March 10th, 2010
In all the debate around Queens Wharf, ferry terminals, and supercity governance it easy to forget that there is actually an established plan for Auckland’s waterfront. It serves the purposes of the media and others to overlook the existence of this plan, which many have devoted significant time and effort to. So as a reminder for some, and a revelation for others take a look at Auckland Waterfront 2040.
March 8th, 2010
The government’s first infrastructure plan confirms their intention to invest $14b over the next 10 years in school construction. The UK’s Commission of Architecture and the Build Environment (CABE) has released recent research on the economic case for investing in schools. Of particular interest are their comments on the difference which school design makes to student attainment and their claim that the evidence is accumulating.
One link between the design of a school and the performance of its pupils is easy to establish: bullying. A child who is bullied finds it much harder to do well academically than one who isn’t, and older schools are more bully-friendly than those designed with the problem in mind – all those narrow corridors, dead ends and intimidating toilet blocks. The National Foundation for Educational Research carried out a study at Bristol Brunel academy, which opened in 2007; this showed that the number of pupils who said bullying was an issue for them has dropped by 23% compared with the school it replaced. Vandalism has dropped by 51%, and the number of pupils who say they “feel safe” has risen by 30%.
Another benefit of investing in schools is that good buildings attract good teachers. “We don’t see any conflict between investing in teachers and the buildings in which they work,” says Finch, alluding to the temptation for governments to cut capital works rather than teachers’ pay. “If good teachers have a choice between a good school building and a bad one, there will be some who will see the bad as a challenge to take up, but most will opt for a nice place. Good buildings tend to attract more and better qualified people to work and they stay there longer.” Of course in the shorter term this will benefit the upgraded schools at the expense of the rest, but that should be a transitory cost as the programme unrolls. The ultimate benefit, of course, would be to improve the status, and therefore the quality, of the teaching profession as a whole.
Any thoughts on the above, the robustness of the research?
March 1st, 2010
What’s the big deal about suburban sprawl? According to some sources in the United States it is shaping up as a real issue for large numbers of home owners. Add to the impact which the GFC has already had on US suburban house prices and the outline for these American families is not rosy.
Remember, diversity is important – it’s not just a catchphrase. It’s no less critical to communities’ survival than it is to the success of your own investment portfolio…
MSN.com has become the latest news outlet to confirm that the ever-outward suburban construction boom that defined United States real estate virtually unchallenged for half a century has gone bust, and perhaps not just temporarily. The latest, a new article by Melinda Fuller of MSN Real Estate, gives us an update with a few new tidbits:
February 25th, 2010
Any disagreement with the Washington Post’s view on the best, and some of the worst, of last decade’s architecture? Identified among the best are the Tate Modern, and Beijing National Stadium (Bird’s Nest). And the worst The Michael Lee-Chin Crystal.
February 24th, 2010
As the local body elections near we’ll see more ideas emerging from candidates and their teams. Late last year we had an interesting one in Wellington advocated by none other than Sir Robert Jones.
Sir Robert, a Wellington property millionaire, and supposedly retired, is putting together a team to run for the Wellington mayoralty. Running on the single issue to create a pedestrian-only boulevard from Lambton Quay to Courtenay Place Sir Robert says there’s “Nothing else. This is what people will vote for.”
The concept, modelled on cities such as Copenhagen and Budapest, would include free bikes and trams, water fountains every 100 metres, and possibly an ice rink and sound shell for entertainment. The car-free space would be perfect for open markets too, of which Sir Robert says: “Women are mad, we all know that, but they love Saturday markets. Some men do too.”
Unsurprisingly, Sir Robert’s vision has hit a road block with many Wellington businesses worried at the impact that it could have on their custom. Is it time to look at possible compromises? A post on the New Urbanism Blog provides some interesting ideas worth considering.
In other cases, it means getting creative, and using our spaces more efficiently for more hours of the day…
How about some examples?
One of my all-time favorites is Belden Alley in San Francisco. By daytime, this is a typical service alley like so many in any downtown or urban area. By nighttime, however, the alley transforms. Restaurants actually open onto the alley, and move tables and chairs out onto the pavement space. Bollards are placed at the alley entries so that vehicles cannot drive through. The space becomes alive with people relaxing and enjoying the evening.
The same condition exists in various ways in older cities throughout the U.S. A key component of a recent master plan that we co-authored in downtown Evanston, IL emphasized better use of the alleys as pedestrian ways, building upon a small successful couple of local examples. Other cities with increasingly active urban areas have experimented with this approach, which incidentally helps with safety as well by providing more activity in otherwise dark areas.
But we need not stop at just alleys. Our streets themselves deserve the same kind of thinking. Again, by thinking creatively about how to manage space, we can create more life, and more pleasure in our cities. A great example is the Cicolvia phenomenon. Begun in Bogota, Colombia, the idea was borne to shut down a large amount of the city’s streets (or portions of streets) for most of the day on every Sunday. On the temporarily-closed streets, people ride bikes, jog, walk with their kids, play games and much more. I had the chance to observe this in both Bogota and Medellin in Colombia, and it’s truly one of those experiments that the people who live there find great enjoyment from. Just think of our own over-sized streets, and how easy it would be to close them down for a “slower” Sunday to get out and simply enjoy life in the neighborhood or the City.
The possibilities are endless – the only hurdle we have to overcome is the assumption that all pavement space must be for vehicles all the time. Ray Bradbury eloquently wrote about this in the short story, The Girls Walk This Way,
“We drive… and drive… and drive and come home blind with exhaustion. We have seen nothing, nor have we been seen. Our total experience? Six waved hands, a thousand blurred faces, seventeen Volkswagon rears and some ripe curses from a Porsche and an MG behind.” And later: “Now we must remember that drama and theater are not special and separate and private things in our lives. They are the true stuffs of living, the heart and soul of any true city. It follows we must begin to provide architectural stages upon which our vast populations can act out their lives.”
If anyone is going to get traction on the concept of turning much of Wellington’s CBD into a pedestrian zone it is Sir Robert Jones. We will watch with some interest.
February 24th, 2010
I recently came across an interesting video on the New Urbanism Blog looking at a housing response to the devastation in Haiti where hundreds of thousands have been left homeless. The New Urbanism Blog says of the proposal:
There’s obviously much I like about the approach he is suggesting, not the least of which is the careful use of design to solve social, urban design and architectural problems. Too many people approach situations such as these and don’t consider how design can solve many of the pre-existing issues, or certainly how it’s critical to look at urban design in addition to simply building design.
In the video Andres Duany of Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co documents a proposed approach to rebuilding Haiti. It is an interesting approach for a number of reasons – the smallest structures can be put up in half a day, the Duany Plater team have delved into what they call the “sociological issues”. This has looked at developing an understanding of Haitian family structures, how they live, their social norms – to ensure that what they’re constructing is actually used.
November 23rd, 2009
Today Tommy Honey on Radio NZ’s Nine-to-Noon talked about (criticises) the apparent quest to create “iconic” buildings. He was particularly referring to Auckland’s Queen’s Wharf competition and the comments that entrants failed to put forward iconic designs.
But really what are the qualities of iconic buildings, who is to say that a early stage design will eventually attain iconic status, and how exactly do you build this quest into a competition or design brief. If there is a formula for creating “iconic” buildings what is it? If there are people out there with the ability to divine public sentiment 20, 50, or 100 years into the future – please point them out.
November 2nd, 2009
Last week in Australia the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd proposed introducing national criteria for the future planning of Australia’s major cities – effectively, centralising many city planning functions.
Naturally, the reception from state and territorial government was mixed. However, the Australian PM’s argument is pretty clear – our funds, our rules.
“If the Commonwealth is to foot any significant part of the urban infrastructure bill in the future, the Commonwealth legitimately will expect to have confidence in the integrity of the strategic planning systems of our major cities,” he said.
He’s proposed setting up a new planning strategy with the goal of making Australian cities productive, liveable and sustainable. The plan is partly to alleviate the risk that significant infrastructure investment may effectively be lost if they don’t get the shape of their cities right.
The plan would regulate land releases for housing, encourage good design, ensure adequate transport infrastructure and take into account the expected impact of climate change.
Is there any need for such measures in New Zealand?
November 2nd, 2009
The current controversy surrounding the running of Auckland’s Queen’s Wharf design competition is a real shame. The volume of negative attention received before a design has even been picked and construction commenced can only hurt the project.
It’s a shame because these kinds of design competitions offer the chance to pull in a wide range of stakeholders, and to generate community interest and pride in the eventual public asset.
CABE says successful design competitions:
NZIA has been pushing hard for a Government Architect. In this situation the Government Architect could provide specialist advice on the running of such a competition, assisting in the development of the brief, setting the rules and process, and handling the public engagement element. Above all else the Government Architect would provide the important perception of an unbiased and impartial process.
October 15th, 2009
Wilson School is a building designed to meet the needs of our most vulnerable children. It is Auckland’s first purpose-built school for special needs students with specialised facilities including six classrooms, a multi-purpose space and specialist therapy rooms.
It is a building and site which belongs to the children who arrive each day. The design motivates and generates independence and pride and has an unwavering focus on the wellbeing of pupils and staff. It is a building which inspires hope.
The school is unobtrusive in its relationship to its setting. It connects quietly to the landscape, indulging in the tranquil, serene essence of the site. The building assumes a subdued aspect beneath the surrounding trees and park-like setting, showcasing its simple yet sculptural form. It has a friendly interaction with its environment employing sustainable design principles.
The natural timber structure reflects the site’s context. It expresses a sense of peace, reassurance and warmth. The closeness to the natural elements that the building projects in its intimate connection with the landscape is a feature which is therapeutic to staff, students and visitors alike.
Photography Courtesy of Patrick Reynolds
October 15th, 2009
Auckland’s Queen Street has been transformed into a world-class, people-friendly main street, evoking the very heart and soul of the city. Distinctive streetscapes have been created which convey the city’s urban identity, quality, and character.
The project has provided for a network of distinctive places people want to visit and linger in, that supports the concentration of retail and cultural activities, and which transforms and revitalises the CBD into a sought after destination to live, work, play, and invest.
Footpaths have been widened, street furniture and art works added, and lighting improved. These were key elements of the upgrade designed to complement Auckland’s land, history and culture. Featured is furniture which reflects a strong Pacific flavour, sculptural artwork, and paving patterns which recall the inanga (whitebait) that was present in the Horotiu Stream which ran down the Queen Street valley.
The upgrade saw a new emphasis on native trees and the natural environment. Native plantings including nikau palms and cabbage trees were chosen for their iconic and hardy qualities.
At the core of these efforts has been the desire to reclaim the city for the people of Auckland through making it an attractive and desirable place to live, work, and play.
Photography Courtesy of Kim Christensen
October 15th, 2009
Hamilton’s WEL Energy Academy of Performing Arts neatly orientates itself to the adjacent lake and University of Waikato campus beyond. The entry and internal circulation links the larger movement pattern of the campus as a whole, giving the feeling of a building that fits its environment effectively.
The performance areas, conference rooms and chambers are simple and well appointed. These spaces are linked with loose circulation areas allowing for informal performance and exhibition areas, adding to the campus feel and contrasting with the formality of the external forms.
The design nicely draws the outdoor happenings indoors while hosting events, performances and exhibitions. It is a building which stands out on an otherwise unremarkable campus and provides a guide for future building decisions by the University. It is a building which evokes the interest of students and visitors both new and old.
October 15th, 2009
Meridian Energy’s new four-storey Wellington waterfront head office has eco-friendly design features promoting carbon neutrality, reducing the environmental footprint, and encouraging sustainability. The building has achieved a five-star green rating from the New Zealand Green Building Council.
Comprehensive design specifications covered aspects from proximity to public transport and use of environmentally healthy materials, through to an energy-monitoring system designed to track use and show where energy savings could be made.
Minimising construction and demolition waste, which accounts for up to 40 per cent of waste sent to New Zealand landfills, was a primary aim of the development. A waste-specialist sponsored by the Ministry for the Environment worked with the contractors to implement the Resource Efficiency in the Building and Related Industries (REBRI) guidelines. Waste minimisation actions included keeping a waste register, recycling, and staff training. More than 60 per cent of construction waste was sent for recycling.
Interiors are designed to make the office a pleasant, productive place to work in with maximum natural light, views for most staff and automatic temperature controls that staff can over-ride when required.
The building has features such as solar hot water, heat recovery systems, intelligent and addressable lighting controls, mixed mode ventilation (including chilled beams), an active external façade and a rainwater collection system for water re-use within the building. It is designed to use 60 per cent less energy and 70 per cent less water than comparable office buildings.
The project is a practical demonstration that good environmental principles and commercial imperatives are not mutually exclusive.
Photography Courtesy of Simon Devitt
October 15th, 2009
The Dixon Street Flats in central Wellington were completed in 1944 as part of the first Labour Government’s state housing programme. They are considered to be the archetype of Modernist era apartment blocks in New Zealand.
After their election in 1935 the Labour Government embarked on an extensive housing scheme. The scheme is best known for its production of suburban houses. However, 13 concrete apartment blocks were also erected, as a response to the severity of the housing shortage and critical lack of labour and timber materials caused by the Second World War.
Built of load-bearing, reinforced concrete, the Dixon Street Flats were the second block of apartments to be erected by the government. Although apartment-style living had been first introduced into New Zealand cities in the 1920s, the flats marked a new era of domestic architecture.
Designed according to the principles of the Modernist Movement. Modernist architecture is distinguished by its austere, machine-made and streamlined appearance.
The 10-storey building was the first slab apartment block in New Zealand, containing 115 one-bedroom units and one two-bedroom unit for the caretaker. Slab apartment blocks were only one unit deep to maximise privacy and sunlight.
The project was of a magnitude unprecedented in the history of domestic architecture in New Zealand and caused considerable excitement in the local press.
Photography Courtesy of Kim Christensen
October 15th, 2009
The redevelopment of Wellington’s waterfront was driven by a desire to improve one of the city’s best used community places – a space open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
A key part of the Wellington experience it is a focal point for community activities and events, hosting beach volleyball tournaments and concerts, dragon boating, and firework displays. It is a place where families picnic and there is a recreational activity for all with adults enjoying a game of petanque, teenagers at the skate park, and younger children in the play garden.
The beach, boardwalk, promontory, kiosk and change rooms were carefully and quietly added, while poor water quality, urban clutter and intrusive structures were removed. The enhanced beach integrates the new amenity buildings with the landscape elements, seamlessly incorporating the beach control points and storm water infrastructure and at the same time creating a pier to take the viewer out into the amphitheatre of Wellington Harbour.
The waterfront is now an integral piece of Wellington’s landscape that has been embraced by the whole city.
October 15th, 2009
The South Christchurch Library & Service Centre is a picture of functionality and efficiency with no excessive architectural statements.
As a community centre it sits in a park setting, providing a gentle civic presence. Particularly noteworthy are the sustainable features incorporated into the build. Some of these include the building alignment on the site to make use of natural features such as deciduous trees for shade in summer.
Another feature of the building includes rainwater collected from the roof being directed into a moat water feature surrounding the building. Passive ventilation is then possible by using the moat to cool air entering the building through low-level windows, and a computer controlled temperature management system that can open and close windows as necessary.
It is also expected that the design will result in a saving of $16,000 per year in energy costs due to the energy efficiency measures implemented. This includes the enhanced use of natural light and energy saving fittings such as double glazing and woollen insulation in the walls and ceilings.
The strength of this socially-orientated building lies in its direct functional simplicity and the clarity of spaces. The light-filled structure is elegantly expressed and features an effective use of colour inside. The spaces within are flooded with light and flow easily from one to the other.
Photography Courtesy of Stephen Goodenough
October 15th, 2009
The University of Otago’s Information Services Building (ISB) is a major renovation and addition to the university’s central library creating a 24-hour information marketplace.
The ISB has created an entirely new space on campus. The Link is a major and vital element of the ISB, melding the features of the learning centre of the university, the library, with the social centre of the campus for students, the University Union Building.
It contains a variety of spaces – the expected and the unexpected. There are e-stop kiosks allowing internet access. There are areas for those wishing to study in a more relaxed manner than the secure area of the library allows. There is lounge and café seating grouped so that students can engage with each other and with staff in comfort.
The building houses 2,200 study spaces including private study nooks, group study rooms and relaxed study areas, where students can combine their study with socialising and eating.
The ISB incorporates sustainable design principles including high-tech glazing to minimise solar heat gain, extensive use of natural light, and automatically-controlled windows which, combined with open planning, allow distribution of fresh air. Materials from the old library building were re-used and recycled.
A long curved limestone wall, backed by a 300mm concrete wall, winds its way through the length of the building. Not only is the wall the backbone of the building, but it is also a massive heat sink. This works in conjunction with high insulation glass to minimise temperature extremes by limiting direct solar gain during the day and releasing stored heat at night. Little work is left to be done by the computerised climate control system. Innovative light shelves drive daylight into every corner of the building, minimising artificial lighting levels in daytime hours.
Photography Courtesy of Gollings and Pidgeon
October 15th, 2009
The Onepoto footbridge is on the edge of a mangrove swamp, alongside Auckland’s northern motorway. In acknowledgement of the area’s indigenous seafood gathering history, its curved timber glue-laminated “ribs” evoke maritime images such as a whale’s skeleton, a breaking wave, or a half-constructed sailing ship. The ribs also serve as a shield from busy traffic, provide a sheltered outlook, and conceal the concrete beam of the underlying structure.
Photography Courtesy of Simon Devitt.
October 15th, 2009
A new bridge at Ormiston Road provides a gateway to Flat Bush in South Auckland. The cable stayed bridge spans an existing stream and landscaped park, accommodating four lanes of traffic plus pedestrian access. Construction is concrete pylons and deck, steel cable supports, stainless steel components and ‘beacons’ on top of the 45 metre pylons to provide a reference point-particularly at night.
Photography Courtesy of Simon Devitt
October 15th, 2009
The New Zealand Memorial in London’s Hyde Park Corner commemorates the enduring bonds between New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and our shared sacrifice during times of war. It is a symbol both of our common heritage and of New Zealand’s distinct identity.
The memorial consists of 16 angled cruciform shafts or standards which stake their place confidently in meaningful formation, grid-like, across the grassy slope of Hyde Park. Their form and arrangement evoke multiple interpretations as both urban design and sculpture.
They lean poetically, marking their message against the backdrop of the park and the rich texture of inner city London. These proud forms are beautifully embellished with a myriad of patterns, erasures, readings and smaller sculptural pieces, quietly telling stories of New Zealand identity.
The individual “standards” in semi-grid formation call to mind soldiers in procession, Pouwhenua markers around Ma-ori ancestral sites, or Celtic remains like standing stones.
The forward-leaning angle of the standards gives them a defiant pose reminiscent of warriors during haka, the defensive bat in cricket, and the barrel of a shouldered gun. Thus the military, Aotearoa/New Zealand, and British links of the memorial are immediately established in the placing and attitude of the sculptures.
This is about remembrance, sacrifice, heritage, national identity, and pride. The forms evoke emotion and draw people in. Through the words and images, any New Zealander visiting the memorial will recognise home, and British people may learn something of the relationship between the two countries. Engagement with the memorial and standards is encouraged by design.