Regeneration of Papatoetoe
Date
2017Citation:
Singh, T. (2017). Regeneration of Papatoetoe (Unpublished document submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture (Professional)). Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand. Retrieved from: https://hdl.handle.net/10652/4652Permanent link to Research Bank record:
https://hdl.handle.net/10652/4652Abstract
RESEARCH QUESTION:
How does a town centre regeneration project use existing and new public open space to achieve identity and by this process re-establish its purpose as a local centre?
ABSTRACT:
With the increasing population in Auckland, there is a lack of housing being built to keep up with the population growth. We have been left with low density housing from the past which is being subdivided to intensify housing. However, the local town centres for these suburbs are in poor condition and lack appropriate building typologies and public open spaces which are necessary for the community.
This project explores how a local town centre can be rejuvenated by introducing high-density housing, mixed-use and public open space. The project will look at what type of elements will be useful in achieving these objectives such as housing typologies that will be useful in getting a variety of people into the town centre, public open spaces which will allow for different types of activities throughout the town centre, and mixed-use buildings that will allow for local businesses, and job opportunities.
The site selection for this project was Papatoetoe as it is a town centre that I grew up in and would like to see improved. Papatoetoe’s Town Centre is based along a major traffic artery and is primarily used as a way to access or leave South Auckland instead of stopping to access Papatoetoe. Much of the town centre’s open space consist of parking lots and car dealership yards instead of useable space for the community.
Many of the principal buildings in the town centre are obsolete, under-used, or in poor condition. For a future role in the district in which the population will be increased Papatoetoe will need planned public space, which is entirely absent in the present layout. Literature and precedent research has shown that there are multiple ways to explore the transformation of local town centres. These allow for less vehicle dominant town centres and will be used for design decisions throughout this project, in which the aim is to imagine a regenerated form for the Town Centre.