CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
4.7 CONCLUSION
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different people together to facilitate social interactions; these interactions form a social capital which is the grounding in which a renewed social revitalisation can occur within the city. The theory of social capital has the potential to improve the lives of individuals, communities and nations through the social interactions of the people surrounding us in everyday life.
The passive participation of mural art holds many benefits and does not require an education or special effort from the viewer. Mural art can contribute to one’s
awareness, education and general knowledge by acting as a source of information to the city users in which the artwork is located. The constant adaptation of mural art allows for relevant information to be shared from current affairs, historical events or the community’s identity. Mural art can therefore act as a catalyst for social
revitalisation in an informational and education aided sense.
The passive participation of mural art along with the theory of social capital is able to facilitate different encounters between strangers whereby relationships can be formed. These relationships in turn form networks between strangers and their existing networks thereby creating a stronger social capital amongst city users. The passive participation of mural art can socially benefit viewers by acting as a platform for social capital to occur.
The active participation in mural is a collaborative non-competitive team effort in which people are able to learn skills, knowledge and experiences from one another.
Mural art is able to enhance the cultural expression and exposure within the community, a representation of who the community is, what their concerns are as well as their future aspirations. The final product of the mural art and the aesthetic quality of the final product are far less important than that of the empowerment one receives through the process, as well as the sense of community which is developed.
The active participation in mural art along with the theory of social capital allows for Social networks to be formed which allows for people to share and test the reliability of their views and opinions through conversation. These networks and increased
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social capital hold benefits which can be far reaching and have a great impact on individuals, communities and cities.
The available literature shows that mural art is able to play a role in working against social exclusion. Mural art is able to contribute to the viewer’s perceptions and knowledge, the participation in mural art provides temporary employment however the skills acquired through the participation such as confidence, interpersonal skills, planning, creativity and social networks, make the participant more employable. The viewing and participation of mural art can be therapeutic thereby lowering one’s stress levels, improving their well being and helping one to find and voice their opinions. Mural art can help one’s personal development by increasing their social networks, self esteem, confidence and their ability to reflect and think. The
participation and viewing of mural art can improve the social cohesion of an individual and a community, it helps people to share their opinions and experiences, work together to achieve a common goal, express their identity and diversity. Mural art therefore has many social benefits and is able to act as a catalyst for social revitalisation.
The art centre is an anchor node, a multi-space venue which creates opportunities for different members of society; it is committed to the local society as well as
attracting a variety of audiences. The art centre works amongst a network; a network of art and a network of people. Art centres provided a safe haven to redress the educational and cultural imbalances created during apartheid.
Art centres reflect the context in which they are situated; they are composed of a physical environment, a social environment as well as a creative environment. The art centre provides a home for mural art as well as city users. The design of an art centre is multi-sensory which enhances the experience of the building as well as including all city users. The role of the art centre is to promote and encourage the arts thereby contributing to the positive perception of the arts in society. Art centres should provide a home for the freedom of expression, a functional community space
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which enables city users to feel a sense of place, explore social identities and feel a sense of significance within the space.
Art centres are a place for intercommunity connections to take place. Art centres are able to provide a safe place where diverse groups of people can meet and connect, share ideas, thoughts, teach one another and forget the troubles that surrounded them. These centres aid individuals in meeting people with common interests,
thereby aiding in creating social capital, a sense of community, a social revitalisation.
The design of an art centre should provide a variety of social spaces for a variety of city users through the active and passive participation in mural art, thereby allowing the plan to act as an area for human behaviour through the theory of social capital and the structure to act as a diagram of human perceptions through the theory of perception.
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CHAPTER FIVE: PRECEDENT STUDY
This chapter provides an analysis on two existing building in terms of the research in question. The buildings which will be analysed are an international example of the typology in question in this research and a national example of a community inclusive building which incorporates mural art. This analysis will provide a guideline towards the proposed design of an art centre.