Abstract:
This thesis is an effort to bring awareness to the current perspective of New Zealand and its Historical Maori values and Cultural understanding. New Zealand, Aotearoa; a beautiful natural landscape country that has been ultimately modernized by the entrance of westernised ideas and modernised way of living. Development and evolution have clouded the past for many tribes in New Zealand; such as construction of roads and sewer pipes that cut off any connection to nature. Orakei Domain once was a Maori settlement area for the Ngāti Whātua Orakei community. Auckland has grown into a self-functioning city that will only continue to expand and grow over time. As Auckland city continues to urbanise/industrialise and expand further; accumulating more and more land, the city itself will start to lose its historical identity; its roots. The current conditions of Auckland’s perspective towards educating people about New Zealand’s Maori history and commemorating landmarks and footprints is very close to nil; there are not many monuments, museums or exhibits that do justice. This thesis will further interrogate the relationship between Landscape and Architecture and how to culturally appropriate it so that it co-exists together as one. The aim is to create the ideal museum that can breathe life back into reviving what was once oppressed by investigating already existing historic landmarks that are important within the history/mythology of the Maori people. The precedent studies that will be looked at in this thesis will be related to Land-Art and Landscape-Architecture. Architectural accomplishments that either showcase a finished product that relates to my studies or literature studies to do with certain theoretical studies. The type of Land art or Landscape Architecture will differentiate from each designated location as they will provoke different emotions when travelling through the different man-made/fabricated landscapes. The location of the site Okahu Bay is to be re-imagined into a space where different levels of landscape architecture exists and ultimately create the new epicentre for both visitors and the Maori population of Aotearoa.