Landscape Architecture Dissertations and Theses
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Item Te moemoeā: Whānau emerging from colonisation and the urban diaspora in Te Rohe Pōtea(2023) Taokia, Tupuna Moeroa; Unitec, Te PūkengaRESEARCH QUESTION How can the dreams of our koroua be realised? TUHINGA WHAKARĀPOPOTO Abstract Toi tu te kupu, toi tu te mana, toi tu te whenua. It is a plead to hold fast to our culture, for without language, without mana (spirit), and without land, the essence of being a Maori would no longer exist, but be a skeleton which would not give justice to the full body of Maoritanga (maoridom). Na Tinirau of Wanganui (Education 2003). Te Tiriti o Waitangi, in conjunction with He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga ō Nu Tīreni are documents that affirm Māori tino rangatiratanga, maintaining Māori rights. We honour the mana and wairua of our ancestors by keeping their stories alive. Whakapapa is our identity that maintains the connection between their world and ours. There is a saying, ‘Ko au te whenua, ko te whenua ko au,’ I am the land, and the land is me. The essence of identity is the knowledge that emerges from your land/birthplace. The effects of intergenerational disconnection of whānau from their whenua is highlighted in Māori land ownership records only 4% of the NZ land mass is held as Māori free hold land. Since the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi Māori free hold land has gone from 80% to 4% by the year 2000 (Boast, 2008). To achieve a successful project, it’s essential to begin by gathering the history and pūrakau. This will not only identify the connections to the whenua but also restore the lost connections to te ao māori for many tangata Māori. By doing so, we can create meaningful connections with the past, present, and future, and ensure that our project are not only successful but also bring a positive impact to ngā uri o Lillian. A kaupapa Māori approach will be used to rebuild the interconnections of the whānau to their whenua and taiao. A kaupapa Māori methodology approach will be used to interrogate Te Moemoeā research project including the application of both Māori and tauiwi knowledge systems. Māori identity is as much a part of the landscape as the land itself. With the land come pūrākau, stories laden with ritual, knowledge and wisdom. These require reclaiming knowledge uncensored by a colonised worldview, such as utilising pūrākau and a wānanga space to discuss and build understanding.Item Space for zero: A Masters in Landscape Architecture research project(2022) Sommerville, Pippa; Unitec Institute of TechnologyRESEARCH QUESTION How will net-zero living impact the design of urban public space? ABSTRACT This research addresses our need to shift to a net zero lifestyle. It considers how public space contributes to this and what other cities are doing about it before making a case for a community-based participatory approach, empowering people to engage in the process of climate change mitigation. Rānui, an outer suburb of Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland is the site for this research. A localised emissions profile was developed using the FutureFit tool, which provided evidence of Rānui residents’ emissions and their main sources. With support of the Rānui Action Project (a not-for-profit community group), participatory consultation workshops were conducted, which identified three areas for my research by design phase to focus on – local food production, active and community-based public transport, and local fixing and repair. Research into Te Ao Māori and advice from mana whenua further informed and enriched the project, leading to the inclusion of increased ngahere (forest) and restoration of awa (streams) within my design phase. A two-stage design process followed, with consultation on design sketches informing final plans and elevations. In conclusion, it is important to acknowledge that this has been a small and initial research by design project, that should now be repeated on a larger scale, and with greater numbers of community members contributing. However, this project has shown that the process of community engagement on emissions reduction and parameters for retaining and restoring native ecology in the area has led to public space design that is pragmatic and low impact, yet rich and abundant. If delivered, it could provide the Rānui community with every opportunity to lead net zero lives in the futureItem Affected by covid-19: Investigating how to improve the resilience of existing parks(2022) Zhang, Wenwan; Unitec Institute of TechnologyRESEARCH QUESTION How can public parks be more resilient to epidemic crises through their design? ABSTRACT Due to the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019, for the whole world, life has changed. This disease is currently spread by mucus or body fluid, making it hazardous for people to stay in poorly ventilated places and gather together in high numbers. However, pandemics are not new. Before COVID-19, the world suffered from infectious diseases many times in history, and each pandemic had a significant effect on human lives and the living environment. Because parks play an essential role in people's daily lives, the design of public parks needs improvement to adapt to the pandemic. As one of the critical elements in the urban environment, public parks provide multiple benefits in different aspects. In particular, the open-air atmosphere can reduce the risk of exposure to the infectious virus and help reduce stress for humans. Developing public spaces that have a positive impact on human life and increase resilience to epidemiological crises is necessary. However, many existing parks can not accommodate the safe social distancing and spatial needs required by COVID-19 prevention measures. This research aims to develop a set of design strategies for public parks, to respond to the challenge of an epidemiological crisis. The research employs research by design (RbD) as the methodology. RbD consists of three phases: pre-design, the design stages, and post-design. From the literature review, I summarise the existing theories and case studies relevant to the topic and develop the design concept as an outcome of studying and improving previous work. Grey Lynn Park was chosen as the site to present the final design, while the final idea and concept can also be used as a design toolkit for different types and scales of public parks worldwide. The research outcomes include a design toolkit and strategies to safeguard people's activity in public parks during or after the pandemic by improving public space's practicality and safety through proper design and planning. In a medical sense, design can also become a factor that promotes better control of the virus. While the design was conducted in Grey Lynn Park, the proposed design toolkit and strategies can be applied to other parks in Auckland and other cities. The further implementation also needs to consider different site environments, regions, and policies, among other factors.Item Using green infrastructure to improve water quality in Napier(2022) Yang, Qi; Unitec Institute of TechnologyRESEARCH QUESTION How can we use green infrastructure to improve the stormwater quality in the suburb of Ahuriri? ABSTRACT Due to changes in the world climate, Napier, a city on the west coast of New Zealand is facing stormwater pollution problems.Perfume Point which is a costal park at the downstream of Ahuriri surbub, suffered from stormwater pollution.This study have shown that some of Napier's stormwater flows through surface runoff, residential areas, and industrial areas and finally merges into Ahuriri and the surrounding harbour. In addition to this, stormwater collected from the roads flows into the estuary along with pollutants. As a result, the Health Authority in Hawkes Bay warns people against any contact with the water in Ahuriri. In particular, untreated rainwater can pose a more severe risk to the environment and people's health. The study aims to use green infrastructure to help improve water quality in Perfumr Point. It sets a series of objectives based on the current situation, including assessing and analysing existing problems with the Napier stormwater system and development around the Ahuriri River. The current study collects data relating to land use, natural conditions and infrastructure around the city by analysing existing theories and case studies. Furthermore, the study will conduct a site survey around the site to analyse specific locations, conditions, issues and opportunities for future development. Building on existing issues, the research question was posed: How can we use green infrastructure to improve the stormwater quality in the suburb of Ahuriri? Based on a literature review of green infrastructure, water sensitive urban design and low impact urban design and development, the creation of rain gardens, depressions, roof gardens, permeable facilities and artificial wetlands throughout the catchment area could help to purify stormwater. A site analysis of the entire catchment area was carried out using ArcGIS. The results showed that stormwater problems will become more of a problem. However, the creation of wetland parks at the Perfume Point, rain gardens, permeable pavements and green infrastructure throughout the catchment can effectively reduce the impact of stormwater pollution. In addition, it is also essential to provide a space for residential activities at Perfume Point.Item The green guards: Mitigating urban heat island by small scale green interventions in high-density urban areas(2022) Liang, Junxiang; Unitec Institute of TechnologyRESEARCH QUESTION How do small green space interventions alleviate UHI effect in high-density urban areas with limited spaces in Lanzhou, China? ABSTRACT The development of urbanisation brings not only many benefits but also many problems. The urban heat island (UHI) effect has become a concern in many cities in China. Many studies have indicated what may cause and exacerbate the UHI effect, such as an increasing anthropogenic release, changes in surface cover, urban expansion and others. In recent years, many cities in China have begun to pay attention to and take measures to deal with the climate problems by returning farmland to forest, strengthening green space protection and increasing urban landscape green spaces to tackle the negative impact of UHI effect. However, some cities in the western regions have occupied many land resources due to rapid urban expansion, resulting in high-density cities and populations. For these small and medium-sized cities, limited land resources hinder the development of urban green spaces. This study focused on using small-scale green interventions such as pocket parks as a possible mitigation of the UHI effect in Lanzhou, China. Firstly, relevant literature was reviewed to understand the importance of green areas in cities and their influence on the environment and temperature. Case studies, particularly those on small green spaces, were identified as a potential method of mitigating UHI effect in a microclimate; other green interventions, such as green rooftops and roadside greening, were also included to improve the cooling effect. Secondly, the central area of Chengguan District, Lanzhou, was selected as the main design site. Through site analysis, three available lands and two existing public spaces were utilised for park design and renovation; roadside greening was slightly modified for wider coverage. Finally, an overall layout was developed to show how small vacant lands, building tops and other existing spots were integrated into the project, so as to demonstrate an ideal “green network”. The findings of this study implied that small green spaces could be used to alleviate the UHI effect in high-density cities, suggesting the establishment of a green network based on the fundamental urban structure. Also, a model was provided for other small and medium-sized cities confronting the same issue. DESIGN SITE: Chengguan District, Lanzhou. China