Supervisors: Jason Oberholster; Prof. Carin Combrinck
Research Field: Co-Creating Wellness
Project Location: melusi, pretoria, gauteng
Building Programme: civic centre
Keywords: Participatory Design, Live Build, Spatial Justice, Incremental Development, Community Agency
Abstract
Agency in Action: Co-Creating Community Infrastructure in Melusi proposes the revitalisation of the former Booysens Nursery site in Pretoria West into a multifunctional civic hub, co-designed and co-built with residents of Melusi, an informal settlement in the City of Tshwane, South Africa. The project applies participatory design principles and the Live Build methodology to address urgent gaps in education, economic opportunity, and recreational infrastructure.
The programme integrates three interconnected components: (1) a modular learning and resource centre for skills development and community training, and (2) a safe, formalised recreational zone for intergenerational use. These spaces are linked through adaptable, shaded public areas to encourage gathering, interaction, and shared use.
The client body is twofold: the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, as owner of the site, and the residents of Melusi, who are positioned as co-clients and co-creators. Users include learners, traders, sports groups, and broader community members who will directly shape and maintain the facility. The project is facilitated in partnership with built environment professionals and academic mentors from the Unit for Urban Citizenship at the University of Pretoria.
Motivated by the need to confront systemic spatial marginalisation and align with public interest design principles, the proposal adopts the Max-Neef Human Scale Development framework to embed social, cultural, and ecological priorities into its design. It responds directly to community consultations that identified education, safety, and livelihood opportunities as top priorities.
The design strategy is incremental, low-tech, and climate-responsive, enabling affordability, adaptability, and local construction. Materials such as kenaf, hempcrete, timber, and recycled components support environmental sustainability while facilitating skills transfer during construction. The spatial concept draws on Christopher Alexander’s semi-lattice theory, fostering overlapping functions and organic site evolution. Revenue from market stalls, recreational activities, and training programmes supports operational sustainability, while participatory governance structures ensure long-term stewardship.
This proposal demonstrates how architecture can function as a catalyst for spatial justice and grassroots resilience. By reclaiming and transforming neglected public land, it positions community agency at the centre of urban change and offers a replicable, context-sensitive model for inclusive urban development.
