Building Identity by Co-Building Spaces: a chapter in the story of Melusi 3

Abstract

This report compiles materials from a student project in an informal settlement in Pretoria, South Africa, focusing on how bottom-up and participatory design, coupled with qualitative data collection, can foster community-building architectural processes. The research employed various methods to gather contextual information, community aspirations, and stakeholder insights, simultaneously establishing relationships for future interventions. The process involved understanding the context, collecting data through workshops, interviews, and observations, reflecting needs back to stakeholders, and co-designing solutions. The journey was documented for potential future interventions and reference. Collaboration with local stakeholders led to on-site interventions utilizing community skills and resources whilst promoting sustainable bottom-up solutions. The hypothesis suggests that engaging with the community and stakeholders to understand, map, and address needs can facilitate effective, intentional interventions and encourage future community-led initiatives.