Salma Jawoodeen

This thesis investigates how architecture can support and uplift informal economies and home industries through a hybrid spatial typology in Pageview, Johannesburg. The central research question asks: How can architectural design facilitate community-driven economic activity to revive the social and economic fabric of Fietas while addressing historical injustices and contemporary urban challenges? The project responds to the legacy of Fietas as a once-thriving commercial hub, where home-based tailoring and craft industries were central to the local economy before the forced removals of the 1970s. By weaving together spaces for production, trade, and dwelling, the design fosters economic self-sufficiency, community resilience, and spatial justice. It further seeks to provide safe, accessible, and dignified live-work spaces, particularly for women, elderly, and youth, who are often at the centre of home industry work. The primary themes explored include the intersection of architecture and economic resilience, the role of spatial justice in post apartheid urbanism, and the adaptability of live-work environments in the informal sector. These themes are grounded in feminist and decolonial spatial theories, drawing from texts such as AbouMaliq Simone’s People as Infrastructure (2004) and Leslie Kern’s Feminist City (2020), which interrogate spatial inequalities and alternative urban economies. Further literature on informality, housing policy, and community-led developmen —such as AbdouMaliq Simone’s work on urban improvisation and Jane Jacobs’ theories on economic networks—supports the argument for rethinking zoning and land-use policies to accommodate hybrid residential-commercial spaces. By situating the project in Pageview, the research critically engages with historical, social, and ecological narratives. The site’s contested past and its potential for urban regeneration underscore the need for an architectural response that acknowledges displacement while proposing new models of collective living, working, and trading. Through contextually responsive design, the thesis envisions a dynamic, mixed-use urban tapestry that challenges rigid zoning laws, advances economic sustainability, and reclaims Fietas’ lost vibrancy.