Found in Translation: The future of domestic living in New Zealand, for intergenerational immigrant families

Abstract

This thesis aims to investigate the topic of south-east Asian migration to New Zealand and how it has an effect on the notion of domestic living in the future of New Zealand, particularly for intergenerational immigrant families. New Zealand has a growing East Asian population, including immigrants and their descendants, who hold a large variety of unique cultural practices. Living arrangements are one way in which these patterns manifest in a relatively coherent manner; families of East Asian descent historically live in multigenerational households, where generations coexist in the same living room. While this is not a common occurrence, it is a standard way of life that is becoming obsolete as a result of problems such as the housing crisis and a shortage of housing prompting families to live together. Despite this, it is still common for children to leave their families in order to become self-sufficient and establish independence. However, due to financial constraints, young people may not be able to afford to move out. One’s socio-economic status will commonly contribute to their ability to do so. There are issues regarding class and cultural differences which creates limited opportunities. The intention of this thesis is to understand and begin a conversation on this subject matter while placing emphasis on East Asian traditions. In New Zealand, however, there is a predominance to follow western living arrangements, that being young children living with their parent(s). It is a common practice to leave one’s parents’ house once adulthood has been reached. One’s parents often subsequently live independently until it becomes impossible to do so. One of the wider effects of this is that the elderly often face daily physical challenges due to frailty and are victims of social isolation. Often, the result is long-term residence in a rest home. The focus of the project is on how architecture can support the way we as a community care for and remember our elderly. The struggles and hardships of elderly south-east Asian immigrants adapting to the complex face of western life calls for a conversation to be established - the urgency for spaces that are more providing and less generic. How can architecture be a celebration of one’s cultural identity and become a platform for inclusivity? While culture has not been lost, the children of immigrants conform to societies shaped by western ideologies. Parents may often carry expectations of filial piety, bear rituals, and impose their values on their children. While their children may not have been educated under the same circumstances, this may potentially lead to misunderstanding or ambiguity about which way of life to pursue. The aim of the thesis project has been to explore a medium density housing model that supports inter-generational families, using East Asian communities as the majority client model. The project is located in Mt Eden at Dominion Road, in the heart of a thriving Asian community. It displaces a car park currently used for a large Countdown supermarket. In summary, this thesis is an exploration of building living spaces which facilitates safe, comfortable and easy-access living that allows the elderly to live alongside members of their wider family, in the context of south-east Asian families living in New Zealand. Through investigation, a scheme has been developed that encourages spaces in which allow for activities such as gardening and food-related practices can take place. The scheme encourages the growing of vegetables and the exchange of a variety of prepared immigrant East Asian cultural delicacies within its community markets as growth and food preparation holds a great significance in Chinese culture.