The Recapitulated Home

Abstract

Our home is our base, our sanctuary, a dynamic place for refuge, somewhere that roots us to the earth giving us permanence and stability. The New Zealand villa, and the land it sits on, represents independence and innovation. Its physical character, and its surroundings embody our culture and notion of home. It manifest the contentment, tranquility, generosity, and gentleness of domestic life, many of which are absent in the new, yet regurgitated Auckland home: the medium density dwelling. Having been addressed many times throughout New Zealand’s short history, the medium density dwelling has increasingly shown favour for the perception of the home - and what used to be the garden - as an asset, rather than a reciprocal of historically rich symbols and meaning. This thesis advocates the importance of the garden, flexibility and the system of symbols that comprise the New Zealand idea of home: proportion, the bay window and the verandah. It provides a way in which these elements can be translated and integrated into medium density dwellings to create a home and garden recapitulated within a gentle urbanisation of the existing landscape. It takes a theoretic path to create a way to provide more housing that enhances the preservation of an existing heritage residential area through exercising its adaptability and usability.