Learning through the multi-disciplinary studio

Abstract

PROBLEM: The environmental effects of climate change on the world's cities are becoming more and more evident Sea level rise, pluvial flooding, storm water contamination are just some of the environmental issues that will undermine traditional urban verities. There have been many design approaches from the traditional design disciplines of architecture and landscape architecture. However they have proved inadequate in addressing the complex issues that climate change is creating

RESPONSE: We argue that a multidisciplinary focus is the only way in which these serious challenges to the sustainability of our cities can be met . Architects and landscape architects must work together to share expertise , specialist knowledge, and skills and through collaboration develop solutions that are larger than those the individual disciplines can provide.

METHOD: This paper discusses the potential of the multidisciplinary design studio for architecture and landscape architecture students to both develop innovative thinking in response to the challenges of climate change and to enhance the learning experience. The design studio structure was shaped to develop a framework to help build collaboration by students in the design process. This process was articulated for the students by using a real world project, one with a client, a community and a site will be affected by climate change . The studio process emphasizes how creating a multidisciplinary learning space can develop design work that can help build resilient urbanism

CASE STUDY: The authors have run a multidisciplinary design studio at the School of Architecture Unitec for a number of years. In this paper we illustrate our argument with results of the Onehunga Port project, located in in Auckland, New Zealand. Students were invited by Panuku, an Auckalnd Council CC0 to develop an alternative urban waterfront masterplan for the recently purchased Onehunga Port.

Architecture and landscape architecture students formed 5 collaborative groups to produce alternative masterplans. The joint master plans demonstrated, that faced with the issues of climate change, students were forced to develop design strategies that broke down traditional disciplinary boundaries. The design of buildings had to responded to the direct challenges of climate change by adapting landscape based strategies. The design of the landscape had to adapt to the imperative of the building programme.

CONCLUSION: The design work was fed back to the Panuku through crits and presentations at different stage . The response by Panuku to the students work was overwhelmingly positive . Students were able to see how through collaboration, broader and more inclusive connection to the a real world client could be made.