Modernism : A contemporary interpretation (Revisiting one of Auckland’s Modernist housing developments)

Abstract

Apartment blocks built in the post-war period for state or city council housing mostly followed the architectural precepts of the Modern Movement. Large numbers of these buildings have been demolished in the last two decades, reflecting a paradigm shift in housing design. Root causes of the move away from high-rise housing, and the justifications for costly demolitions involve both social and technical criticisms.

Modernist state-sponsored housing from the 1960s in Auckland includes the three to four storey 12 to 16 unit Star Flats. They are in particular threat of being demolished to make way for new higher density housing: most of the Star Flats are located in key inner-city areas and do not achieve densities high enough to satisfy Auckland’s intensification programme. At the same time, however, these buildings are important in the history of Auckland City’s modernist architecture.

The prospective loss of the Star Flats raises questions about to what extent to we might protect the existing buildings and environments of our cities. Both for reasons of sustainability and continued social familiarity with the built environment.

This project accepts the need to increase density in city fringe areas and therefore explores how existing developments like the Star Flats can be retrofitted to meet current day expectations of inner city densities. Specifically this project investigates the ways density can be increased while maintaining quality of life, avoiding damage to heritage values, and introducing sustainable features.

This has been achieved through a master plan that re-affirms the designers’ original intentions: purifying the concept of pavilions in a park. While the new apartment block is a ‘contemporary interpretation’ of the Modern point block. Manipulating the form to provide a sustainable form of urban living.