Urban estuary: a commentary on diasporic Johannesburg defining an architecture of connection for the transient communities of Yeoville

[摘要] This paper explores the contradictions and complexities of the themes Diaspora, Sanctuaryand Estuary.Diaspora has historically referred to people and communities who have been displaced fromtheir native, shared homeland through movement as a result of migration, immigration, orexile. African Diaspora tells the story of displacement throughout the continent and howAfricans managed to retain their traditions and restructure their identities in a westerndominated world and modern urban city. Through this paper I will explore how thesediasporic communities maintained a sense of belonging through the notion of sanctuaries.Where these communities and sanctuaries overlap and, much like natural estuaries, howthese interactions create uniquely dynamic systems.I will address themes within the urban context of Johannesburg and their influence on thenature space. It concludes by addressing the need for a new form of accommodation inresponse to the transient communities and fluid nature of the city.Key words: Diaspora, Sanctuary, Estuary, Transience, Accommodation.

[发布机构] University of the Witwatersrand