CONTENTS
I.
INTRODUCTION
II.
TERRACED WETLANDS DEVICE
III.
JAGGED BOARDWALK
IV.
LAGOON DRIVE WHARF JUNCTION
V.
NODAL STREET DESIGN
VI.
3D RENDERING WITH VUE
VII.
GENERATIVE DESIGN
INTRODUCTION JASON KAU
---------------------------------As the world constantly experiences social and environmental issues, Landscape Architecture increasingly becomes an important medium in transforming and shaping the land around to solve these issues. Landscape Architecture, essentially, is to gauge an understanding of its critical processes and systems. These systems, naturally occurring or constructed should be all considered, to create integrated outcomes that benefit the environment and society. As a recent graduate from the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Program at UNITEC, I am hard working, with a huge determination to solve these complex issues with the understandings and tools of Landscape Architecture. I am greatly motivated by challenging and pressing issues, as this helps engage into critical thinking that bring out the best of my ideas and am willing to offer any of my skills to any employer with a interminable effort. I am personable and can cooperate easily with others, along with my charismatic personality, I am able to give vitality to any office I am assigned to. I am an efficient worker who is willing to get tasks completed by a deadline and will relentlessy work until that goal is met. I have a strong knowledge of design discourse and along with my strong plant knowledge and planting design for a well rounded design skill, backed up with proficiency in Computer Aided Design. I have a strong proficiency in articulating my ideas and designs through writing and graphics, as strong technical knowledge of computer programs allow this.
Jason Kau BLA, Dip. LD
The existing slope of the land clearly indicates that water flows south into the major stream, adjacent to the selected 2500 meter square site. The storm water strategy was to slow down water flow to allow vegetation to treat run off with a series of terraced ponds that run along existing contour lines of the land, thus allowing for optimal storm water catchment and filtration. The boardwalk is a direct connection to the pedestrian path from phase two and links all high density housing to a boardwalk space. This space responds to the surrounding site amenity and embraces the views of the local country and rural atmospheric feel of the place. This terracing in the form of contour lines essentially creates a smooth transition from the urban realm into natural realm and offers an aesthetic journey along with the functions of the stormwater filtration - a well intergrated scheme. The road and roof run off enters into rain gardens, before entering 3 different layers of filtration terrace ponds, the first terrace pond sedimentation bay, made of pebble and rocks. This filters out run off of its physical matter, then flows into an outlet pipe that runs underground into a main wetland pond of wetland rushes that slow down water flow. The water flow is then absorbed and cleansed before running into a secondary terrace wetland pond that is partly submerged, with a mix of dry and wet tolerant plant species. After this slowed down filtration process, storm water is then run back into the local stream, allowing for filtered and cleansed stormwater to then enter the stream and ultimately benefiting the local ecological health.
PHASE TWO CONTEXT SITE CONTEXT
-----------------------------------
WATER FLOW
TERRACED Puhinui, WETLANDS DEVICE Auckland
SITE VISUALIZATIONS
CROSS SECTIONS
Papakura, Auckland
----------------------------------Kirks Bush is a scenic reserve located in Papakura, South Auckland. Primarily a tall broadleaved forest with many native flora and fauna along with many bush tracks that run through the 5.5 hectare bush land. John Kirk before auctioned off in 1921 after his death in 1918 originally owned the land. The total area of this land is 69 acres, with the tree canopy area being 5.5 acres. The native bush is ecologically diverse featuring many native fauna including Puriri, Totara and Nikau. There are a total of 6 scenic bush walks and are all accessed through different points scattered across the bush edge.
SITE CONSTRAINTS + OPPURTUNITES
JAGGED BOARDWALK, KIRKS BUSH
existing bushwalk
吀愀氀氀 䈀爀漀愀搀氀攀愀瘀攀搀 䘀漀爀攀猀琀
䘀氀漀爀愀 愀渀搀 䘀愀甀渀愀
匀甀戀甀爀戀愀渀 䌀漀渀琀攀砀琀
匀漀甀琀栀攀爀渀 倀愀爀欀
䤀猀漀氀愀琀攀搀
䰀愀挀欀 漀昀 瘀椀猀椀戀椀氀椀琀礀
Further investigation into the site revealed that there was increased criminal activity and after visiting the site, the reasons were obvious. The bush was very dense, thick and uninviting, making the site very isolated, creating a hostile and unsafe environment. These dynanmics created by this environment lead to crimes including sexual assault and alcohol influenced crimes. These social issues inevitably lead to my design rationale - How can I recreate a bush space feels safe and create survaiilance while preserving the bush that surrounds it? These were both factors i took into consideration and my design sought to find a compromise. The concept proposed a very bold and direct solution, which helped to create an direct and enticing journey without sacrificing safety and vision through the bush. Along with a large central platform in the center as a central focal point, where large feature trees grew through this stage area with a large amount of lighting through out the space, lighting up the trees. This design incorporated this jaggered formation, to reduce the amount of trees that were cut down because of the boardwalk. The linearness of the boardwalk meant that users of the site could see directly through the site, giving a perception of safety, therefore enticing more users into the bush. This concluded that along with the increased used activity the more safe it becomes and the local community perception of Kirks Bush is enlightened.
0 0 3 1:
SITE CONTEXT
closed off area (revegetate)
A
existing bushwalk
0
1:100
SITE VISUALIZATIONS
GT SOUTH ROAD
DETAILING + CONSTRUCTION
DETAILING + CONSTRUCTION
Panmure, Auckland
This space was designed with community in mind and creating a space that enhanced the local waterspace and created connections to the space from the wider Panmure community. The concept took was molded by the existing nature of the site, an existing axis where path ways were created in a perpindicular fashion. The space itself is a multi leveled platform wharf space that extrudes out into the panmure basin inlet and is connected via pathways from Lagoon drive. A space that harmonizes and enhances the existing natural landscape features, specifically it’s locality next to water, coastal topography and vegetation. The space consists of smaller spaces with different interventions - intimate seating, spaces for recreational activities, and community gatherings. The space is seperated from traffic flow, through the use of large mass flax planting, and in return, creates a serene and more tranquil space for visitors. A pedestrian spine that connects multiple spaces effortlessly into one cohesive whole, with a distinctive seperation through the use of levels and materiality change. Green space is added to contrast and almost balance against the visual dominance of hard landscape materials: wood and concrete.
SOFTSCAPE PLAN
-----------------------------------
CONTEXTUAL ANAYLSIS
LAGOON DRIVE WHARF JUNCTION
SITE VISUALIZATIONS
CROSS SECTIONS
NODAL STREET DESIGN A CASE STUDY IN HENDERSON, AUCKLAND ----------------------------------The following research thesis along with the research, findings and data are motivated by a genuine interest in the our urbanized landscapes and their effect on social behavior. The aim of this project was to gauge an understanding and delve into alternative methods of urban design. The core of this research is looking at larger scale planning models of urban cities and to decipher these principles in such a manner, we model these and achieve to seek the dynamics that can be translated into physical design practice. The urban models created by professors and scholars alike, put their theories into practice in cities, that truly reveal the implications, effects of their theories and unravelling this as urban areas gradually expand in size and density. Street design impacts the way we interact and connect to the built environment, and should be bridging the gap between people and place, yet street design fails to do this, which contribute to social and environmental issues. As with the site selected, Henderson South, Auckland, these social and environmental issues are prominent and are perhaps an indirect of impact of the local street space. Henderson South is currently suffering from a ‘local depressed economy due to the social perception of the area. The street design is configured in such a way to allow for efficient flow of pedestrians. The site lacked variety in spaces for the diverse local demographic. The spaces are seamlessly aligned and connected yet are separate through the intricate use of contrasting materials. The design incorporates smaller spaces that induce a feeling of intimacy and comfort. There is a clear use of linear repetition is derived from the local existing character of vineyards and orchards. The use of materials that reflect the valley vineyard landscapes that surround it, with the subtle, yet rustic and warm tones of the materials that help encapsulate this. The use of grasses that are loosely planted reflect the ruggedness and nature of the country valley and avoid the modern clichĂŠ slick-like design often used in contemporary urban design.
STREETSCAPE CHARACTER ANALYSIS
STREETSCAPE CRITIQUE
_p
This schematic diagram aims to represent the nature of vineyards, orchards and their processes. Their are two key analogies of their processes, the grid and linear fashion in which they are laid out and the linear repitition, along with with process of selection of trees within a vineyard. The analysis of these concepts derive the interesting geometry.
TRAFFIC FLOW PROPOSAL
DESIGN DRIVERS + INFLUENCES
henderson, auckland
sel peacock drive
o
a
great north road
trading pl ratanui street
_proposed TRAFFIC FLOW
b
henderson, auckland
d SITE
sel peacock drive one way vehicles
alternative parking
great north road
railside avenue
trading pl ratanui street
bustop/train station node dedicated bus lane SITE
3D RENDERING WITH VUE E-ON VUE PROGRAM ----------------------------------In trying to create this render I planned out the type of architectural building I wanted to ‘sell’. I wanted to try a beach house on a coastal terrain; I thought this was a good start in terms of constructing a terrain and figuring out a composition. Specifically for this render, I made the building sit right on the angle of the slope, then put the sea just below it to give a beach outlook orientation. I continuously adjusted with sun and the terrain until I was satisfied with the overall composition. I kept adjusting the sun and tested different angles and different heights with the sun, as these did affect the overall look of the materials in the renders. I tried to create a sunset setting for the scene as I thought this would be best complimentary to the mood i was trying to replicate - a relaxed, tranquil and open coastal space.I then proceeded to change a few materials, as the original 3ds model I downloaded from 3D Warehouse had no separation of materials. There were approximately 500 different meshes within the single building but I went through and changed materials to my own custom materials. The materials I used were simple custom materials. These included, rusted steel for my building and timber to retain the rustic look. The major focus was on the building materials. The first material was the sand for a procedural terrain. The second material was a rusted metal, where I used a grainy fractal with a granite noise and feed these into the colour and bump map to create a rusty and rough texture. This program takes a lot time ot learn and i mastered this within a week. The program takes a lot of understanding of parameters and customization tools to create ideal and realistic textures that have depth.
GENERATIVE DESIGN RHINO + GRASSHOPPER ----------------------------------The boardwalk concept was generated with Rhino, and grasshopper add on. The idea was to create a boardwalk that encouraged safe passage but also create an aesthetic journey through the bush. The concept was generated through complex algorithms put through grasshopper, converting points and numbers and intersecting these with patterns and geometry help create unique 3D model. The design emulated a sleek netting material which had holes allowing for vegetation to grow through and blending in with the landscape. Also, created an large opening with cool lighting embedded in glass planels, shaped in a curvature manner for enticement and sense of safety.
VISUALIZATIONS