The November Workshop

Four Masters of Architecture candidates presented in the morning, two freshpeople, Eloise Veber and Kelly Henderson presenting their first workshop and Maurits Kelderman and Peter McPherson presented their third workshop. Kelly’s project, the People Republic of Ranui, undertakes an investigation into the suburban condition of Auckland, Eloise is re-examining the genesis of Te Papa. These two scholars are undertaking ambitious research into the condition of New Zealand’s architectural and urban history and the implications for contemporary practitioners. The panellists, Edith Amituanai artist, academic, and resident of Ranui, Associate Professor Sarah Treadwell from Auckland University, Patrick Clifford, director and founder of Architectus, one of Australasian leading architectural practice and Lisa Reihana, leading Maori artist and academic, were highly engaged by the work. The research propositions sparked a lively debate, the panel were engaged by the challenge that Kelly laid down for how we should /could live in Auckland suburbia. Kelly reimagining of Ranui as a republic lead to a rich debate about what sort of constitution could be engendered, while Eloise’s reimagining of Te Papa bought back (happy) memories for Patrick as he was on the shortlist for the original Te Papa competition. Eloise conception of a Te Papa remade for the 21st century has been serendipitously connected to the government’s announcement of the creation of a Te Papa North to be built at Manukau City.

Maurits presented his design project for the building of a new campus at Hoani Waititi Marae; Richard Mann, Maori academic and landscape architect, joined the panel for Maurits presentation. Watching architectural history being written is always a fascinating business, and Maurits effortless doubling of the marae at Hoani Waititi captured the panel, the mirroring of the atea being only one of Maurits design investigations. Peter McPherson presented his research project to a new panel headed by two parametric experts; Lucas Epp structural engineer with Holmes Consulting Group and Yun Kong Sung managers of the Open Media Lab University at the Auckland. Sarah Treadwell Associate Professor at the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland and Garth Falconer founder and director of Reset Urban Design made up the rest of the panel. Peter presented his investigation into the use of a parametric process and the subsequent design for a new waterfront convention centre. Lucas and Yun were interested in how Peter had parlayed a particular system into a built form.

Kieran Dove, a Master of Landscape Architecture candidate, is also is exploring how the complex and often competing demands on a site can be acknowledged by using parametric design tools. Kieran is working with Auckland practice, Reset Urban Design and one of the Department of Landscape Architectures researchers in generative design, Nikolay Popov. The panel were intrigued by the new connections that Kieran was making between landscape practice and parametric processes, an area of practice that has been investigated mostly in architectural research.

Two other Master of Landscape Architecture by project students, Grace Warne and James Walker presented in the afternoon.  An engaged panel; Sally Peake, President of the NZILA, Garth Falconer director of Rest Urban Design, Omar Barrigan, manager of the Built Environment Unit at the Auckland Council and Greg Simon, prominant Auckland property lawyer considered the two research projects. Grace Warne, a first year MLA presented the reinvention of an industrial business park on the Rosebank peninsula. Grace is using the small industry park as a case study site to demonstrate how, through a number of subtle shifts in the landscape, the social ecology of the site can be enriched. The panel commended Grace on her choice of site and research problems, both critical in the continuing debate on the shape of Auckalnd urban form. James Walker third workshop presentation continued this debate with his research investigation into different development models for the western edge of Auckland. The panel applauded the verve of James presentation, appreciating the different theoretical connections that James made between site, history and collective responsibility for the development of  the new city.