Abstract:
Escaping Density: Restorative Urban Pockets examines how the insertion of communal spaces and facilities into dull, or nondescript, interstitial urban spaces can inject life and architectural completeness to the city and thereby improve the living quality of neighboring residents. It takes a systematic approach to the design problem by the use of resident surveys, precedent studies and reviews of related design theories, and is led by the critical research question--What architectural principles and ideas can we apply to urban-scapes in the Auckland CBD to relieve the tension resulting from urban density? My proposition assesses the application of the chief fi nding that conviviality and contemplativeness are the two essential qualities that contribute most to providing social, psychological and architectural restoration. Th e selected site for development is on Eden Crescent, located in the core of Auckland Central Business District. Th e proposed Restorative Urban Pocket demonstrates the signifi cance of our sensory comfort and the importance of fl exible and transitioning atmospheres in creating eff ective user-experiences for enhancing well-being for existing urban paradigms.