The influence of youth rural-urban migration on architecture and urbanism: towards an employment indigenous skill centre in Durban.
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Date
2022
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Abstract
Rural-urban migration has a huge impact on urbanization, population distribution and
settlement. Young adults migrate in search of better opportunities in education and employment
(Muhwava W. et al, 2010). People perceive cities to have better living and working conditions.
These migrants generally do not possess the skills or the education to enable them to find and
secure employment in the formal sector, and they must settle for work in the informal sector
which is mainly informal trading (Timalsima, 2007:1). This largely impacts on the urban fabric
and the architecture provided in the cities to service the needs for the population. Rural urban
migration also contributes to a lot of social issues that affect the city’s population.
Rural-urban migration is attributed to the idea that urban areas have better economic conditions
and opportunities. This is the pulling factor that attracts rural people into the cities. Political
and social factors and conditions also play a big role in drawing people into cities. This causes
a big shift in architecture and the provision of services in big cities, causing housing backlogs
etc.
This study aims to explore the influence of rural-urban migration on architecture and urbanism
as means for creating a skill’s centre for the youth of Durban. The study investigates the role
of culture and identity in restoring and preserving local identity through the built environment,
as well as providing opportunities for sustainable economic development for rural-urban
migrants. The need to develop local cultural identities in order to build environments and
ensure that these are expressed in a progressive and dynamic manner in order to express culture
as a dynamic evolving organ rather than a static dogma, ensuring versatility and significance
to future generations. It will also highlight the importance of heritage and cultural preservation
through built form. Culture is reflected through history and forms part of buildings, artefacts
that form part of the traditional built environment which is how rural urban migrants read urban
spaces (Mensah O, 2012:18). Cultural identity plays an important role in the preservation of
indigenous knowledge skills, knowledge systems and their conservation (Hoppers, 2002).
The research investigates how culture, tradition, and built environments can be integrated to
create a meaningful environment that is an epitome of and responds to people's needs. The
study will be conducted in Durban one of South Africa’s major port city that is home to the
largest industrial hub after Gauteng. Durban is in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The study
will focus on the area of Stamford Hill (co-ordinates -29.0846906, +31.031977). It is in an
urban setting. The area is affected with high concentrations of informal settlements and lacks
integration in the overall Durban economy. The area is affected by issues of low levels of
literacy and skills development and a lot of unsuitable development practices. Durban is deeply
divided in terms of social inequality with almost 70 % of its population residing on the
periphery of the CBD in peri urban areas. In Durban, peri-urban areas can be identified along
the threshold between the CBD and the immediate surrounding suburbs and rural areas outside
the urban development line.
Indigenous knowledge and the integration of knowledge systems, the promotion and
conservation of these systems is important (Hoppers,2002:1). To empower and develop people,
these systems help in finding human a human-cantered vision of development and preservation
of basic human rights and the alleviation of poverty (Hoppers,2002:3). Sustainable human
development that is built on these systems that exist in communities helps promote societies
and development that benefits generations (Hoppers, 2002:3). The loss of these cultural
reference points sometimes leads to a breakdown in societies (Hoppers, 2002:3). These systems
can be used to benefit the youth.
The precedent studies looked at are the BAT Centre in Durban and the Nelson Mandela Youth
and Heritage Centre in Qunu (Eastern Cape). These precedents will explore the concepts of
identity and the role that architecture plays in instilling national pride and identity while
reinforcing the importance of skills development. The materials and the celebration of identity
in creating place. The relationship between architecture and heritage and the role it plays in
economical growth.
Description
Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.