Herman Pienaar, City of Johannesburg,

Chaired by: Neil Klug (Wits School of Architecture and Planning)

Wednesday 21 October 2009

12h00 - 13h15

A2, Ground Floor John Moffat Building (A light finger lunch will be served) - Open Invitation

Urban design: relevance today -  A panel discussion. The School of Architecture and Planning, in partnership with the City of Johannesburg, recently reintroduced a Masters in Urban Design degree. This panel discussion, which marks the official public launch of the degree, will address issues such as the relevance of Urban Design in the context of South Africa today. Some may argue that Urban Design is a mere luxury in a context where there are so many pressing developmental needs. On the other hand it may be argued that Urban Design is a democratic right and should be a key aspect of development. It is argued that redevelopment and regeneration often ignores the poor and excludes citizens from the city. What role does Urban Design have to regenerate with inclusivity? The panel discussion will address these and other issues and interrogate the kind of education required in the context of Johannesburg today.