The Auckland Palimpsest: Nostalgia and Memory of Heritage

Abstract

The heritage of the Bay Villa is derived from the zeitgeist of the late 19th and early 20th century, where the rise in industrialisation dominated the life and culture of the Victorians. In all hopes to flee from this lifestyle, the Victorian immigrants had envisioned their dreams of living within a new environment which embraced the natural surroundings of, “large detached houses on individual plots of land.” At the arrival of their new homeland this aspiration was completely shattered. The reality in which they were presented with was almost reminiscent of the environment back where they had left behind. Homes were merely distinguished by the demarcation of function, resulting in a home-work environment. In all efforts to integrate nature and portray a sense of retreat furthermore to fulfill their initial aspirations, the Victorians had flourished their homes with natural ornaments, verandahs and meticulously cared gardens within the confines of their houses. As much of the New Zealand Bay Villa has established itself as a significant architectural heritage typology in the housing market, it is apparent in which there is conflict between this heritage and the current urban environment in which it is embedded in today. Inner city intensification is a serious issue in which the central Auckland area is left to face with. Therefore, this inevitably leaves these heritage ‘artefacts’ vulnerable as victims to suffer within their own environment. Obsolescence are pointed towards this housing typology, and plummets us to question whether this heritage cannot be retained anymore within such environments. How can we retain the memory that is embedded within existing built forms, furthermore, the architectural heritage with respect to the urban conditions in which they are embedded within and what methodologies are appropriate to achieve this? This thesis sought to investigate the fundamental elements which will support in addressing, furthermore resolving this question. A new understanding of heritage is explored through the lens of memory. Through memory, the idea of the palimpsest is employed as a constructive framework to help understand heritage and the ‘story’ within the past and present of the inner central Auckland area. The palimpsest becomes a crucial structure to scratch the memories within the historical layers and also the ‘story’ of the past and present of the Victorian immigrants. The investigation of methodologies which declare to preserve ‘heritage’ are examined to find a resolution for retaining the integral and valid memory furthermore the heritage of the Bay Villa with respect to its surrounding urban environment. The findings within these investigations become a basis for resolving the conflict between the heritage of the Bay Villa and intensification issues within the inner central Auckland area.