Building Resilience: Responding to Agrarian Roots

Abstract

In the aftermath of the devastating succession of earthquakes in Christchurch in 2010 and 2011, a new landscape can be proposed in light of the city’s reconstruction. This landscape seeks to integrate the seemingly opposing impulses of creating innovation and fostering a resilience born from the city’s own inherent qualities. The recognition of perspectives from local cultures highlights the agrarian roots of Christchurch – but while New Zealand has a world class reputation built on the production of high quality primary produce, its agricultural sector is an industry of intensive labour in relation to production output. Nevertheless, agriculture remains fundamental to Christchurch’s economy; and with a history so deeply rooted in New Zealand traditions, opportunities for an incorporation of an innovation culture with the primary sector will be key to developing resilience when considering its role in Christchurch’s economic future. With a relatively low level of support for long term investment in Research and Development (R&D) and a lack of cross-scale linkages being a significant barrier towards cultivating this innovation, this thesis focuses on constructing a platform for synergetic dialogues between industries and institutions. In illustration of this proposition, a collection of small, local industries more reflective of Christchurch’s cultures are interwoven into landscape synonymous to the ideals of resilience and innovation in a reconstructed city.