Week Three

Photographs taken surrounding the outside of Domain Winter Gardens in the Auckland domain and inside the walls of the Domain Winter Gardens.

The lovely diagonals have a scratched appearance on the leaf. A rough almost handmade appearance. The linear geometry stands out against the soft curves of the plant edges.

The opaque/blurry appearance of the window portrays a fantasy/dreamy visual. The leaves indoors of the gardens appear pastel and are framed by the window. Like an art piece.

Beautiful bright green ferns creating a grid-like pattern with the pergola above, beautiful contrast between the light pale colour of the ferns with the darker colour of the underside of the timber(shadow.)

The dark passageway is lit by the sun which is appearing through the slight separations between the leaves, a green sparkly appearance has been created.

The light beautifully eliminates the leaves appearing neon green, the feathery quality now more obvious. The life thrives within the lifeless structure.

The vibrant green creates an opportunity for the dark bark to pop.

The knot of stem creates a form like a brain, unique, intricate and nestlike, intriguing – every angle is a new experience, the way which the stems wrap around each other, hugging one another.

The courtyard is romantically victorian, symmetrical and well thought through. The intension had been designed – yet now forgotten. A secret space, visited by few, fountains left dry.

The leaf cradles the water droplets, caring for water feeds it. The droplets sit delicately. The light touches the leaf front, emphasising the fine details, the curvey contour is highlighted by the dark background.

The grand stairway mirrors that of grande victorian homes, the experience of the wintergarden beginning from the elevation of oneself, slowing discovering more and more of the space. A moment to feel important, having a purpose.

The beautiful rust colour of the bricks ties in nicely with the fence surrounding Te Whero Whero’s burial area – an unintentional pairing. Symbolising uniting the European settlers with the native Maori people.

Self Directed Brief

  • Historical: A place to represents colonialism as it represents the 1913-1914 exhibition meaning to show of products internationally to increase exportation.
  • Cultural: Represents British culture with the “arts and crafts” arcturial victorian style, Roman scupltures and influence from the Crystal palace design. A slight nod to South America due to the inclusion of their plants.
  • Social: A great place to escape the city for peace as you are hidden from the chaos, meet up with old friends for a tea as you are seated on a bench, walk your dog down into the fernery, part-take in a photoshoot as the surrounding environment is one of a kind.
  • Environmental: A great place to be educated on plants which are found no where else, as if you are being transported around the world with one step. Amazon lilies, Asian flowers, New Zealand Ferns.
  • Technological: Modern Ventalisation, Solar power, LED lights, Electric furnaces to keep the plants in their appropriate climate year round.
  • Sensorial: Moist air, dump/fresh smell, Intimiacy, Excitment due to so much to explore, Adventurous. Colourful, Vibrant.
  • Aural: Birds singing, Insects chirping, slight scatter from the public, spritzing of water systems
  • Material: Transparent opaque/hazy Glass, structural & supportive Steel and brick, Natural and fresh plants.

Keyword:

  • Haze/opaque – Connection to the already existing buildings, a flow, respect to history
  • Vertical elements – Connection to the fence built at the place of burial for king Te Whero Whero. Connection the spaces together.
  • Herringbone – A pattern consisting of columns of short parallel lines, to resemble the bones in a fish, used in the weave of the cloth. Connecting multiple cultures and the land together.
  • Negative Space – Representing the unspoken stories.
  • Private space – A place for people to build relationships with one another, or a place to reflect and be at peace
  • Inclusivity – Bringing the Maori Culture through into the design, Following the Te Aranga values as a guideline as the Maori people were neglected in the historic site and yet have so much significance with the land.
  • Away from the city – closed off from the city, a place to escape the chaos.
  • Marae – Including the elements of the Marae type A shape roofing, being now iwi, hapū, and whānau place to stand and belong. – Te Wharenui, The most important of the buildings within the marae is the wharenui or carved meeting house. A wharenui resembles the human body in structure and usually represents a particular ancestor of the tribe. The tekoteko (carved figure) on the rooftop in front of the house represents the head, and the maihi (front barge boards) are the arms held out in welcome to visitors. The amo are shortboards at the front of the wharenui representing legs, while the tahuhu (ridgepole), a large beam running down the length of the roof, represents the spine. The heke (rafters), reaching from the tahuhu to the poupou (carved figures) around the walls, represent the ribs.

Type of occasion – Casual, Informal, semi permanent. Invitation – Public, open.

In undertaking this major project I hope to learn how to step out of my comfort zone while remaining to respect the historic value of the land, its history and cultural importance from a variety of cultures and find a modern way to represent these values without cultural appropriation. The new skills I want to acquire is to create a model via lazer cutting through illustrator.


My favourite project that I have produced while studying Spatial design is the bath house renovation in Year 1 Sem 2, as I loved developing a project which enhanced every Te Aranga value and followed every building code which was required for the space yet still maintained a modern inclusive environment surrounded by nature.

The bath house was a space for all people to book and come to relax, immersed by nature in the middle of a chaotic city which enhances healthy mental health and well being. The space encouraged wild life to flourish in the space by providing native plants and water, created a healthy inclusive environment through the fluid design. The space was well thought out with space for brooms etc. The project created a position for a job. I am really interested in inclusivity as New Zealand, especially Auckland is very multicultural, therefore the representation of combined cultures, while avoiding appropriation, is extremely important as the familiarity with other cultures enhances acceptance leading to the love of other cultures. This is important to me as I was a student as Mt Roskill Grammar school which is a high school which consists of 72 different ethnicities, even though surrounded by many different cultures I found that the students remained in groups of students of their own ethnicities. What is familiar is what people are comfortable around.

Mind map – Site observations and values

As a designer, I aim to create a space that impacts oneself permanently, intriguing people, a space that is unexpected, the “wow. I aim for New Zealand to feel like one whole family/ whanau, uniting every one of all ethnicities, cultures, ages and abilities, creating a New Zealand culture creating a feeling of belonging. I aim for the space to feel aesthetic, timeless – that won’t age in 5 years, a space of beauty.