote a positive collaboration between mode 1 and mode 2 research endeavours, create interdisciplinary programmes, (Pinheiro 2011; Goddard 2012; Cooper 2011) and reflect a comprehensive university.

teaching wider curriculum

methods

generated

applied

artssciences

CORE

PRAXIS

ACTION

Early conceptual model for proposed universityFig. 30.

58

Education has always been a highly politicised topic - those who develop the curriculum impact what the next generations consider and accept, and the ways that subjects are taught or the environments that students experience have acute implications on the practical and social skills these future citizens develop. Within this context, universities have a degree of academic freedom to determine their own research agendas, curricula and mission. They also offer the most elite level of education in the system - those emerging from the institution as graduates are those who are called to positions of leadership, not just politically and in industry, but in everyday society. (Ngara, 1995 , Lategan 2009, Awuah, 2007) These factors position universities as potentially powerful social and political institutions.

Architectonic vocabulary has historically been employed to connect concepts of the elite to university buildings through architectural replication; the University of Pretoria aspired to be Oxford in Africa and the University of Cape Town replicated Neo-Classical designs of Anglo-American universities, affiliating themselves with the traditions, prestige and achievements of these places. This has created university environments that are disassociated from the African context. Following this, there are factors guiding the design of the new university that revolve around the desire to create a new architecture for the rainbow nation; for the environment to cultivate the coming together of different people for a wider purpose into a unified place, creating a sense of belonging and a celebration of African culture. However, the over-eagerness to assert an African identity following the historic suppression of the subject has often demonstrated a disconnection from the people and the locality, their complex histories and the realities of their socio-economic situation in favour of the fudging of a new national identity, frequently manifested in the overly symbolic . (Elleh, 2002) This issue resonates with post-colonial Africa, a symptom of the fact that Africanism is difficult to conceptualise,

(Botha, 2002) although it is also a symptom of political agendas finding their manifestation into the public realm through architecture. Mannheim (1985) illustrated many independent African civic projects as tools for influencing the public whereby collective unconsciousness of certain groups obscured the real condition of the society both to itself and others, and thereby stabilises it.

Education, politics and

identity

University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, DurbanFig. 31. University of Witwatersrand, JohannesburgFig. 32.

59

Public architecture has also been used as a tool of self-affirmation for the newly raised African leaders5; an ulterior motive that is evident in the construction of universities in the South African Bantu homelands. The Bantu Authorities Act of 1951 and the Promotion of Black Self-Government Act of 1959 were established in South Africa to declare the black rural areas of the country, the homelands, as self governing nation-states and remove them from South African citizenship. These states were governed by leadership recruited by the National Party and were essentially autocratic, with the promise later of autonomy and self-government. Eventually, Acts were passed to allow the transfer of capital to the homelands in order to redirect employment and industrial development there. As the Bantustans received their autonomy, it was felt by the leaders that the establishment of a University would lend the territories status, legitimacy and credibility in the eyes of the local and international community (Napier, 1985) - heading towards an ideal of the Transkei and Bantustans being independent African nation-states. If these were recognised internationally, this facet of the apartheid doctrine would hope to gain legitimacy. There were grants awarded to the universities in the homelands upon independence, allowing for the construction of the campuses. Fearing the presence of a truly autonomous university, the governance of these institutions was kept under close control of the national and local political leaders; the resulting curriculum or built environment did not facilitate activities to develop the culture or skills of democracy and conflict resolution that traditional universities enabled. (Dagut, 1999) The imposing structures and modern styles reflected in these universities were designed to project power and strength, demanding recognition whilst moving towards an African style - albeit on a lower budget than the historically white institutions; this architecture was nicknamed Bantu-brutalism. Whilst the agendas for the contemporary institutions in South Africa may not be accused of the same

sinister motives the apartheid-era universities, the appropriateness of newly built university space is still questioned. (Lloyd, 2011, Ramoupi, 2012; Sheehan, 2009) Affluent architecture resonating with corporate or high-tech styles and a broad universalism has often been adopted in order to appeal to international interests. Lloyd (2011) airs concerns of how the domination of this value-free, international culture has victimised numerous national groups, particularly in South Africa.

University of Kwa-Zulu NatalFig. 33.

The Ciskei homeland, now part of Kwa-Zulu Natal ProvinceFig. 34.

Nnamedi Elleh 5. (2002) provides an in-

depth critique of two such projects; Our

Lady of Peace Basilica in the Ivory Coast and the Hassan II

Mosque in Morocco

60

Dramatic approach, 1930

Wide levelled streets

Jameson Hall


European ideals

influenced by European and North American campuses

envisaged as a dramatic and ambitious development, with large blocks and classic

facades

landscaping a prominent feature, framed by Table Mountain with stepped levels creating

streets and quads

61

Raised walkways

Library approach

Bantu legitimisation


imposing, heavy construction

modern style

tonal palette of materials

nicknamed Bantu-brutalism

62

Afrikaans nationalism


Academic towers

Circulation spaces

modernist language as move away from Eurocentric styles of neo-classicism

impressive and unadorned built fabric reflected great ambitions and power, and conservative

(possibly authoritarian) cultures

towers circling a central park create a protected, green haven feeling

63

Community college

Vista University

Open social spaces

Administration

basic prefabricated elements - campus repeated across country

community-orientated campus with small informal gathering spaces

iconic vista tower - rumoured to be reminiscent of the University of Pretorias

administration building

64

Univeristy of Transkei, now Walter Sisulu UniversityFig. 48.

65

A building stands on the aspirations, beliefs, cultures, hopes, capabilities and achievements of societies who built them. Architecture and engineering are technical

vehicles for wearing these beliefs into physical forms.

Nnamdi Elleh (2002)

66

The university project developed in this thesis draws much of its approach from its location on the Kimberley Mine tailings dump. This vast, open site has for decades been the store of waste kimberlite; a diamond-rich blue-grey rock that was mined and crushed in enormous quantities during the diamond rush era of Kimberley. Being embedded directly in the mine landscape is central to the development of a deeply localised identity for the university project, supported by a particular set of architectural and urban strategies.

The construction of the university is wholly connected to the rehabilitation of the mine tailings site, through a variety of techniques for re-working the existing ground that contributes to a multi-tiered system for the construction. Methods for turning the vast industrial waste site into a functional university involve a wider range of local and national stakeholders; from the world-famous diamond company that owns the tailings site, to a new local brick factory that utilises emerging technologies in Kimberlite brick manufacturing. Through these processes, a situation is created whereby both the physical and curricular structures of the university are self-generated through collaborative partnerships with the city and a curricular structure comprising of developmental research units, trade-based training schools and general skills-based programmes is developed. The curriculum structure encompasses input from a wide spectrum of workers, from humanities academics engaging with socio-political issues, to technical specialists and trade workers dealing with the physical conditions of the site. The collaboration between varying types of worker in the endeavour to build the university is significant in the bridging of historic divides and the housing of the different activities on the same site aspires to foster a collaborative and inclusive environment.

The tailings dump holds a strategic position in its location; closely connected to the main CBD to the South-east, small and medium industrial areas to the North-east, the underprivileged township of Galeshewe to the North-west and the world famous Big Hole to the South. The different academic activities housed by the site have the potential to spill out into the surrounding city to create a more dispersed campus.

The iterative and somewhat incremental growth of the university is given an overall organisation through the setting out of a central spine that runs North-South through the site and concludes at the Big Hole. The insertions of massive retaining walls at points along this spine create a series of empty walled courtyards that allocate sites for institutional and industrial structures to inhabit. The concept for the empty walled courtyards that are inhabited by separate structures within draws from a tradition that has been historically adopted around Africa,6 applying a traditional African building model to a contemporary enterprise.

The design strategies have implications on the urban, institutional, structural, curricular and material character of the university. The following chapters explore the design in these terms.

Project introduction

Sketch example of walled courtyardsFig. 49.

See the Great 6. Zimbabwe and

Benin City, Nigeria (Kultermann, 1969) also adopted by Julian

Elliot in the1960s; see Pilcher House, Zambia

67

Univeristy Fig. 50. hub site - overview

68

R5.5 billion2011 South African government pledge to improve infrastructure across university facilities

% of GDP spent by state on higher education

National budget spent on higher education

Students provided for by National Student Financial Aid Scheme

Students enrolled in foundation programmes prior to starting their degrees

32000

150,000 0.74%

2.5%

Average University income:

28% from student fees32% from donations and entrepenureal40% from state

Funding in South African

Universities

69

PhDs per million in South Africa(569 in Portugal, 264 in Australia)

80%

26

Centres of Excellence - long term inter-disciplinary collaboration across institutions

- Biomedical TB research- Invasion biology- Strong materials- Birds and biodiversity conservation- Catalysis- Tree health biotechnology- Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis

Basic research conducted in Southern Africa by South Africa

Several South African universities conduct world-class research and feature in the top 1% of the worlds institutions

South Africa spends 0.92% of GDP on research

4

3

2

1

&

Swed

enJap

an USA

Austr

alia

Franc

eEU

-27 a

verag

eCh

inaSp

ainSo

uth A

frica

India

Arge

ntina

For a knowledge-based economy South Africa needs to increase its PhD production rate by a factor of 5

current 10-20 years

Who produces research in South Africa?

19.9% universities20.4% government 58.6% business sector

7Research in South African

Universities

70

View of Kimberley mine tailings dump from entrance at North Circular RoadFig. 52.

Project details & implicationsPart 2:

72

Iterative urban growth

2.1

Diagrammatic plans of iterative univerisity growthFig. 53.

75

Kimberley city centre, heading toward city hallFig. 54.

76

Heading towards more industrial uses at the edge of the central business district, KimberleyFig. 55.

78

Map of Kimberley showing main mobility infrastructuresFig. 56.

79

main roads

national roads

national railway

mines

government proposed university site

to Johannesburg

to Cape Town

Airport

City centre

Galeshewe

80

Galeshewe

designated heritage development

designated neighbourhood node

Existing development

plans

Kimberley city centre area with government-planned development areas (Kimberley Spatial Development Plan, 2012)Fig. 57.

81

city hall

railway station

Big Hole tourist site

designated industrial: jewellery & manufacturing

mixed use zone

designated residential desification zone

designated heritage revival zone

tailings dump site

designated industrial node

82

The Big Hole tourist park and surrounding areaFig. 58.

catalysts for

development?The state-proposed university is described by the government as a catalyst for the development of Kimberley. However, the ability for the remote and empty town to absorb this development is questioned7. The post-industrial town of Kimberley is currently considered a lagging town in need of development in the face of unemployment, poverty and crime. Whilst a new university would bring people and provide opportunities for high levels of investment to be drawn into the city, it is important to consider what Oughton et al. (2002) describes as the regional development paradox; that developing regions commonly lack the existing capacity required to absorb new innovations8. (Goddard, 2012; Oughton et al. 2002)In response to this, the thesis aims to develop an alternative university project in a way that increases local development capacity through the training and empowerment of the local population as well as contributing to the innovation strength of surrounding industries. This approach is largely driven by the developmental localism agenda and affects the both curriculum and built infrastructure of the university.

83

catalysts for

development?The state-proposed university is described by the government as a catalyst for the development of Kimberley. However, the ability for the remote and empty town to absorb this development is questioned7. The post-industrial town of Kimberley is currently considered a lagging town in need of development in the face of unemployment, poverty and crime. Whilst a new university would bring people and provide opportunities for high levels of investment to be drawn into the city, it is important to consider what Oughton et al. (2002) describes as the regional development paradox; that developing regions commonly lack the existing capacity required to absorb new innovations8. (Goddard, 2012; Oughton et al. 2002)In response to this, the thesis aims to develop an alternative university project in a way that increases local development capacity through the training and empowerment of the local population as well as contributing to the innovation strength of surrounding industries. This approach is largely driven by the developmental localism agenda and affects the both curriculum and built infrastructure of the university.

The Centre for Higher Education 7. Transformation provided a report to the Department of Higher Education in 2011 that suggested against the university establishment in Kimberley for these reasons. The report was disagreed with by the department.

Examples of lower capacity in Kimberley 8. can be seen in terms of skilled staff and other resources for the municipal council to manage developments on a more local level, as well as job availability or industrial opportunities.

84

Rail station

mine tailings dump

City hall

the Big Hole

North Circular Road

city CBD

industrial areas

towards Galeshewe

Mine tailings dump and adjoining city zonesFig. 59.

85

Whilst the scale and symbolic power of the institutional architecture of a university places it as potentially transformative on urban scales, development projects relying on cultural icons or institutional infrastructure are not always successful. Projects like the Red Location museum in Port Elizabeth, or Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, allocated high budgets to the creation of museums and cultural centres, but resulted in relatively underused icon buildings surrounded by areas that are still deteriorating. As such, an integrated and urban approach to the growth of the university that considers how the existing landscape, urban fabric and industries can be integrated with the proposal is a prominent strategic driver. The location of the main university hub site at the Kimberley mine tailings dump aids in this due to its condition as an active industrial site and its proximity to industrial, commercial and township areas of the city.

The proposed university project nurtures an iterative process of development that grows in response to evolving localised agendas. The planning of an iterative development is not conducive to a traditional long term master plan; rather it is a strategic move away from it to enable sustainable and meaningful development of the institution in the light of the uncertain future of Kimberley and the Northern Cape. Whilst the universitys future growth strategy is purposefully unclear, central to the success of it is the capacity for the university to maintain a degree of control over the future development of the institution and to navigate the uncertainty of it.

86

Area around south edge of tailings dump - heading toward townshipFig. 60. North Circular Road running along south edge of tailings dump siteFig. 61.

87

Day care centre at North Circular Road entrance to tailings siteFig. 62. Old brick ruin at North Circular Road entrance to tailings siteFig. 63.

88

Iterative growth

strategiesThe walled courtyard and multi-tiered construction strategies have been employed to facilitate the iterative and integrated growth of the university and its surroundings.

Walled courtyards

The formal organisation of the university hub site at the tailings dump consists of a series of walled courtyards that stem off from new or existing roads; the most prominent of which being the central spine route that is carved through the dump site. The new spine crosses an existing road along the southern edge of the site called North Circular Road, and concludes at the edge of the famous Big Hole mine. The junction between the new spine and existing road creates one of the main entrances to university, beginning to stitch the campus into the existing city and creating a condition where parts of the university are developed along a public thoroughfare; North Circular Road is one of the key routes connecting the national train station to the residential township and a potential strip for future development.

Portions of land around the vast and empty site are divided up by the insertion of massive retaining walls to create the open and empty walled courtyards. These courtyards are provided at varying scales relating to implied types of inhabitation (industrial, community, institutional), suggesting an overall zoning plan for the area in a flexible way. Within each courtyard, a basic set of configuration guidelines consisting of a central block surrounded by work or social spaces exists to create an overall hierarchy of buildings and spatial order whilst the specific inhabitation of the structures remains flexible.

The hub site is the first phase of major-scale development for the university and is configured in a way that implies possible directions for future growth. The hub forms an anchor site for the university, housing and servicing a selection of both research facilities and trade schools along with general shared facilities.

89

position of walls phase 1

Aerial of existing tailings with phase 1 wall positions highlightedFig. 64.

Year 2014-2015: spine and massive walls laid out and constructed

Year 2014-2020: ground levelled and buildings grow in courtyards, potential additional routes emerge

Phase 1 walls and built implication, year 2015-2020Fig. 65.

90

The construction of the university is achieved through a multi-levelled construction method that spans from processes of mine rehabilitation to the development of local construction trades, fuelled by the goal to engage directly with the local environment and industries. Massive walls, created by a new method of strengthening ground, are inserted into the Kimberley Mine tailings dump along perpendicular lines to the access route. These walls; solid, thick and clad in stone; are as permanent as the hefty mining landscapes within which they sit and arrange the site into zones for future development. A secondary type of retaining wall of a more staggered construction runs between these massive walls at points where they create the empty walled courtyard.

Over time, within these courtyards the ground is compacted, levelled or sculpted, and the buildings, shelters or gardens are built into the recreated topography. The variations in ground levels create direct and indirect movement between spaces and are used as a tool for differentiating different levels of connectivity between areas. The buildings and sheltered gardens in the courtyards carry their own tectonic characters, utilising local materials such as kimberlite-bricks and a particular shape of truss that is set to become a structural emblem of the university buildings; the production of which is housed on the hub site.

Collaborativeconstruction

Exploded axonometric showing different tiers of construction elementsFig. 66.

91

Site plan (est. year 2020) showing walled courtyardsFig. 67.

massive walls

secondary retaining walls

buildings inside walled courtyards

industrial scale

institutional scale

92

The multi-tier construction system is implemented through the formation of partnerships across a range of scales including mining companies, research foundations, governmental bodies and local industries. The majority of groundwork would be undertaken by DeBeers; an international mining company that has its original roots at the Kimberley mine and is the owner of the tailing site. The ground work undertaken by DeBeers would potentially be supported by national government bodies such as the Department of Higher Education and Trainings (DHET) and the South African Department of Mineral Resources. (DMR) Whilst the DMR has a division that supports mine rehabilitation, it is a costly exercise and only a certain number of mine rehabilitation sites are prioritised each year depending on the funds allocated to the programme. (DMR, 2013) The processing of metal mines, especially gold mines, creates waste sites that are highly toxic posing a greater risk to surrounding communities and where the process of metal mine treatment includes a complex chemical component, diamond mine rehabilitation does not. (World diamond council, 2007) This fact, along with the prominence of gold and precious metal sites around Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa, means that the rehabilitation of these mines would ordinarily take priority, although the combination of the university project with the rehabilitation may raise special support as a particular research-orientated endeavour. Regardless of political support, although DeBeers sold 60 million tonnes of tailings in Kimberley along with other less economically viable

assets in South Africa in 2007, it still owns the Kimberley mines tailings (Seccombe, 2007) and is thus held responsible for the rehabilitation of this site. De Beers has a century old practice of using its mining-licence landholdings for nature conservation purposes such as ecosystem restoration; (DeBeers, 2014) as such they have experience and possibly capacity for the business of land rehabilitation. As they are also actively processing the mine tailings on the site, they have access to some of the necessary equipment needed for the structural rehabilitation, reflecting an in-kind type of investment from the company. 9

Some of the construction techniques related to the reconfiguration of this challenging site afford opportunities for local training and live research projects, for example the making of Kimberlite-based construction materials. Research in the areas of mine rehabilitation and emerging construction techniques are considered to be important in South Africa and as such, research foundations such as the National Research Foundation and the Construction Procurement Research Group in Johannesburg could be drawn in to support the development of the construction system as well as benefit from the study of it.

DeBeers are only 9. responsible for

rehabilitation and maintenance thereof

if they are the land owner (Seccombe,

2007) should portions of the land be donated

to the university, this responsibility may

no longer be relevant and so the contractual

management of the partnership is important.


93

Sign at North Circular Road entrance to tailings dumpFig. 68.

94

Existing site, year 2015 - initial set of massive walls demarkatedFig. 69.

wall positions planned according to existing

tailings dumps and required layout

95

Site, year 2020 - Excavations between the massive walls create open courtyards and the site topography gradually shifts Fig. 70.

access for trucks

ground excavated between massive walls

new access routes emerge around site

96

Site, year 2025 - University facilities built into the ground in the empty courtyards, and additional walls portion up more of the siteFig. 71.

mounds of waste material retained above

original ground level

foundations carved into original ground level

ground levelled to create open platforms

varying ground levels within courtyards

97

Site, year 2025 - Roof planFig. 72.

open platforms given shelter structures

buildings embedded in retained ground

structures built up against retained ground

98

In 2010, a method for the manufacture of clay bricks using kimberlite mine tailings and slimes was developed in co-operation with the South African Council for Geoscience and in 2012; DeBeers sought bidders for the establishment of a kimberlite brick factory in Kimberley. The factory combines local manufacturing with mine tailings rehabilitation and connects the university buildings to the landscape in a direct way. As a new type of brick manufacturing process, there is the potential for more specifically applied research and development to be facilitated at the university site in collaboration with the factory; this is expanded on in chapter 2.2. Additionally, the productive industry could potentially grow to service the market outside of the university, providing wider economic benefits to the city. Other mine tailings brick factories in the area and surrounding provinces have reported backorders of bricks where demand outweigh production; the use of bricks in an array of social housing projects underway in the Northern Cape is an example of one area where bricks in the province are in demand. (Cocking, 2014)

It is worth noting that it is not just construction materials for the university that would be developed through local trade. A printing press for the production of printed resources and publications is another business enterprise that would be supported by the university and linked to research topics. The in-house production of literature also lends itself to the self-generated endeavour and is an important institutional emblem of the university. This has influenced its position at the edge of the dramatic Big Hole landmark and the decision to include an array of public facilities including a viewing platform as part of the courtyard. The positioning of the brick factory and printing press as the two original nodes along the main spinal route is an important symbolic move, signifying the productive nature of the new university.

The development of the local industries as part of the university would potentially be supported by the SA Department of Trade and Industry through recent plans to foster the growth of small, medium and micro-enterprises, (SMMEs) aiming to increase their contribution to GDP from the current estimated 40% to 45%. Strategies to achieve this have included facilitating the provision of business-development support, funding equipment to assist with the establishment of 300 small/medium cooperatives and integrating entrepreneurship into the curriculum and research activities of universities. (Department of Trade and Industry, 2013) Additionally, there is a political incentive toward the training and empowerment of local people that strongly supports the development of local trade and the employment of local labour in the construction of the university; the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) ratings. The B-BBEE rating in South Africa, an affirmative action policy, affects the majority of industrys bids for work contracts and whilst it is seen mainly as an employment equity rating, it is measured against a broader set of criteria relating to black empowerment; to include evidence of contributions towards skills development and socio-economic development (Department of Trade and Industry, 2003, 2013). The building of a good B-BBEE rating provides a significant incentive to potential investors in the construction system; a low B-BBEE rating can disqualify a company from all work tenders directly or indirectly related to government and any private organisations that uphold the act.


productive industry

99

brick factory

printing press

potential future block

potential industrial growth

existing industrial

Site plan (year 2020 phase) showing productive industriesFig. 73.

100

shifting and ordering of ground

emerging construction research unit

shared open space

workspaces

trade schoolbrick factory

brickyard

structural testing ground

Axonometric showing brick factory, trade school courtyard and access route to industrial areaFig. 74.

existing builders yard- stock kimberlite bricks

truck access to section of tailings site

links to existing industrial area

additional massive walls being constructed as phased process

101

shifting and ordering of ground

emerging construction research unit

shared open space

workspaces

trade schoolbrick factory

brickyard

structural testing ground

Axonometric showing brick factory, trade school courtyard and access route to industrial areaFig. 74.

existing builders yard- stock kimberlite bricks

truck access to section of tailings site

links to existing industrial area

additional massive walls being constructed as phased process

102

The multi-tiered construction system and iterative growth strategy creates an integrated approach to the university growth that is beneficial to both city and university. The multitude of additional investors in the university raises additional resources, drives local development, opens up the university realm to a wider range of people, mitigates the risk of an overly state-led institution undermining localised development goals and contributes to the curriculum development of the university.

The existing establishment of the university in Kimberley and the subsequent financing of it through national treasury funds is a largely national government led project, requiring the cri

after mining

Documents

new university

roux university

westhuizen university

new type of university

selfgenerating university

thesis project

new type of research1

politicized project