November abstracts

Helen Frances

At the Confluence:  Heritage, landscape and constructions of belonging

How can a river-side walkway be designed to meet the needs of multiple stakeholders, in a site that is rich in heritage?


Landscape architecture has a long history of engagement with heritage.  Design practice frequently hones in on the expression of narrative associated with the design site to reflect, or promote, a sense of place.

However, heritage is a cultural construct, a version of the past created by people to serve their needs in the present.  Because it is invented by people it is always contestable; what is significant and valued by one group of people will not be so by others.

Additionally, in relation to landscape there is a tendency to think only of built forms, material objects, historical narratives associated with place and scenic qualities as heritage concerns.  Intangible heritage such as traditional practices, activities, art and story may be more important than material heritage for some people.

This project uses the design of a riverside walkway in a small rural community with a very strong heritage story to test an engagement with heritage in the landscape that incorporates the political and intangible dimensions as revealed as significant by the community.

The project uses four main streams of research to inform an iterative design process:  interviews and focus groups to uncover the politics of heritage on this site, and explore the meanings and value of different kinds of heritage to the community; an examination of rivers and the unique qualities of the rivers in the design site, and their meaning to the local community; an examination of theories of landscape that provide a framework for representing intangible heritage; and an analysis of design precedents to reveal design principles for walkways and the dynamics of politics in contested sites.

From these converging streams of research a design approach for the walkway is proposed that firstly places landscape architecture within the social-cultural-political frame that generates heritage, and thus makes design part of a process that reinvents heritage, rather than simply reflecting it.  Secondly, based on occupation of the site and activities within it, time and process are proposed as organising principles for representing heritage, rather than traditional methods of interpretation such as storyboards.  Third, utilising design principles that emerged from the analysis of precedents, and a focus on process and community engagement, the design seeks to make a material space that attracts people to use it, and independently of embedded meanings and prompts for practices works as an amenity for this community.

Abstract
Mountain  to Sea: Water for Resilient  21st  Century Cities

 Raewyn Davie-Martin

Questions
How can potable and non-potable decentralised water networks re-image cities?
Can the development of parks, as part of a new localised wastewater
network,  help in the densification of the city?


This research will consider the increased  urban water requirements for the
21st century  city population growth.


Abstract


Reimagine parks and surrounding neighbourhoods, with ultra smart
designed infrastructure. This “re-imaged” urban park could be used as a “vehicle” to reimage the city. This idea would create city population growth around parks. The concept could be used to reimage parks and create optimal public land use for recreation and amenity.


The city form would develop as a decentralised network of neighbourhood nodes. This strategy is to buddy infrastructure connections with green spaces, water bodies and parks to optimise infrastructure in the surrounding neighbourhoods. Analysis from international precedents show new uses for recycled wastewater. New technological development changes the focus of water pollution to emission control, thus reducing sewerage in the sea, the current scenario with ageing infrastructure during storm events.


Using these technologies to change water network infrastructure, around parks, could create a more resilient use of resources. This would create a city
with less focus on big linear infrastructure networks (for example Auckland’s sewerage network).

This research uses a “pluridisciplinarial” approach, research from water network disciplines with city planning innovations, using the logic and philosophies from landscape architecture design.


This design research is to generate new ideas for a new smart neighbourhood infrastructure with supporting natural landscapes. The research aims to generate a new urban resilience. Creating a “zero waste” approach from water resources, by using wastewater in the neighbourhood.


Water resources; become the defining form for the resilient 21st century city.

Grace He

Multi Culturalism in the Urban Landscape

How can the urban designers work with the insights of multiculturalism to create a new kind of inclusive public space in a city?

 The field of multiculturalism is relatively new, emerging first in the Western democracies prior to World War II; it is part of the human rights revolution which explicitly propounded the equality of races and peoples (Kymlicka. W. 2012)

Due to the ageing population, New Zealand has one of fastest immigration population growth rates in the world, Aotearoa New Zealand is now one of the world's most super-diverse societies ( Spoonley P,  R Bedford, 2012).  Compared with rural areas, the challenges of dealing with multicultural societies in the cities are more intense due to this rapidly changing social landscape ( Phillips. S 2013). A city like Auckland has changed dramatically in its demographics over the past two decades and will face a more diverse society in the near future. About 40 percent of Auckland’s population is made up of immigrants from many countries, including the Pacific Islands, China, Korea, the Philippines, and South Africa, and this number will continue increasing in the future ( Spoonley P,  R Bedford, 2012) .

Aucklanders seem to be open to cultural diversity and are more supportive of settlement assistance for immigrants (Gendall et al., 2007).  The Auckland Draft Unitary Plan indicated that one of the critical disciplines of Auckland’s future urban development is: the visibility of Auckland’s cultural diversity (Draft Auckland Unitary Plan 2013) .  How does one transfer this social phenomenon - cultural diversity - to the urban design methodology? This research intends to seek linkage and between diverse cultural values and urban landscape, explore the opportunities to integrate and represent those values in the urban landscape though design practice.

Rithy Heng

Urban Renewal in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Cities are the products of human civilization and settlement. They keep changing both physically and socially. With the advancement of technology and economic prosperity, urban lives in the 21st century have become more comfortable and easier. However, there are still some negative aspects arising from urban growth such as air pollution, traffic congestion, and inadequacy of public spaces where people can freely enjoy their time after work. The world has shifted the attention to the creation of a more livable and greener urban environment.

The concept of urban renewal is vital for the lifespan of a city and planning as it helps curbing urban sprawl and introducing new lives into the old, sometimes abandoned, places. As the city is ageing, some parts of it have to be replaced by new elements to keep the city vibrant, livable, and sustainable.

Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, is one of the oldest cities in Southeast Asia dating back to 1431 A.D. The city underwent a lot of changes both physically and socially. During colonial period from 1863 to 1953, Phnom Penh became a center of French colonial government that left some French-styled buildings to present time. From 1953 to 1969, Phnom Penh was developed into one of the most modern cities in Asia acquiring the name “Pearl of Asia”. Modern buildings inspired by Khmer concept were built. In 1970, Cambodia plunged into civil war that destroyed almost everything.

After decades of civil war and instability, Cambodia is emerging as one of the fastest growing economies. Meanwhile, there is development challenge to be addressed. Phnom Penh, the capital, is suffered from absence of planning, population booming, pollution, traffic congestion, and constant flooding from storm water. The ongoing profit-driven developments give little consideration on livability and sustainability. Furthermore, urban renewal is inevitable as Phnom Penh population is increasing. A former landfill will need to be restored to make way for development. Because of its location within the city, it has the potential of becoming a more affluent area by using green space and water as amenities. This project aims to provide alternative design approach by balancing livability, sustainability, and profitability to make it more appealing to developers and government.

Green network for regional city
Wang, Xinxin

Abstract

Regional city has become a global tendency from early 20th century. Green space network plays more important role on shaping urban form and resilient to changes. Facing the challenges of increasing population and ongoing urban growth in Auckland region, this paper aims to preserve a green framework to retain the unique lifestyle and a sustainable urban development.

By identifying the distinguished characters of lifestyle and urban pattern, this paper states that Auckland regional development should keep its interrelationship between urban districts and nature. From other city regions experiences, not only design theories and techniques, but also implementation policies are chosen to achieve this target.

The research method contains sitting, survey, mapping and communicating. A test case site is used to model the proposed method. The results show how green spaces sustain lifestyle and manage urban growth. The outcome includes three scale levels, which are regional structure, site master plan, and green network plan.

Xu Gao

Coastal Cities

How can we develop coastal line as a part of urban area for future and can we develop coastal line with tourism as well? The idea is about coastal cities development through tourism ways, and also protect local resident’s lifestyle.  As one can see, Auckland is the world famous city, and the city’s 70% area consist by coastal waters. Obviously, from the geographical features shows that Auckland belongs to a coastal city, and have many of coastal resources, nevertheless most of Auckland’s coastline is still in undeveloped state, some beach even appeared natural erosion or man-made pollution. However, the most coastal cities in the world always development this region as a regional priority, perhaps because of economic factors, as well as, because of environmental factors. As a coastal city, Auckland in this area have great potential for development, whether it is from the perspective of urban development or ecological protection or basic services for the residents. Then, form the other side, with the Auckland rapid development of urbanization, land has become the main reason for limiting the future development of Auckland, but for New Zealand as an island country, coastline is the most abundant resource, which may also be able to Auckland’s future development towards providing a valuable reference. Moreover, for coastal development, both in the construction of infrastructure and transportation should be relatively easier than construction in inland area.

In addition, as the largest city in New Zealand, Auckland has been the role of tourism as a transit point, so if we can keep these potential economic resources as a driving force of urban development, coastal development may be able to play a great help.

This project will base on those questions and find the way to deal with it, through the concept of eco-tourism and eco-design, which is environmentally and friendly idea for landscape architecture technology practice. However, to scan this topic should be including aesthetics, recreation, leisure, early investigation of sociological and ecological features, involvement of coastal shareholder, local population in the planning process, exactly of site selection and environmentally design.

Gemma Gao

How to achieve multifunctional public spaces in central Auckland in order to resilient urban from earthquake?

Earthquake is a natural disaster that is considered unpredictable in worldwide. People died and injured because of falling buildings but not earthquake itself. However, as Sule (2012) suggested, building resistant cities as well as sustainable land use in order to minimum the natural hazards, and it is similar as my concept of design a multifunctional park. Thus there is a need to analyze the problems of building such a park for people recovery after earthquake, make relative assumptions, and find out reasonable solutions. In this research, six recent case studies from online library were used to analyze research question. Theory of city plan is considered and the relationship between density and safety would be analyzed because there exists high risk of damage due to diffident degree of density. The locations of recovery public space need to be identified while next earthquake happened. Besides, the multifunctional park is allowed to adapt to general use for people.

The Sustainable Landscape - Transformation of Brownfield Sites
Student Name: Junjie Xu
Student ID: 1434049

Abstract:

How can landscape ecology assist in achieving sustainable outcomes for the brownfield development?

With the rapid development of the city and the increase of population, the area of the city is increasingly expanding and sprawling. However, the existing problems of brownfield site have seriously restricted the construction and progress of the city. The issue of how to effectively and efficiently redevelopment and transformation of brownfield sites is increasingly being considered by agencies and a wide range of professionals throughout the world.

The definition of brownfield site is vital for development of a city or a region in different contexts. It can help to inform the direction of research, explore the development potential of site and deal with relevant urban issues.

Landscape is an effective approach to coordinate ecosystem on brownfield site to facilitate sustainable development for enhancing the relationship between human and nature. It is a good way to deal with a variety of social contradictions as well.

The objective of this research project is to enhance the connection between humans and nature. A series of theories and methods will be researched and analysed to improve the value of brownfield site, return more public space for local residents. Meanwhile, people’s requirements and Auckland council’s plans will be considered in this project to develop the most rational project, even to help to achieve the goal of the world’s liveable city.

Eloise Veber

 Meeting at the edge. How would we design Te Papa today?

Te Papa Tongarewa has always faced controversy over the lack of relationship to its historically/culturally significant waterfront site, the ocean, and the surrounding urban environment. Not only does this lack of relationship affect the public’s experience of the Wellington waterfront and the public space surrounding the museum, but it in turn affects the user’s sense of journey and orientation through the museum, the spatial orientation of its interior spaces, and any sense of grounding or belonging for visitors to the building. New Zealanders have an undeniable attraction to the coast. As a nation bordering only oceans, natural activity at the edge has captured our attention and imagination since early settlement. We are outward looking, obsessed by our edges. They provide us our nutritional, poetic and spiritual livelihood. Today, with most of our cities on the coast, we radiate our cityscapes from the edge. The seaside promenade becomes the urban climax, and we flock to it, instead of the town square. Waitangi and Bastion Point, places of national contemplation for concepts of land ownership, settlement and belonging, are both on coastal outcrops, scenic lookouts once chosen for good views of an enemy, now raise us high enough for us to admire the power and breadth of the ocean.

These are both sites of self-representation and cultural and political exchange. This project will look at a new design for the Museum of New Zealand. Reading the national museum as a place of self-representation and inter-cultural exchange, the project will explore our obsession with the coast and the foreshore as a place of gathering for New Zealanders, to inform a new design for the museum.

The body is a temple; the suburb is a crack house.
October 2014
Kelly Henderson


We all live on a small island, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Our urban fabric is generally a very loose weave – low rise buildings, huge amounts of open space, and a sprinkling of people in between. This is not just an incidental aspect of our built environment; it is a heavily engrained part of our identity. We are constantly on the look out for ways to get away from other people –to escape to the Bach, away to the beach, go camping in the middle of nowhere, take the boat out –just far enough so as not to see anyone else. And this is fine, until we come to the suburb. The glorious open spaces of the suburb that -if we are not careful –hide our heart disease and depression and domestic violence and desire to suicide in its folds.
Our health is measurable by our social wellbeing, as much as our physical state, and the built environment plays an important role in this. Our house contains every threshold between the world and ourselves: doorways within and throughout, dictating social interaction beyond. What happens if we then begin to conceptualise suburbia not as a collection of private dwellings that serve to guard against inadmissible openings and prevent the loss of life –sentiments that are largely based in fear, in the unknown and of the other- but as a blueprint of possible social connection and landmarks of collective identity? And what kind of an impact would that then have on the health of the population?
The site of the project is Ranui, a diverse, divided and deprived community of about 10 000 people -comprised of a large number of Maori and Pacific Islanders. It’s the home of the West Auckland Mosque, Earthsong eco co-housing neighbourhood and has recently become owner of what is arguably the ugliest building in Auckland. With some of the most reasonable real estate in an expensive city Ranui is developing quickly, with the population set to double in the next 20 years.
Examining our Island mentality in the context of the suburb, on the premise that spatiality influences our social wellbeing, this project begins to challenge the performativity of Ranui. Ranui becomes a Republic, an Island, a Utopia, a Dreamland. Disconnecting in order to connect, boundaries are redrawn and new socio-spatial possibilities emerge.