Abstract:
The traditional housing type in New Zealand has been characterised by the garden suburb and it has remained a socially acceptable alternative until recently. Current society’s attitudes are changing in terms of a burgeoning population, and the stresses that come with this: rising transport costs and the requirements to dwell nearby a city is increasing. To this end, we anticipate a new type of housing needs as, a high density housing offers a possible solution to the shortage accommodation in inner city Auckland, providing something like the suburban living environment people have become accustomed to. I will examine the planning elements and characters of the site that are particular to New Lynn, based on the various contextual elements of the suburban residential area: historical, cultural, facilities, open and public space, and urban housing context. Each of these will be further analysed to understand the place and its effects on the public engagement process for envisioning and planning shared communal spaces. This research supports the reason why an investigation into the qualitative transformation of both interior and exterior space and the transitional spaces is meaningful. Among the many spaces that make up an outdoor space, the green area is highly recommended for providing a comfortable living environment to a resident. Such benefits including the increased sense of enclosure and protection for members of the public, providing a space for work, rest and play, encouraging interaction within the wider community and having more amenities could be achieved. The public space that I propose to design through my own notion of ‘Porosity’ within the residential area could be highly beneficial to residential life depending on how it is related to its surroundings. My research will therefore include some precedent studies into existing housing complexes, and their use of green space. Those that are successful may point towards a positive way to design for the multi-cultural residents of New Zealand. To successfully demonstrate this idea, I will reference the New Lynn’s virtual mapping analysis in a three dimensional form and articulate new creation of mixed-use apartments through models which describe my own definition of porosity developed from the precedent studies. In particular, a range of permeability or porosity of inhabitation and pedestrian access will be investigated based on the theoretical boundaries of public spaces, as they are currently understood.