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Lotus and the Machine: architecture for the symbiosis of cities and urban hydrology
Includes bibliographical references
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| Main Author: | |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics
2016
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| _version_ | 1867613212133818368 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Du Plessis, Claire |
| author2 | Fellingham, Kevin |
| author_browse | Du Plessis, Claire Fellingham, Kevin |
| author_facet | Fellingham, Kevin Du Plessis, Claire |
| author_sort | Du Plessis, Claire |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Includes bibliographical references |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/18176 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:32:33.381Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publishDateRange | 2016 |
| publishDateSort | 2016 |
| publisher | School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics |
| publisherStr | School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/18176 Lotus and the Machine: architecture for the symbiosis of cities and urban hydrology Du Plessis, Claire Fellingham, Kevin Architecture, Planning and Geomatics Urban hydrology Includes bibliographical references Despite the abundance of fresh water produced in the mountains surrounding Cape Town, a range of factors contribute towards the imminent water crisis felt locally and internationally. While governing bodies have management strategies and infra structural upgrades planned, these interventions address issues of water quantity only. Steadily declining water quality is an equally important issue which will continue to impact on available fresh water quantities if action is not taken. The threats on water availability in cities stem from growing urbanization itself. The question this dissertation poses is how architecture can encourage a symbiotic relationship between built and natural environments, with special regard for urban water systems. The answer is found in the balance of quantity management, quality improvement and long-term protection of water - a symbiosis between city and urban hydrology. This dissertation documents the research and design of a speculative architectural proposition to embody such a symbiosis. It is hypothesized that the design must address quantity and quality issues simultaneously by coupling infrastructure with community facilities. This will ensure immediate remediation of a water system and encourage a long-lasting protection of water quality through passive education and public conscientizing. The research identifies the Lotus River, located near the Philippi Horticultural Area in Cape Town, as an appropriate representative of the urban hydrological cycle in Cape Town. Through an understanding of the major pollutants in the river and a study of current technology, an industrial process which recycles pollution into fertilizer is proposed as the major programme of the project. This programme is overlaid with an agricultural training center and public amenities which encourage and incentivise environmental awareness among the community. The architectural theories of symbiosis and the social' condenser are proposed as precedent for the way in which architecture has, through the creation of transitional spaces, attempted to usher society into a new way of living. This project explores the creation of a transitional space between building and nature to encourage a symbiotic relationship between urbanity and water, where the Lotus meets the Machine. 2016-03-22T11:07:21Z 2016-03-22T11:07:21Z 2015 Master Thesis Masters MArch (Prof) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18176 eng application/pdf School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Architecture, Planning and Geomatics Urban hydrology Du Plessis, Claire Lotus and the Machine: architecture for the symbiosis of cities and urban hydrology |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Lotus and the Machine: architecture for the symbiosis of cities and urban hydrology |
| title_full | Lotus and the Machine: architecture for the symbiosis of cities and urban hydrology |
| title_fullStr | Lotus and the Machine: architecture for the symbiosis of cities and urban hydrology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lotus and the Machine: architecture for the symbiosis of cities and urban hydrology |
| title_short | Lotus and the Machine: architecture for the symbiosis of cities and urban hydrology |
| title_sort | lotus and the machine architecture for the symbiosis of cities and urban hydrology |
| topic | Architecture, Planning and Geomatics Urban hydrology |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18176 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT duplessisclaire lotusandthemachinearchitectureforthesymbiosisofcitiesandurbanhydrology |