In search of a new authenticity: Cultural architecture of Auckland

Abstract

In Search of a New Authenticity: Cultural Architecture of Auckland re -examines the bicultural history of the central Auckland waterfront area, and explores how this might inform a culturally responsive architecture. Auckland has a complex history of bicultural inhabitation since the arrival of Europeans in 1840. Yet at present there is scant built evidence to suggest that there was ever anyone other than colonials who inhabited the reclaimed strip of Auckland’s waterfront. This thesis thus seeks to redress the imbalance in the architectural representation of Auckland’s bicultural history, and return lost mana and a spirit to the place. With the critical question of this thesis asking “how can the re -examination of the history of a place inform a culturally sensitive architecture?” the importance of both historical and geographical context to this thesis is paramount. Accordingly, a substantial portion of the written work investigates the nuances of Auckland’s past, reconciling massively divergent perspectives of the waterfront’s historical narrative in order to correctly ascertain the facts. A comprehensive study of New Zealand’s bicultural architecture has been undertaken to develop a series of design principles, established positions from which the built response will draw. But whilst there is a rigorous examination of precedents and history, the primary focus of this project is on the corner of Stanley Street and Beach Road in Te Taongaroa/Mechanics Bay, due to the particular wealth of history which has seen it established as the site. From this comes the Waipapa Pools, which draw from a notion of unity to create a series of pools which facilitate cultural interaction and increase awareness of Auckland’s layered bicultural past. This thesis offers a precedent for the designers and developers of the central Auckland urban littoral, a challenge to redress the imbalance in the representation of New Zealand’s unique bicultural history, as it has demonstrable value to not only the built environment of Auckland, but the evolution of New Zealand’s wider architectural identity.