Arabella Ingham

The Saltwater Precinct is an architectural research and design study exploring the intersection of industry, conservation, and community revitalization through the adaptive reuse of a deteriorating crayfish factory in Elandsbaai.

The West Coast’s historical reliance on the fishing and shellfish industries provides the context for examining the region’s economic decline and community transformation. Since the 2000s, these pivotal industries have sharply declined due to large companies monopolizing fishing quotas, over fishing, and dwindling fish stocks. Much of the infrastructure from the former industry lies derelict and the socio-spatial frameworks of local towns have become fractured.

This research explores the role of architecture in re-establishing a new sustainable industry within a historically fishing dependent community that has lost its original economy, through the design development of a hybrid work space for a multiplicity of stakeholders.

The thesis proposes to develop a precinct with three main programmatice elements for business owners, researchers, conservationists, visitors and most importantly local residents. The first is a sustainable income source for the community, which is a seaweed farm. The second is a conservation hub coordinating multiple conservation initiatives to protecting the West Coast. The third is a research post for academics researching the nearby Khoekhoe archaeological sites.

The proposed Saltwater precinct operates as negotiator between sea, land and people. The reactivation of the coastline is rooted in local interests, and links ecological concerns with historic awareness while guiding the crayfish factory in Elandsbaai into a future beyond decay. Ultimately, the Saltwater Precinct aims to show how architecture can actively support the local community, preserve cultural heritage, and generate sustainable economic and environmental benefits along the coast.