Architecture of the gentrified, the resilient & the deviant

Abstract

“A building is more than it seems. It is an artefact - an object of material culture produced by a society to fulfil particular functions determined by, and thus embodying or reflecting, the social relations and level of development of the productive forces of society.” The current Auckland political agenda is informed by the establishment of a ‘liveable city’ which involves the introduction of isolated developments like the city rail link. The problem here is that this diverts resources away from preexisting built environments such as that of Karangahape Road ( locally known as K Road). Key commentators from the widely debated local transport scene have noted that the amount of foot traffic has significantly reduced along Karangahape Road signifying the failures of pre-gentrification attempts. This brings about the question of whether notions of resilience, gentrification and diversity along prominent roads such as Karangahape Road are constantly at a state of flux within their built environments. The historic context and events that mark it define the public perceptions towards place. In essence, no matter the magnitude of changes put into place, perception will rarely change. By studying history of the road over a period of significant development and restructuring of ideas, concepts have been formulated. These concepts will assess the inherent qualities within the social resilience, built environment, characteristic of ownership and inhabitation. The once contested Karangahape Road is re-appropriated through a series of hybrid investigations which assist in the creations of mutable urban reclaimed littoral and its importance within the foundations of Auckland’s business districts. In addition the successes of chain department stores that graced Karangahape Road with a rich historic and economic groundwork. This thesis seeks to encourage a hybridity between disciplines, studying historic precedents and reflecting on these to provide opportunities for the future developments for the economic development of Karangahape Road. With the fundamentals of gentrification in consideration this thesis will assess the negotiation between contemporary and traditional functions of the road merging to create an architectural precedent that ‘explores our relationship to history and its value in present thinking.’