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PROJECT OUTLINE: Recently, the Government has purchased 29.3 hectares of Unitec Land within the Wairaka precinct. The proposed number of houses aimed to be built on this land has been described to be between 3000-4000 dwellings. This lays the foundations for a very high-density urban development of approximately 130-140 dwellings per hectare. However, the actual numbers depend on a variety of inconsistent forces, such as the changing socio-political and economic climate and how these will modify the existing site. What makes this announcement ideal for the scope of this project can be summarized by both the virtue of the location, and the nature of the announced project. Using this site, the project will develop a proposition for an urban plan representative of the research and studies expressed in the content of this document. It will show how this plan is manifested at two scales, the conceptual system and the urban scene. ABSTRACT Historically, the streets of cities have been the epicenter where public life takes place. They have provided democratic spaces which were important for many social, economic, leisure and political activities. Many of the ideas we consider to be contemporary urbanism were established, or rather re-established, from a collective frustration concerned with the destruction of cities under modernist planning techniques and the shaping of form around the automobile. Characterized by a separation of function, suburban sprawl and auto-motive dominance, the continued attrition of these planning principles led to the destruction of communities and public spaces. These conditions have been the cause of many of the poor conditions we see today, with the urban form of cities being linked to such issues as obesity, poor mental health, crime and loss of productivity. Criticisms of the planning ideologies occurred primarily over the second half of the 20th century and paved the way for what we know today as urban design or contemporary urbanism, characterized primarily in the works of Jane Jacobs: “The death and life of great American cities". In its wake, the most important questions and ideas of contemporary urban design were established. Many of the principles revolved around the idea that a city should first and foremost prioritize and serve the needs of people and their habitats. It should support and enhance our physical and social behaviors. It should nurture community, walkability, amenity, social interaction, life and activity. Environments should engage the inhabitants and enhance the experience of those contained within its fabric in much the same way as good architecture enhances the lives of its dwellers. These ideas are inspired by the virtues found in historical city models and in contemporary manifestations. They have proven that the forms of older cities are equally effective today as they have been for millennia. This project is an exercise in the shaping of good urban conditions, towards an improved city fabric that enhances life and experiences within the city. It aims to experiment with the compositional value offered in contemporary urban planning theory, strategies and practice, as a means to explore how the creation of form can be engaging, questioning how this applies and materializes into the modern urban forms of Auckland to create engaging urban conditions. It will discuss how such forces that define these urban conditions can work to enrich life in Auckland under the increasing pressures of intensification, while demonstrating what can be done and how we can achieve it to ensure a better urban form for the future of the city in an outline of methodical strategies.

RESEARCH QUESTION: How can architecture and its associated public open space act as a mediator between development and the existing demographic to protect and foster culture during the process of gentrification? Throughout history, gentrification has displaced culture, heritage, business and residents. One of the issues lies within architecture itself as it is the catalyst for gentrification. Architecture forms the relationship between gentrification and culture by dictating the programme, users and overall character of an area. Typically, gentrification consists of the construction of contemporary architecture with little regard for the existing character, heritage and users. Often resulting in forcing out the lower-income users like artists, long-term residents and businesses that help form the character of the area. Auckland as a rapidly growing city has numerous areas already affected or under threat from the perils of gentrification. Areas like Parnell and Ponsonby have seen their character exhausted by gentrification and areas like Onehunga, Kingsland and Karangahape Road are currently facing a similar fate. The threat for Karanghape Road is imminent. Karangahape Road is currently in a state of transition, as the area becomes chicer, interest has peaked, inherently development and rents have started to increase, beginning to displace residents and businesses with dull, standard commercial operations. This project explores using architecture and urban design as tools to mediate the relationship between gentrification and culture. First by identifying the unique qualities of Karangahape Road and their implications on the character and culture in the area, done through extensive research and analysis of the site and theory. Then formulating a design solution to protect the complex heritage and character of Karangahape Road. In an effort to highlight the unique qualities architecturally and socially the design gives subtle nods to the context and character through form, material and programme. The project focuses on forming a network of architectural, urban and landscape interventions that endeavour to insulate Karangahape Road from the perils of gentrification while accommodating for future development and fostering the unique culture within Karangahape Road. This network is situated around remodelling three key buildings, La Gonda, Flacksons and Rendells, with a series of five associated urban public space interventions.

RESEARCH QUESTION: How can polyphonic soundscape ideals be the primary driver in the design of post-industrial environments? Sound Landscapes poses the question, how can polyphonic soundscape ideals be the main driver in the design of post-industrial environments? A hypothetical Master Plan for future development at Onehunga is used as a framework to answer this question. The plan provides a location for the implementation of underestimated acoustic techniques, which will add to the discourse regarding harmonious soundscapes within the urban landscape. The discourse currently focuses predominately on the undesirable influences of the imbalanced soundscape that is universally known as noise pollution. The potentials of the sonic aesthetic are undermined. This investigation seeks to address this issue and demonstrate that the sonic landscape is a valuable resource awaiting its discovery and that there are opportunities for this invisible aesthetic to foster and enrich a sense of place. Polyphonic elements can occupy a privileged niche within the landscape. Significant social, cultural and ecological needs of key stakeholders have been identified and these are acknowledged and reflected in the sound-driven principles and interventions that are a result of this project. Analysis of design precedents has identified possibilities for addressing issues of noise pollution from a position of inspiration and positive influence. It is common for disciplines to reside in silos. This research project seeks to raise awareness of the potentials of integration - the confluence of acoustic theory and normative landscape architectural practice. This process, which is polyphonic by nature, has produced a variety of strategies and spatial arrangements that aim to transform sound from a problem to a design resource

RESEARCH QUESTION: How can city-centre public buildings be regenerated in urbanised China? Presently, with the continuous growth of the economy in China, urbanisation has developed rapidly. The increasing urban population has put significant pressure on many of the original public building spaces in the city centres. The pressure of high levels of urbanisation in China not only has severely damaged the original relationship between architecture and the city, but also reduces the quality of life for urban residents. Public buildings and spaces are the places where the population gather together and are vital landmarks of a city. Therefore, there needs to be a harmonious relationship between public building space and the urban fabric, as they manifest the economics and vitality of the city. This project concentrates on how to regenerate the public building spaces in the city centre. It focuses specifically on redesigning Jinan Railway Station (Jinan, Shandong) and its surrounding context. This project is based on the exploration of urbanisation, urban design and public building space theories. Furthermore, it combines the advanced design concepts, some important precedent studies of contemporary railway stations from around the world and the city’s unique cultures to create the appropriate design approaches for the new Jinan Railway Station. The future design intention for the Jinan Railway Station is to entirely remove the original building and replace it with a multi-functional building complex. Traffic system services within the new design include not only trains but also extend to a subway line and space for buses, taxis and private cars. New technology such as E-ticketing and security lights will be used in a variety of public places within the design to make the architectural form and space of the complex more open, also to ensure maximum safety of passengers and commuters. Ultimately, the outcome of this project is a railway station and surrounding transit squares design that responds to the demand for rapid urbanism and promotes effective transportation of people through Jinan city centre. This design will transfer Jinan Railway Station and its surrounding space as an urban landmark station public space that supports a harmonious relationship between Jinan city’s people and the station

RESEARCH QUESTION: How can the existing houses in the urban villages be upgraded in order to improve the living conditions and upward social movement of migrant workers in Chinese cities? This project investigates the remodeling and upgrading of existing ‘urban villages’ to improve the living conditions of rural migrant workers in Chinese cities. Urban villages are high density, sub-standard housing specifically built within cities for migrant workers who come in from rural areas to earn cash. The workers have limited rights within cities and are exploited for their cheap labour, have little or no choice for accommodation and face discrimination from the permanent urban residents. Typically, each room will accommodate 5 to 10 people, cooking is done in the corridors and there are inadequate sanitary facilities. There are issues of fire escape, ventilation and daylight, and there are no common areas or spaces within the buildings to allow any form of recreation or other activities. In short, the rural migrants have little dignity in these so-called ‘villages’. The purpose of this research and design is to improve the living standards of the migrants by altering the existing buildings. It would be unrealistic to assume that new housing could be built for them as neither the government or private landlords would invest in such a project. The proposed design takes the opposite approach by maintaining the existing structure and involving the creation of additional common areas, introducing new circulation routes and areas for micro-enterprise, including food courts, internet cafés, workshops, and other spaces that have communal use. The selected site is a typical urban village in the city of Kunming, of which a small area was chosen and investigated for structure, circulation, construction and materials. The proposed design improves the natural lighting, ventilation and landscaping and takes it to another level. The aim of the design is to reintroduce aspects of the village culture of rural areas into the city, create a transit area to help the migrant workers adopt the city life and increase their quality of life, and, as a result, promote upward social mobility.

RESEARCH QUESTION: How can the incremental growth of nature be used as a premise to govern new sustainable builds within the region of Auckland? ABSTRACT: Housing can no longer be considered a human right, and is steadily becoming a luxury few can afford. The effects of limited staged land release and an exponential rise in population within Auckland has contributed to one of the most significant and defining housing crises of the 21st century in New Zealand. With an unprecedented influx of people into Auckland, current housing practice and policies are inept and unable to meet demands in both housing quantity and affordability. Retention of the fixed and final master plan and house plan as a solution to the market’s demands is a strategy that needs reinvention to better suit the current, yet ever-changing society that is developing at unforeseen rates. This research project, “Incremental Extension”, addresses the limitations of housing, both historic and contemporary. Using nature as a tool, guide and overall influence, the architectural outcome seeks to represent a collation of several core attributes found within ecosystems and natural growth patterns. The research undergone will explore the possibilities of a walkable city, and the return to planning at a human scale through the prioritisation of the pedestrian and social capital within communities. The result of this research project is an architecture that allows an abundance of integrated growth and development options whilst retaining the unique feel of Warkworth and the overall value of architectural design. This is achieved through a sustainable and incremental expansion strategy derived from natural growth patterns of ecosystems. The strategy begins with the initial pre-fabricated architectural seed, consisting of a master bedroom, bathroom, and open plan living, kitchen and dining. The growth of this seed occurs through incremental additions of pre-fabricated wall panels slotted within a steel frame. Internally, as the seed/dwelling grows, a grid track system allows occupants to add, remove and modify existing partition walls, resulting in numerous room and furniture layouts. Overall the process and resulting architecture seeks to create opportunities for people of all social classes to satisfy ever-changing needs.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Can architecture revitalise a struggling suburban town by building stronger communities through the encouragement of mixed-use buildings and walkability? ABSTRACT: Don’t forget your roots’ sets out to examine the causes of decline in suburban town centres, and more specifically, Taradale. Population growth has seen Taradale’s function in the community change from a semi-rural setting, to a suburban community. As a consequence of this growing population, suburban sprawl has filled in the land between Napier and Taradale, connecting the two towns with residential development resulting in greater dependence on Napier city at the expense of the Taradale town centre. The consequence of this has seen the inclination of car dependance. Cars are now more common as the town of Taradale is reliant on private transport to travel to towns such as Napier that can provide them with general necessities. This project aims to decrease automotive dependency and shift the necessities from surrounding towns back to the Taradale town centre in order to help Taradale thrive yet again. By focusing on developing walkability within Taradale, this will see an influx of pedestrians and street activity which in turn will drive the success of the town. Critically, we must re-orientate the community’s focus on Taradale by rejuvenating the town centre to better meet the needs of the community. Walkability will be key to re-connecting the town centre to the community while integrating Taradale within the large system of Hawkes Bay’s cycleways. These cycleways have proven successful for both locals and tourists alike. The intent of this project is to ensure that Taradale secures its place as a destination or node within the broader Hawkes Bay regional network. Ultimately this would create pedestrian-friendly town centres as Hawkes Bay struggles with the ongoing dependency on vehicles and the effects of sprawling suburbs onto horticulture and agricultural land. In order to address suburbs sprawling onto this land, townships such as Taradale need to seek intensification and mixed-use development. There are a number of urban design research sources that provide precedents in the integration of walkability within an established town centre. Specifically in the case of Taradale town centre connecting to the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT). Auckland’s Unitary Plan provides a suitable precedent for intensification of town centres providing four categories that define this; accommodation, entertainment, education and workspace.

RESEARCH QUESTION: How does a town centre regeneration project use existing and new public open space to achieve identity and by this process re-establish its purpose as a local centre? ABSTRACT: With the increasing population in Auckland, there is a lack of housing being built to keep up with the population growth. We have been left with low density housing from the past which is being subdivided to intensify housing. However, the local town centres for these suburbs are in poor condition and lack appropriate building typologies and public open spaces which are necessary for the community. This project explores how a local town centre can be rejuvenated by introducing high-density housing, mixed-use and public open space. The project will look at what type of elements will be useful in achieving these objectives such as housing typologies that will be useful in getting a variety of people into the town centre, public open spaces which will allow for different types of activities throughout the town centre, and mixed-use buildings that will allow for local businesses, and job opportunities. The site selection for this project was Papatoetoe as it is a town centre that I grew up in and would like to see improved. Papatoetoe’s Town Centre is based along a major traffic artery and is primarily used as a way to access or leave South Auckland instead of stopping to access Papatoetoe. Much of the town centre’s open space consist of parking lots and car dealership yards instead of useable space for the community. Many of the principal buildings in the town centre are obsolete, under-used, or in poor condition. For a future role in the district in which the population will be increased Papatoetoe will need planned public space, which is entirely absent in the present layout. Literature and precedent research has shown that there are multiple ways to explore the transformation of local town centres. These allow for less vehicle dominant town centres and will be used for design decisions throughout this project, in which the aim is to imagine a regenerated form for the Town Centre.

RESEARCH QUESTION: How can a live-work development respond sustainably to current growth patterns within Auckland? ABSTRACT: The rapid rise in population within Auckland has created a high demand for housing. Current urban developments within Auckland mostly consist of detached homes in new subdivisions, resulting in high demand for low-density housing. Suburban sprawl is an unsustainable way to house our growing population. It has abandoned the neighbourhood model in favour of cardependent structures, thereby widening the gap between professional and private life. Sub-urbanization has lead to a decrease in social interaction and physical activity. To move our urban environment forward, we must create more opportunities for residents within the existing suburbs. A possible solution for cities, plagued by issues from unmaintainable urban sprawl, is to adopt qualities of compact neighbourhoods. These models aim to provide residents with work and amenities within proximity, thereby, reducing congestion while concurrently encouraging physical activity. This has been shown to significantly improve quality of life through a more vibrant urban fabric. Research into the live-work typology and its history is limited, making it difficult to identify the benefits and drawbacks of the different design approaches. Regardless, literature and precedents such as the Rieselfeld Development in Freiburg, Germany and different contemporary workhomes, were studied to frame the development for a live-work typology within Auckland’s suburban fabric. Further research on urban sustainability, as well as the implications of the live-work typology, increased focus on a smaller portion of the live-work development to minimise the implications through design. This project hypothesises that a live-work model can be used as a tool to revitalise the current sprawl situation within Auckland. Specifically, the project aims to introduce a livework development into Glenfield, North Shore. Currently, the site lacks an adequate buffer zone between industrial and residential zoning, a common characteristic noted throughout Auckland. Through a new well-designed neighbourhood model, social interaction and a sense of community can be established ultimately providing a live-work typology seen as ‘the neighbourhood of the 21st century’.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Using Christchurch’s Southern Corridor, how can a transport oriented, multi-use interchange, positively respond to transport issues present in Christchurch’s greater urban growth, whilst refocusing development patterns? ABSTRACT: Urban sprawl is dominating parts of Christchurch. Current land-use and growth plans allow this to happen, consistently releasing greenfield land for development to meet housing demands. This sprawled pattern of development is inefficient for promotion of sustainable transit, as housing layout and travel distance factor its demise. This has been driven by a city-wide reliance on private automobiles. Since the introduction of automobiles to Christchurch, urban form has manifested into vast low-density neighbourhoods. Since the earthquakes of 2010/2011, peripheral townships are receiving an influx of new residents – with housing subdivisions as a result. These are spread out, disconnected and lack community feel. Retail centres with massive car-parks dominate the ‘commercial heart’ of these towns – deterring pedestrians. Getting to these towns causes traffic congestion during peak times, and provides an issue for residents who must balance costs between travel and living. This project aligns transport and its urban effects, investigating Christchurch’s current transport network and urban situation, examining the city’s automobile aligned growth patterns. It challenges the current transport proposals designed to keep the city moving. It will investigate public transport, and opportunities that lie in prioritising it, not only to relieve traffic issues, but also to reconsider urban growth patterns. It investigates how better access to transit, contributes to creation of community-oriented urban areas. The proposed scheme focuses on one of Christchurch’s main growth areas – the Southern Corridor, and hones in on Rolleston, a peripheral township receiving considerable sprawled growth. It explores how rethinking the current transport network affects Rolleston positively, culminating in a design for a transit-focused town centre, considering modern technologies to create a public space. Thus, aligns the network with urban interventions providing the best answer to alleviating current growth patterns. It examines in detail, the intervention’s opportunities and effects it may have.

RESEARCH QUESTION: How can traditional urban space elements be used to enhance the design of transitional space in the contemporary city? The following research is an explorative study on “Transitional spaces” as a means of designing and enhancing urban architecture. To start with, transitional spaces are the intermediate areas that acts as an in-between spaces. Traditionally, spaces were defined as indoor or outdoor spaces and the presence of transitional space was not experienced so this research will be focusing on these transitional spaces and the journey from one place to another marking these spaces as a destination. It also focuses on identifying what defines a transitional space that enhances the pedestrian experience in an urban environment. Also, providing a commercial building with mixed-use areas enhances the overall space and helps it merge into its urban context. Thus, the research will be an implementation of design by intertwining the publications of architects within Western and Indian urban contexts and traditional transitional space case studies on macro and micro scales, that are related to the topic. It is an attempt to understand the traditional elements of transitional space and then implementing them in today’s urban context. The potential site for this project is “The Aotea Quarter framework” identified by Auckland Council as the core and cultural heart of Auckland. It includes adjoining mixed-use neighbourhoods and physical interventions revealing opportunities to improve the public realm.

Crime in Auckland has increased in recent years, and is becoming a more significant problem for Auckland’s residents, as well as for the governmental agencies charged with protecting the peace. While the statistics for some types of crime have been relatively stable for example car theft, burglaries and ‘white-collar crime’, other types of criminal activity including drug related offences, personal violence, and crimes that affect the sense of people in the city and their security indicate trends which suggest that Auckland is becoming a less safe, more unstable urban environment. This may be partly the result of rapid economic and population growth, the development of new neighbourhoods where residents are less well-known to each other, and the changing form of urban societies in terms of more complex social and economic patterns as well as more diversity in urban communities. In this evolving context, it becomes vital to make cities safer places for existing and new residents. This research project critically analyses the principles gathered from the scholarly work of Jane Jacobs, other notable authors as well as the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design techniques which are applied in other countries to reduce crime and their relationship to architecture in New Zealand context. The project also looks at how lower-level crime has an impact on one’s quality of life and wellbeing. A number of different research methodologies are utilised in this study including literature review, precedent studies, site analysis and quantitative research conducted by various organisations across Auckland. The suburb of Henderson is an area in Auckland which has experienced significant levels of crime yet at the same time, facing population growth. The design intervention will be therefore be firstly master planning a site in Henderson using the selected Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design techniques followed by focusing on one part of the site for a mixed-use building design proposition. The project explores and pushes the boundaries surrounding existing building typologies and how appropriately increasing density as proposed by the Auckland Unitary Plan and mixing uses can lead to a safer and more secure environment. Currently, there are no architectural projects that have applied the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design theories in New Zealand. Although the project has been developed specifically for Henderson, insights from the research and the research approach utilised can be employed in other parts of the country affected by crime and similar circumstances.

Auckland’s population continues to increase every year, shown as the fastest growth in New Zealand. People from everywhere in the world come to Auckland to travel, work and study, making Auckland their new home. However, the current public transport will not be able to cater this growth as people nowadays prefer to live close to the central city that offers more opportunities for employment and education. Therefore, the City Rail Link is delivering a new train station to maintain the accessibility between Auckland CBD and other parts of the city. Aotea, described as the busiest station within 10 minutes walk to anywhere in the central city, will allow more than 13,000 people to access the CBD per hour. Thus, the new station will not only lead more people to access to the core of the city, but it also stimulates many further developments around the railway station to provide more housing and employment within the area. As a city that must grow to adapt the rapid growth of population and infrastructure development, it is an opportunity for architects to rethink the design of the future dwelling, office space and a wellfunctioning community. This is in response to the demand for living, working and studying in close proximity to the Auckland CBD, since the urban sprawl is no longer a solution due to the Auckland housing crisis and traffic congestion. This project proposes a vertical mixed-use development that incorporates with the new railway station, which will achieve a higher density architecture, and offers a sustainable lifestyle and community within the building and surrounding areas. The programmes in this mixed-use development reflect the predominant patterns of the surrounding uses in four significant areas – Victoria Quarter, Learning Quarter, Engine Room Quarter and Aotea Quarter. Vertical mixed use development in condition of public transport will create a unique transition at the junction of horizontal and vertical movement. This research project will promote the viability of the public transport, enhance the surrounding infrastructure, and provide a unique experience to live and work in the heart of Auckland CBD.

RESEARCH QUESTION: How can the public acceptance of sustainability be changed through using principles of hedonistic sustainability in establishing a hybrid urban farm as a dynamic public destination for Auckland? ABSTRACT: Public awareness of environmental sustainability has increased since the late twentieth century when it was recognised that the substantial deterioration of natural resources and the environment was a serious concern. Awareness, however, must develop towards acceptance, requiring a vital paradigm shift to make substantive progress. Sustainable development has made significant advances since the onset of environmental activism and the introduction of early, rudimentary sustainable options and costly eco-friendly products, yet ‘sustainability’ is still mentally associated with the need for compromise. It has become apparent that people may only accept a sustainable alternative if it is easy, affordable and attractive. To act as a catalyst for changing the public acceptance of sustainability, this research project proposes to implement Hedonistic Sustainability, creating a ‘Bio Park’ as a hybrid urban farm and public entertainment destination, encouraging the public into a positive relationship with their environment, and in turn sustainable development. This project will explore how education and entertainment can be combined in a playful manner for the public to experience a functioning urban farm as an exciting, contemporary destination, ultimately aiming to inspire people to view sustainable development in an appealing and positive light.

This project will propose bottom-up testing grounds for creative exchange and opportunity starting by empowering individuals at local level. As architects we have a responsibility to support the diverse spectrum of individuals that make up our communities. The behaviours of culture, public space and individual expression are all fundamental components of an interconnected network that define our cities. By re-aligning the relationship between the behaviour of culture and the behaviour of public space the architect can better support individual expression. The predominant model of homogenised public space in cities does not acknowledge the inherent heterogeneity of the individual(s) that occupy them. Therefore, the public realm has a tendency to manifest into exclusionary space, marginalising many important communities within the city. If we are to help propel the regenerative cycle of culture then we must create inclusionary urban platforms for creative exchange. Architects are agents of social change, so therefore we must act. We cannot continue to watch by as our public spaces fall victim to the controlling agendas of city authorities. The city is comprised of a mosaic of different cultures, and therefore we must embrace diversity by facilitating the exchange of ideas, social behaviours, values and artefacts between individuals. If the current condition of public space does not function appropriately, then we have a duty to experiment and test alternative design frameworks. The city needs urban culture, and therefore responsive cultural infrastructure must be in place to support the changing needs of the individual. The project focuses upon the architect’s ability to leverage informal (opportunity) and formal (defined) space to better respond to the heterogeneity of our communities. The intention of this project is to design community based music facilities that promote music culture production. The key premise for this proposal is the notion of one site, split over two locations: Eden Terrace and Otara. These testing ground(s) have been selected in order to facilitate the re-connection of south Auckland musicianship to music cultural activity happening within the city centre. Music culture is used as a vehicle for social change. If we hope to support the production of culture, with the hope of new things being created, cross-pollination of ideas between varied individuals must occur. By connecting two disparate locations in Auckland, we can enable interaction. This exposure of different ethnic groups to each other helps to break down barriers of prejudice. The key concern is how can we establish integration between the largely different groups of people from Eden Terrace and Otara, whilst still preserving their own individual identity. It’s about acknowledging the importance of heterogeneity within our city while realising the potential that layering of different cultures holds.

This research project set out to answer the question stated on page 6: can an architectural proposition provide a connection between a city’s iconic natural assets and enhance a real and metaphorical sense of place? To effectively answer this question, an approach was taken to approach the project with a design, research, design approach. That is, a dual approach of both personal design and investigation of already established architectural literature along with precedent projects would assist in reaching an acceptable solution, from both an academic and a personal perspective. Early in the project, it became apparent after examining several built projects that the primary focus of the project would be one of urban design. While the subject of urban design has a wealth of literature available, it is still a relatively contentious subject in terms of both architecture and wider planning. That is because as a discipline it involves so many different variables that it is hard to pigeonhole under one profession’s umbrella. However, it is these complexities that make it much more interesting and, because of its holistic nature, more varied and rewarding outcomes are achievable. What’s more, in order to understand an urban issue that much more effectively, a full analysis of the scope of the project must be done. That is, not just architectural knowledge should be canvassed, but historical, social, environmental and economic information needs to be evaluated in order to reach a more definitive conclusion. Therefore, a review of existing knowledge of the discipline and those built projects that have a specific correlation to that of the overarching parameters of this project was completed in conjunction with more location-specific knowledge-gathering. These investigations included analysis of the current urban form of the place in an attempt to establish an architectural solution, which then in itself, highlighted several issues resulting from the past 50-odd years of poor city planning and development. Thus, can a (single) architectural proposition provide the aforementioned connection and enhance sense of place? In effect, no. That is, without perhaps creating something that in itself becomes overly complex and out of context with the urban design theory investigated for this project. However, a series of architectural interventions with a broad focus on achieving a connection that references academic, built best practice and coalesces with existing urban context should provide suitable illumination for a solution or solutions to the above mentioned issues. And if designed primarily with people in mind, it should, with luck, enable the question to be answered effectively. Project sites: The Rivermouth, Huatoki Plaza, Huatoki Square/Piazza, Huaktoki Riverside.

‘Wellbeing’ is not the easiest subject to discuss. It is difficult to quantify, and even more difficult to offer a precise definition. We currently function in a society where our needs are justified and driven by financial motive. Anything outside of what the market tells us we need, or what is economically advantageous, is difficult to comprehend and even harder to fight for. It is engrained in our culture to measure success financially, and to support those working towards it. This focus on wealth stems from the belief that everything that we need or want can be bought – that ‘wellbeing’ is something that will either arrive naturally or by improving financial circumstances. I started this thesis with the belief that no one intends to live an unfulfilled life. We each strive towards success in the hope of reaching happiness and achieving ‘wellbeing’, yet we have failed to see the entirety of the repercussions of our actions. My research project will look critically at wellbeing, how we define it, how it is really achieved, and its relationship to architecture and planning. Even measured by conventional methodologies, wellbeing levels in New Zealand are low across all areas, regardless of housing typology, income, age or race. My design intervention will therefore be a proposal for a typical suburban neighbourhood in Auckland, where increasing densities are inevitably remoulding the quarter acre dream. This project will explore numerous constraints surrounding diverse existing building typologies, patterns of home ownership, the suburban mind-set and financial barriers, all of which are factors contributing toward the initial proposition: that standards of wellbeing in the present New Zealand context are poor for many, and that these standards are affected by our housing environments in the broadest sense. Site: Miro Street, Koromiko Street, Rimu Street, New Lynn, Auckland between Kelston Girls College and Lynn Mall.

The continuing growth of the world’s population and the subsequent trend of urbanisation increase the fear that the gap between science fiction and reality is closing. The urban fabric of cities are becoming denser. The built form is growing rapidly. The public realm is becoming over-crowded and stagnant with petrol-fuelled congestion. How are we responding to these fears that science fiction has predicted and continually highlighted over the last century? Does our city architecture need a radical change in order to prevent this future? Or is this future inevitable? [From 1.3 Aims and Objectives]: On a micro scale, the project aims to mitigate the effects of social class stratification that might occur with the inevitable rise of elevated streetscapes. Even the current urban environment displays a clear segregation between ground public plane and elevated private spaces. This project aims to facilitate the vertical transition of the public. [From 1.6 Methodology : Future Response] This project establishes a future scenario through research of current trends of our urban environments around the world, futurist theories and science fiction film and literature. The research compares an array of science fiction film’s depictions of dystopian futures, to our city’s current trend towards it. Blade Runner and Metropolis portrayed strong depictions of heavily urbanised cities, which aligned with the futurist theories of Le Corbusier and Hugh Ferris. The commonalities of all three sources of research (film, literature and current trends) formed a rapidly urbanised future of Auckland City, for this project to respond to. Project site: 106 Albert Street. The site is bordered by three streets: Albert Street, Victoria Street West and Elliot Street.

Under the process of urbanisation, more people settled in cities. This increasing population, along with demographic changes and purchase for investment, has broken the housing supply and demand balance. Meanwhile, without a fully established development regulation, the city has been out of control during recent decades. At this stage, policy makers and developers want to achieve higher density through making land sections smaller, which will lead to inhabitants losing privacy. This project creates a living community development in a suburban area which will achieve higher density numbers and better living conditions compared with a traditional suburban living environment. Architecturally designed, medium high rise apartment buildings sitting on the site, engaged with landscaped, public open space will build a model for future living community development. Local climatic conditions have been considered in the design process, helping to improve the quality of living in increased density situations. Project site: Te Atatu Road, Te Atatu Peninsula, Auckland.

The meaningless pattern of buildings, monotony, and fast pace of the city has created a disconnection between people and the Auckland CBD environment. As a consequence people are largely unaware of the diverse and meaningful experiences of the city, weakening the significance of place for individuals, and cultures. This research project, Architecturally weaving the Waihorotiu stream through Maori and Pakeha culture, explores the possibility of strengthening the meaningful relationship between people and the environment through a synthesis of the urban and natural in central Auckland. The project analyses the social, urban and cultural values of the central Auckland context in conjunction with an evaluation of architectural elements that increase experiential time, and create an engagement of people with the significant buildings, and restored stream. The combining of these core elements suggests the possibility of a common cultural understanding of caretaking for the land through the participation in common experiences, where common meanings and symbols are created and understood. ... "Auckland’s main CBD road, Queen Street, provides a visible connection between the cities coast and ridgeline environments. Many Aucklanders may be unaware that the road follows the original path of the Waihorotiu stream. The Waihorotiu stream, which was the water source for early European Auckland, and once harboured waka and sailing ships, still runs beneath Queen Street in a maze of storm water pipes and leftover 19th century culverts"--Introduction on page 6. Project site: Queen Street, Auckland, N.Z.

This research thesis explores the way architectural performance can be increased through the pleasure of moments on the oblique in an urban realm dominated by orthogonality and verticality. The thesis analyses and explores the different applications of oblique planes and their surface conditions and the experiential conditions they produce. A paradigm shift occurred in the design and use of urban spaces initiated by the Industrial Revolution and made prevalent after World War 2. Urban spaces in contemporary cities have been taken over by the infrastructure and architecture built for the movement and storage of vehicles. As a result architecture and urban design is being designed to the scale for fast moving traffic rather than the scale for human movement and the potential richness of urban experience has diminished. Precedent analysis and observations realised a set of rules to ensure a hierarchy of movement and stopping zones. Architecture Principe’s exploration of the oblique was also analysed, from which a range of inclinations were selected and an adhesion table formulated in regards to surface conditions setting up a design methodology to articulate a hierarchy of movement. Additionally, the Three Part Inclination Method was used to derive the chosen range of inclinations and movement. An analysis of Auckland city, focusing on the infrastructure and architecture used for the movement and storage of vehicles showed a lack of designated public space which drove the site selection. The car park was chosen as it is a unique architectural typology that directly relates to the issue of dislocation from the ground plane. Choosing a car park for the research project ensures that the architecture is dominated by orthogonality and verticality and also ensured that the users of the oblique are affected by the issue of dislocation from the ground plane. The site includes three buildings starting with the Auckland City Downtown Car Park on the corner of Hobson and Quay Street, the Copthorne Hotel, and the ANZ building opposite the Copthorne Hotel. The rules from the precedent analysis, the adhesion table and the Three Part Inclination Method are applied to the overall site allowing the oblique to penetrate all three buildings and feed off the circulation, programs and surrounding context. The application of the oblique activates a journey promoting a range of movement, embodied experiences and moments within an architectural context ending with a public space that meets the water by Princess Wharf. Future projections for Auckland city’s growth as well as statistics on Auckland’s reliance on the motor vehicle prove that Auckland is and will remain affected by the issues caused by dislocation from the ground plane. The application of the oblique is the missing link to balance the dominance of orthogonality and verticality in the urban realm and is a step towards resolving the issues of dislocation from the ground plane created by reliance on the motor vehicle

This research project aims to improve the onsite living conditions for construction workers in Ahmedabad, India. Due to rapid urbanisation, large-scale housing developments litter city margins throughout India, catering to a new middle class. The rate at which these developments are being built thrives off the abuse of unskilled labour. In a science-fiction scene, utopian worlds are being constructed by workers living in dystopic realities. Workers building these developments temporarily live on the construction sites in labour colonies. The exploited labourers are reliant on a financial opportunity, creating a dependent relationship for both them and the developments: a dependency resulting in a juxtaposition of luxury and squalor. The labour colonies belong to a Kinetic City; an incremental city in motion, characterised by recycling materials, constant modification and reinvention through the practise of Jugaad Urbanism. The labour colonies are innovative and productive, but highly susceptible to dysfunction, suffering from a lack of any basic infrastructure. True solutions go beyond the limits of architecture, but architecture can contribute substantially to improving the quality of life for the workers. The root of the problem lies in cultural, social and political acceptance of discrimination. The project proposes an immediate remedy attempting to improve quality of life; furthermore, it attempts to suggest an appropriate first move in an incremental process of change. The project harnesses the concept of Jugaad Urbanism and accepts that the labour colonies belong to the Kinetic City. Much of my research took place on site in India, where I documented the materials and spatial configurations used in construction workers’ labour colonies, and throughout the Kinetic City. Drawing on this research, I designed a network of open spaces and housing units that anticipates and makes room for the innovations of Jugaad Urbanism. I then tested this design in accordance with a set of basic guidelines that developed out of my research. The research project documents a struggle to employ architecture as a means of achieving a desired standard of dignity for the construction workers. The project accepts that a realistic way to achieve this is by employing local techniques and incremental improvements, rather than by imposing a one-off, technologically advanced solution. The result is a design that is simple in terms of its spatial configurations, materiality and structure, but complex in terms of the social, cultural and economic barriers it must negotiate.

Many Small Island Developing States (SIDS) often rely heavily on tourism for their economies to prosper, and Samoa is no exception. The challenge is to balance the needs and desires of tourists against those of the residents and the environment. Environmental quality is a leading draw card for tourists, and is also essential in order for residents to maintain a living off the land. However, these activities in themselves are often at loggerheads with the needs of the environment itself. Climate change and urban development add to the challenges already being faced, with water quality and supply an important issue. The purpose of this research project is to propose a way in which educating visitors and residents on the fragility of local ecosystems might both assist the local economy and ensure that Samoa’s pristine environment can be enjoyed for generations to come. It proposes gentle urban development interventions, targeted at residents and tourists alike, and proposes an education centre in the heart of Apia with the aim of making that education accessible to as many as possible. Project site for the Environmental Education Centre is Beach Road, Apia.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS: 1. How might/can architects design houses that will respond to and change with individual needs? 2. In what way can housing at medium density beable to achieve flexibility and adaptability? This research design project challenges the current way of designing medium density housing in Auckland. In particular, it focuses on the ability to change and adapt ones home to suit changing needs and wants. This has been achieved by using flexible and adaptable strategies designed to deal with uncertainties of the future. As supported by research, it is apparent that the current method for designing houses at medium density lacks the ability to cater for a variety of different user groups and their ever changing needs. Housing needs to be able to grow and change with the user. Occupants will benefit from greater options and control over their homes and how they use the space within. The possibilities for flexible housing in Auckland’s urban context have been tested through the process of ‘research for design’ and ‘research by design’. Such research has clearly illustrated that flexible and adaptable housing has the potential to increase user control and variety within medium density housing while also having the ability to adapt to unknown future needs. Site: Hobsonville Point

The intended programme is to at least double commercial and residential density, while maintaining diversity in use and building form, enhancing the existing low rise, fine grain built environment and aligning with the area's 'sense of place'. The programme supports the trend towards small businesses in design, film and food industries, but it is anticipated that new and existing buildings will adapt to different uses over time.

Personal transport and communication technology have contributed significantly to the erosion of quality urban space. Together they have weakened the relationships between people within neighbourhoods through their ability to connect people over short or long distances with limited public interaction. This isolated lifestyle has been reinforced by the sculptural forms of modern architecture deteriorating the connection between public and private space. This project attempts to identify what defines an urban environment that provides a stimulating and memorable pedestrian experience; then, with that knowledge, analyse an existing urban environment and provide an architectural intervention that reinforces existing qualities while providing increased density and enhancing the sense of place and connection within the neighbourhood. Clarity of transitions and thresholds define a more vivid environment, creating spaces and points of change in a journey, locating our position in relation to where we have come from and where we are going.

This project titled “The Garden of Knowledge” presents a holistic exploration of a sustainable contemporary Māori urban design solution. The location is the ipukarea (ancestral lands) of the hapū (sub-tribe) Ngāti Whātua o Orakei at Orakei (Bastion Point) in Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland). The research question posed is how can Architecture inform the sustainability of contemporary urban Māori development? The project presents an alternative “belonging-based approach” (“he ara mana motuhake”) to urban design and architecture, and assumes a perspective of the land as a lived cultural reality which necessitates an understanding the whenua (land) and the communal layers of meaning and narratives imbued within it. It is argued that the dominance of the values of individualism, private property rights, and our addiction to the motor vehicle and other technocratic solutions is resulting in unsustainable urban design approaches that perpetuate these norms and fail to address the fundamental problems around our relationships with our resources and each other. Māori are kaitiaki (guardians) of their ancestral lands, and have a matrix of cultural understandings and practices inherited by their tūpuna (ancestors) that form a comprehensive sustainability ethic. This project presents a challenge to acknowledge the dominance of western cultural values infused in our practice of “sustainable” urban design and architecture in Aotearoa/New Zealand, and offers an example of how examining the issue from a Māori cultural context results in radically different outcomes. The design outcomes are directed by these values and include many features such as: housing solutions that meet intergenerational needs and fluctuating populations; inspiration sought from traditional Maori land developments including Pa sites; a focus on horticultural gardens for economic sustainability and food sovereignty; inclusion of communal values through collaborative living solutions; and using a platform of tikanga Māori (values and practices) to direct the spatial layout. For Ngāti Whātua o Orakei, and Māori nationally this project represents a design solution embedded in the holistic wellbeing of the people and the whenua, and for Architecture this project contributes to the diversity of design generators and approaches that seek to move beyond the status quo.

The following section provides an introduction to the following explanatory document in support of a design scheme. An outline of the of the key concepts are defined and explained and context for the design process established. Problem: This paper argues that urban renewal within Auckland City leads to the loss of "place" a concept highlighted by Edward Relph in 1976 as the city pursues development strategies that result in homogeneity. Urban renewal is responsible for producing placeless environments in areas which hold significant value to communities and individuals. Urban change is constantly affecting our city. It is an ongoing process within the built environment meaning urban areas are never static; they are constantly changing systems of interconnected parts.1 As the city continues to change, the conservation of key areas becomes all the more important. These environments need to be conserved in the hope of retaining meaningful places within Auckland's urban landscape and reducing placeless development. Purpose: The project aims to identify tools that advance architectural design practices in relation to retaining a site’s existing “sense of place,” despite the redevelopment of an area, thereby reducing further “placeless” development in a unique area of the city. As this paper aims to provide an insight into possibilities of addressing placelessness due to the market-led process of physical urban renewal, an architectural scheme is proposed using Auckland City as a case in point. This scheme will act as a test to determine whether the intervention can in fact reduce the associated effects of urban renewal which lead to the spread of placelessness within an urban environment. Method: This project uses a standard scientific method to carry out research within the context of architecture. Research through literature, site analysis and design will provide the basis for a critical appraisal to be carried out on a final design scheme. Hypothesis: By broadening strategies associated with “conservation” to encompass existing social aspects of a site (the way in which the site is used by a community) the retention of a sites “sense of place” can be retained during the renewal of an existing urban environment thus reducing the spread of placelessness within our cities. Loose space involves the adaptability of a site for various human activities to occur. It is created when people recognise the potential in a space and use it for an activity they want to partake in. As loose space created sense of place within the chosen site, a hypothesis was also formulated in direct relation to the chosen site. It stated: By conserving loose space within this particular site, as well as physical features, the sense of place experienced within the site, can be retained therefore minimising the effects of placelessness. Results and conclusions: A review and search of literature suggests that large scale comprehensive “urban change” known as “urban renewal” has potential negative impact on a site's “sense of place”. A primary relative consequence of such renewal is “placelessness” and serves as the key focus of this project. Secondary issues also affect the site's sense of place, such as “beautification” and “gentrification”. These two issues prove to be troublesome aspects of urban renewal, and are therefore also addressed within this project. Furthermore, it is noted that within the site examined, one of the key aspects which allowed the creation of a “sense of place” was the “loose space” associated with the site. The idea of “loose space” becomes the a focal point in adversity to the problem of placelessness. The concept of conservation is also utilised and together these concepts guide decisions made during the design process leading to the production of the finalised design scheme. 1 Chris Couch, City of Change and Challenge : Urban Planning and Regeneration in Liverpool (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2003), p.6.