Local Cultures – Global Spaces
Abstract
In response to the global calls for decolonizing education, this study conducted at the University of Johannesburg aimed to challenge and transform traditional approaches to architectural education prevalent in South Africa. The backdrop of the 2015/16 student protests in South Africa and the subsequent worldwide movement, combined with the educational shifts necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, created a unique opportunity to reimagine education. Focusing on the second-year Bachelor of Architecture program, the research utilized critical pedagogy to decolonize the architectural design module. Analysis of project briefs, pedagogical methods, and student designs from 2020 to 2023 revealed that students, when exposed to critical pedagogy, effectively engaged with complex socio-political issues, addressing identity, sexuality, race, class, and access. This approach encouraged spatial speculation in response to contemporary challenges. Reviewers noted students’ preparedness for rigorous postgraduate studies. The project briefs emerged as transformative models for faculties, especially in global south contexts, seeking decolonial methodologies in architectural education. The study’s significance lies in its pioneering approach to decolonizing undergraduate architectural education. The project briefs offer practical insights for integrating critical pedagogy into design studios, adaptable to various settings. Additionally, the study promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and encourages students to critically reflect on their positions. Ultimately, this research provides a comprehensive framework for transforming architectural education, nurturing a socially aware generation of architects.
Jabu Absalom Makhubu is an academic and researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand, known for their significant contributions in the field of architectural education, urban design, and African urbanisms. Currently pursuing a PhD at Tshwane University of Technology. Their doctoral research, titled “Radical Praxis” under the guidance of Prof. Amira Osman and co-supervisor Dr. Finzi Saidi, underscores their commitment to articulating alternative design praxis to critically engage the complexities of contemporary urbanism.
Amira Osman is a Sudanese/South African Professor of Architecture at the Tshwane University of Technology. She currently holds the position of SARChI: DST/NRF/SACN Research Chair in Spatial Transformation (Positive Change in the Built Environment) and is the Joint Coordinator of the international group CIB W104 Open Building Implementation. She is also the Chair of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 9th International Conference on Appropriate Technology (ICAT), Pretoria, November 2020. Amira obtained a B.Sc. in 1988 and an M.Sc. in 1996 both from the University of Khartoum in Sudan. She has a diploma from the Institute for Housing Studies in Rotterdam (IHS) in 1992 and PhD in Architecture from the University of Pretoria in 2004. Amira hosted and convened the World Congress on Housing in 2005 at the University of Pretoria and the Sustainable Human(e) Settlements: the urban challenge in 2012 at the University of Johannesburg. She served as UIA 2014 Durban General Reporter and head of the Scientific Committee for the International Union of Architects (UIA) and the South African Institute of Architects (SAIA);
Finzi Saidi is the head of the Department of Architecture at UJ. He holds a Ph.D. in Architecture from the university of Pretoria, a Master of Landscape Design degree from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne University and a Bachelor of Architecture degree. He is the convenor of Unit 15X Landscape in the Graduate School of Architecture which organizes collaboration of African universities on public space projects including in Johannesburg, Kampala, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Gaborone with the view of renewing our understanding of contemporary change in the functions of cities in Africa.
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Wednesday 6th December, 2023