Happy Christmas and New Year

Fred Tschopp Scholarship 2015

This year we had a record number of applicants for the Fred Tschopp Scholarship. The aims of the scholarship are;

 1. Research that will contribute to new knowledge in the discipline of landscape architecture through design research

2. Research that has the potential to make a challenging, exciting and significant difference to our world, cities and landscapes

3. Research that will honor the legacy of Fred Tschopp Snr., as characterized by his creative and innovative expansion of the traditional boundaries of the Profession of Landscape Architecture as represented in his "Pioneering work in Rotorua".

After much deliberation we managed to whittle the applicants down to three; Shayne Noronha, Michael Sun and Xinxin Wang. After further painful deliberation we decided to award Xinxin Wang the scholarship for 2015. The panel and the family of Fred Tschopp jnr. felt that Xinxins research work showed the most potential to fulfil the three aims of the scholarship. As part of the award ceremony, the 2014 award recipient, Grace He, gave a heartfelt speech about how the award had helped her to develop her research work. 

Unfortunately the happy ceremony was overshadowed by the sad news that Fred jnr, the founder of the scholarship, is unwell and was unable to visit NZ. We very much miss Fred’s sagacious advice and his strategic thinking around the possibilities for the scholarship and the possibilities that the profession of landscape architecture has for the future of New Zealand. 

The whole department, faculty and students, extends their best wishes to Fred, Jean and the family.  

November workshop wrap up

A successful conclusion to the end of year Masters by Project programme with a great workshop showcasing the new research emerging from the MLA programme. The morning had one exam and three research projects that examined very different challenges to the way in which Auckland may develop. Helen Frances started the day with a final exhibition and examination. Helens research work explored how could a riverside walkway in Waipu be designed to meet the needs of multiple stakeholders in a site that is rich in heritage. Helen’s work received a searching but supportive exam from two distinguished landscape architects, Will Thresher and Claire O'Shaughnessy. Helens project was awarded an A grade ensuring that she passed with distinction. 

Special Thanks to Helens supervisor, Hamish Foote, who helped Helen to develop and master her research work with consummate skill. 

After morning tea, Raewyn Davie-Martin presented her research project that looks at how new potable and non-potable decentralised water networks can reimagine parks and surrounding neighbourhoods. Raewyn presented a great deal of work to support her investigation including 6 design test cases in the Mt. Albert area. Raewyn was followed by Gemma Gao who is looking at how to make Auckland resilient from earthquake through the design of multifunctional public space. The critics were engaged by Gemma proposition, a heated discussion ensured about how people would flee a volcanic eruption. Grace He, an experienced landscape architect working with the Isthmus group, presented her research project that questions how urban designers can work with the insights of multiculturalism to create a new kind of inclusive public space . Grace’s research intends to seek linkages between diverse cultural values and urban landscape and to explore the opportunities to integrate and represent those values in the urban landscape though design practice. 

To critique these three projects we were joined by a number of distinguished critics, Kate Healy, Chief Operating Officer Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa Limited, Juan Molina, senior architect and urban designer at CPRW Fisher. Orson Waldock, Work Group Manager for Opus International Consultants, and Yoko Tanaka Landscape Architect, Associate Principal, Boffa Miskell, Auckland. The critics found the three projects stimulating and challenging. 

After a delicious lunch of dumplings and jasmine tea we resumed the afternoon session with Rithy Heng presenting his research work that looks at ways sustainable urban renewal can be generated in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Rithy’s critics where fascinated by his topic but wanted a greater understanding of the physicality of the site to come through. Xu Gao followed with his project looking as Auckland re framed as a coastal city between Whangarei and Tauranga.  The critics were interested in the scope of his project and the mapping of the sites. The ideas of using tourism as a generation for a coastal city generated a wide ranging discussion. Junjie Xu presented his research project which explored how a study of landscape ecology can assist in achieving a sustainable outcomes for a brownfield development. Terry choice of a site to explore the design implication of this question in New Lynn interested the critics who made a number of helpful suggestions.  

The last three projects of the day were presented by Xinxin Wang and two Master of Architecture by Project students; Kelly Henderson and Eloise Veber. Xinxin Wang presenting her research into developing a green network for Auckland as a regional city. Xinxin, a highly experienced urban planner, has identified some of the  distinguished characters of lifestyle and urban patterning of Auckland through intensive mapping of the Auckland region. Critics commended Xinxins work for her rigorous analysis. Kelly followed by presenting her project; the body is a temple; the suburb is a crack house. Kelly is examining our island mentality in the context of the suburb of Ranui.  The premise of Kelly’s work is that spatiality influences our social wellbeing, thus the project begins to challenge the performativity of Ranui. In Kelly project, Ranui becomes a Republic, an Island, a Utopia, and a Dreamland. Eloise finished a long but very stimulating day with the presentation of her research project; Meeting at the edge. How would we design Te Papa today?  Eloise is looking at a new design for the Museum of New Zealand by reading the national museum as a place of self-representation and inter-cultural exchange. 

 The afternoon critics; Dr Johnson Witehira Matauranga Maori Advisor at Unitec Institute of Technology, Tommy Honey Dean of Collage, Whitcliffe Collage of Art, Juan Molina senior architect and urban designer at CPRW Fisher, Andrew Patterson, director of Patterson Associates and Alan Gray, Senior urban designer for Waterfront Auckland were all engaged by the breath of research and the wide variety of research topics. Criticism was cogent and focused. 

Overall the day was great finish to a year which saw a number of research projects finish with successful examinations and a number of exciting new research opportunities begin.