Multifunction: Architecture for our Things

Abstract

Research has indicated that the cost of owning a home is one of the most pressing issues for any [young] Auckland-dweller today. As authorities are seeking to control the urban sprawl and outward growth of Auckland by enforcing Rural Urban Boundaries (see Auckland Unitary Plan) in an attempt to encourage urban vertical growth, we must ask: how can architecture be used as a tool to encourage a new approach towards more efficient use of our spaces and develop comfortable, human-sized living spaces? Today, people are living with more material possessions than ever before. Living comfortably whilst acquiring wealth and these possessions is common amongst citydwellers. Whilst we can argue this is due to higher income, there does appear to be an indirect relationship with the amount of space we have. This thesis does not seek to solve the problem for hoarders, instead it seeks to find a solution for city living as more people move into apartments and space becomes a greater concern. Multifunctional living is key to the efficiency of our spaces and the storage of our things. As the shortage of urban space continually increases, architecture and space has become a valuable amenity of which not everyone can afford. This thesis emphasizes the multifunctionality of structure in a static nature, while exploring widely available digital fabrication methods, which allow us to achieve this. The exploration of the modularity of prefabrication, the stackable nature of the portal and timber as a highly adaptable construction material has also been of focus. The larger part of this thesis is made up of the 1:1 Case Study construction at Henderson High School embodied within the pavilion shelter design. This thesis addresses the form and construction process, while also reflecting upon the issues and importance of creating a 1:1 scale pavilion and the relation of this to our immediate society and the greater world we live in today.