1000 marabastad

This master thesis outlines a design proposal, from urban design to detail design, for a social housing prototype in the area of Marabastad, Pretoria, better suited for the growing population of low-income families otherwise displaced from opportunities that could see them thrive as a community. This project is based on socio-political framework adjustments to prevent further urban decay. It implements sustainable as well as sociological principles in urban design that would introduce a more sustainable and stable future for a developing nation. It implements design principles in housing that enhance community building and individual identity discovery, as well as respecting the local context and the intricate and sensitive matter of historical political injustices imposed on it while highlighting the colourful cultural traces that arose from it.