Abstract
This research examines how architectural design can actively support ecological restoration and foster environmental awareness, with a particular focus on the near-threatened African Bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus) at Glen Austin Pan in Midrand, Johannesburg. As ongoing urban expansion and ecological degradation place increasing pressure on this rare seasonal wetland, the study explores ways in which architecture can both rehabilitate essential habitat and accommodate required human functions. Guided by the ecological idea of a refugium—a protected space that enables species to survive amid broader environmental decline—the project proposes a hybrid landscape framework. This project aims to produce a positive ecological impact, creating conditions where biodiversity can thrive alongside everyday human activity while offering opportunities for environmental education and habitat rehabilitation.