Exploring the role of the built environment in redefining Durban’s water culture: a proposed recreation hub and Maritime museum for Durban harbour.

Abstract

Water controls life on earth as a natural asset. This is just as applicable within the urban setting. An element which is equally enabling as it is incapacitating, water is constantly shaping the way we experience life on earth. The successful operating of the urban environment depends fundamentally on the efficient movement of water into and out of the city. While in urban settings, water is often concealed and controlled to create the illusion of a hydrophobic space, the hidden waterways which run below the surface of cities are proof that water is still a part of our everyday lives. The relationship between architecture and water is constantly evolving, and the design of modern cities does not always cater to the integrity of water and its natural sources. The dichotomous relationship between architecture and nature further reinforces this disassociation of people water and architecture. This document aims to explore how architecture can adapt and transform to enable a better water culture within cities, so as to protect natural sources and ensure a more resilient city.