Professor
Department of Architecture
paul.makasa@mandela.ac.za
041 504 4220
South Campus, Room 317

Biography / Background

Paul Makasa is a Professor of Architecture at Nelson Mandela University, in South Africa. He obtained his PhD from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, a Master’s in Housing Policies for Developing Nations, from Alvar Aalto University in Finland and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Zambia. He also holds a P.G. Certificate in Research Methods for Development from the Institute for Social Studies in the Hague.

Qualifications
PhD, (TUDelft, the Netherlands), M. Arch (Helsinki, Finland); B. Arch (UNZA), PG Dipl (Poverty Alleviation, IHS-Rotterdam, the Netherlands); PG Cert HDM (Lund-Sweden), PG Cert (Research Methods for Development, ISS-the Hague); PG Cert OSHH (San Jose, Costa Rica).
 

Professional Activities
Is a member of the Zambia Institute of Architects, and a student member of the SACAP. I am also a member of 4 research networks: the GRUPHEL – Gender Research network on Urbanisation, Planning, Housing and Everyday Life. Administered from the National University of Lesotho (NUL), sponsored by the Swedish International Development Corporation Agency (SIDA); the ALPHA-IBIS - network involving European, South American and African researchers, administered from Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands; the ENHR, the European Network of Housing Researchers; and, the ANHR: the African Network of Housing Researchers.
I have a scholarly approach to teaching that is determined by my interaction with industry through the Chair activities. The Chair is an engagement entity at Nelson Mandela University. The Chair made a significant contribution to the establishment of the Mechatronics Bachelor’s degree at Nelson Mandela University as a platform for university-industry collaboration providing opportunities for students of different academic levels to solve real industrial problems, as well as contributing to human capital development in the critical area of engineering and automation. For Isuzu, it is important that the Chair activities should contribute to the company’s competitiveness. On the other hand, for the University it is important that students from various engineering streams would obtain the exposure to a highly advanced automotive industry and new technologies. By engaging with real-world industry, students will be able to apply and test theory in a real industrial environment by gaining valuable practical experience. Regular interaction of the university staff and students with the company staff is a key aspect, which provides a successful long-term partnership and benefits for Nelson Mandela University and Isuzu. This university-industry collaboration allows better prepare young engineers for their careers, but also to increase the number of graduates. The Chair also provides academic support for junior students to adapt to the university environment and mitigate any lack of knowledge in mathematics and science, which is typically due to poor schooling in rural areas of South Africa. This problem has been identified as a major factor contributing to the high student failure rate of engineering programmes. The Chair has implemented a tutoring programme, where senior students help junior students to cope with foundation courses and to acquire the necessary learning skills to master advanced engineering courses. As a result of this initiative, the number of graduates in engineering has been constantly improving.

Teaching Interests

I keep in mind that my students are the future managers of the built environment and are expected to gain critical skill sets pertaining to understanding and ameliorating mankind’s impacts on the built environment and on communities and their natural environments at regional, national and global levels. I, therefore, strive to offer them architectural design approaches underpinned by architectural theory, construction technology, and history against a backdrop of housing, urban, and landscape studies. To achieve this, I adopt a scholarly approach to teaching that is determined by my research into environments fostering the emergence of new ideas and solutions. My teaching is globally driven but locally rooted as it focusses on new untested and innovative approaches. I believe in encouraging dialogue between students and myself to foster their synergies considering that in the industry they will be the team leaders. In the studios, I always like to use real-life scenarios to instill a real-life performative approach to architectural design, and the outputs always reflect real-life situations. This way I believe that Architectural education reflects its essence of being a performance creative art where ideas and strategic approaches are developed by the student, not given by myself. I encourage students to engage with probing insights into the science and art of architecture, favouring new innovative ideas and creative problem-solving techniques over the delivery of preconceived and already existing solutions. In research, I teach my students practical approaches that enable them to establish individual strategic approaches inspiring them to always probe deeper.

Research Interests

My research interests include: architecture; low cost housing policies development and management; poverty alleviation; urbanism; and gender issues.

Supervision

I have been supervising an average of 3 M. Arch (Prof) students per year in the School of Architecture since 2014;
Co-supervised (with Prof W.N. Shakantu), Mosa Tsosane, completed Master’s Study on Innovative Construction Methods to address Housing Demand
Co-supervising (with Prof S.J. Mbanga), KZ Cakata’s PhD on Sustainable Spatial Planning of Human Settlements in Post-apartheid. South Africa: the Case of Buffalo City.
Co-supervising (with Prof S.J. Mbanga), Qhamani Neza Tshazi’ s PhD on Reconciling a Post-Apartheid Pro-Poor Housing Delivery Model in South Africa: A Case Study of the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
Co-supervising (with Prof S.J. Mbanga), Dumisani Nkanyiso Qwabe’s Master’s on Factors that Influence the Upgrading of Informal Settlements in South Africa: A Case of Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole