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ARH3703 Portfolio assessment 2026 (Answer Guide) – Due 19 May
2026
Visual Culture II
VERIFIED AND CERTIFIED ANSWERS. WRITTEN IN REQUIRED FORMAT AND WITHIN
GIVEN GUIDELINES. IT IS GOOD TO USE AS A GUIDE AND FOR REFERENCE, NEVER
PLAGARIZE. Thank you and success in your academics.
UNISA, 2026
Contents
QUESTION 1: VISUAL SPACES ............................................................................................................ 2
1.1 Space and Place: Mall of Africa ................................................................................................. 2
1.2 Liminal Space ................................................................................................................................. 4
1.3 Gendering of Space .......................................................................................................................... 5
QUESTION 2: LANDSCAPE IDEOLOGY ............................................................................................. 8
2.1.1 Picturesque Landscape ............................................................................................................ 8
2.1.2 Burchell’s Transformation of the Orange River into a Picturesque Scene ................ 9
2.1.3 Ideologies Influencing Burchell’s Representation of African Landscapes ............. 10
References .................................................................................................................................... 13
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QUESTION 1: VISUAL SPACES
1.1 Space and Place: Mall of Africa
The concepts of space and place are important within visual culture because they help
explain how environments are socially constructed and shaped by ideology. According
to Michel de Certeau, a place refers to a physical location that has structure and order,
while space is created through human interaction, movement, and social practices
within that place (UNISA, 2020). Therefore, a shopping mall such as the Mall of Africa
can be understood both as a place and as a space.
The Mall of Africa is a place because it is a clearly defined architectural environment
situated in Midrand, Johannesburg. The mall contains retail stores, restaurants,
entertainment areas, parking garages, walkways, and security-controlled entrances.
The physical organisation of the mall creates a structured environment intended for
consumption and leisure. The modern architecture, wide walkways, decorative lighting,
glass surfaces, and luxurious interiors contribute to an atmosphere of sophistication and
comfort. These visual qualities are designed to attract consumers and encourage them
to remain in the mall for extended periods of time. The study guide explains that spaces
are never neutral because they are infused with social meanings and ideology (UNISA,
2020).
The Mall of Africa also functions as a social space because meaning is created through
the activities that occur there. Consumers move through the shopping areas, dine in
restaurants, socialise, watch films, and attend entertainment events. The images of
crowds shopping and vehicles entering the parking areas demonstrate how people
actively transform the place into a lived social environment. According to Lefebvre,
space is socially produced through relationships between people, objects, and everyday
practices (UNISA, 2020). In this case, the mall becomes a space associated with
leisure, entertainment, and consumer culture.
The design and aesthetic of the Mall of Africa serve a capitalist ideology that promotes
consumerism and economic activity. Shopping malls are carefully designed to
ARH3703 Portfolio assessment 2026 (Answer Guide) – Due 19 May
2026
Visual Culture II
VERIFIED AND CERTIFIED ANSWERS. WRITTEN IN REQUIRED FORMAT AND WITHIN
GIVEN GUIDELINES. IT IS GOOD TO USE AS A GUIDE AND FOR REFERENCE, NEVER
PLAGARIZE. Thank you and success in your academics.
UNISA, 2026
Contents
QUESTION 1: VISUAL SPACES ............................................................................................................ 2
1.1 Space and Place: Mall of Africa ................................................................................................. 2
1.2 Liminal Space ................................................................................................................................. 4
1.3 Gendering of Space .......................................................................................................................... 5
QUESTION 2: LANDSCAPE IDEOLOGY ............................................................................................. 8
2.1.1 Picturesque Landscape ............................................................................................................ 8
2.1.2 Burchell’s Transformation of the Orange River into a Picturesque Scene ................ 9
2.1.3 Ideologies Influencing Burchell’s Representation of African Landscapes ............. 10
References .................................................................................................................................... 13
, 2|Page
QUESTION 1: VISUAL SPACES
1.1 Space and Place: Mall of Africa
The concepts of space and place are important within visual culture because they help
explain how environments are socially constructed and shaped by ideology. According
to Michel de Certeau, a place refers to a physical location that has structure and order,
while space is created through human interaction, movement, and social practices
within that place (UNISA, 2020). Therefore, a shopping mall such as the Mall of Africa
can be understood both as a place and as a space.
The Mall of Africa is a place because it is a clearly defined architectural environment
situated in Midrand, Johannesburg. The mall contains retail stores, restaurants,
entertainment areas, parking garages, walkways, and security-controlled entrances.
The physical organisation of the mall creates a structured environment intended for
consumption and leisure. The modern architecture, wide walkways, decorative lighting,
glass surfaces, and luxurious interiors contribute to an atmosphere of sophistication and
comfort. These visual qualities are designed to attract consumers and encourage them
to remain in the mall for extended periods of time. The study guide explains that spaces
are never neutral because they are infused with social meanings and ideology (UNISA,
2020).
The Mall of Africa also functions as a social space because meaning is created through
the activities that occur there. Consumers move through the shopping areas, dine in
restaurants, socialise, watch films, and attend entertainment events. The images of
crowds shopping and vehicles entering the parking areas demonstrate how people
actively transform the place into a lived social environment. According to Lefebvre,
space is socially produced through relationships between people, objects, and everyday
practices (UNISA, 2020). In this case, the mall becomes a space associated with
leisure, entertainment, and consumer culture.
The design and aesthetic of the Mall of Africa serve a capitalist ideology that promotes
consumerism and economic activity. Shopping malls are carefully designed to
