Fuck Yeah, Context! (on the front) Context is not something that we should be afraid to confront. Acknowledging heritage provides us an opportunity to consider our architectural legacy to a place and think about what particular buildings might mean to certain people – the memories, the experiences and their role in every-day life. At the same time we should not let context hinder creativity. Buildings should be designed to adapt with the future – they should be relevant to the craft, technology and social premises of the time. Thus, context sits somewhere in between the notions of ‘Fuck Context’ and ‘Fuck Yeah Context’.
Superb-ia Grey Lynn is comprised mostly of rows and rows of stand-alone bungalows, each with a small front veranda and neat patch of lawn out front. Whilst each house has individually crafted features and many are painted bright colours and adorned with retro patterns the street views of these houses are all incredibly similar in arrangement. There is a sense of life and creativity that lingers in the air. Yet, at the end of the day, there seems to be a real comfort for the dwellers in living exactly like the person next to you.
The Super Bungalow So, what makes the locals hesitate before stepping out of line from the neighbourhood norm? Perhaps it is the craft and materiality features to which residents are so familiar that they do not wish to compromise. Or perhaps it is the mere fear of growth and the potential loss of the ‘kiwi backyard’ and lifestyle that all Aucklanders’ are accustomed to. The ‘Super Bungalow’ shows that in the development process of our expanding city compromise will be key, but that it should not be feared. There can be a way to keep all our favourite things and grow our city bigger and stronger at the same time.
Archetypal Design Eduard Francois’ ‘Collage Urbain’ demonstrates how common typologies can be shifted to change their meaning and perception, whilst remaining true to traditional form. This reinforces the buildings contextual position yet opens up a traditional form for reinterpretation at the same time. Herzog & de Mueron’s ‘VitraHaus’ also plays with the themes of archetypes and stacked volumes. The result- a distinctive and bold multi-storey showcase building with all of the comforts and familiarity of common household dimensions.
In with the old The Grande Arche responds to its context by taking an existing idea (that of the Arc de Triomph) and celebrating it in a modern way. The Grande Arc uses the traditional symbol of an arc to celebrate humanity, an adaption on Arc de Triomph’s purpose to commemorate military victory. As a result a powerful new city landmark that ties the site to its context and projects it into the future is created.
Natural Palette Unlike the fashions of the time, natural context is far slower changing. Vivid materiality can be used to bring a design into the context of its natural surroundings. Colours and textures drawn from the landscape can give architecture familiarity that comes only from site-sensitivity.
Sore-Thumbs Asides from the CBD there are a few places in Auckland where you can find the odd pair of high-rise buildings, protruding like ‘sore-thumbs’ from their domestic surroundings. From Grey Lynn the most obvious are the 2 apartment buildings in Herne Bay, both of which can be seen from kilometres away. After seeing these buildings, both of which fail to respond to their context, it is easier to see why Aucklanders’ are hesitant to new architectural solutions being proposed in their neighbourhoods. The challenge/aim for the Grey Lynn site is to design an architecture that is equally as prominent as these 80s towers, but that is more inspirational and relevant to the public.
Going Big According to Rem Koolhaus “Bigness gravitates to locations of maximum infrastructural promise. It is its own raison d’etre.” The Grey Lynn sites’ location is in between two ridges, in the NE and SW. The site has the potential to be a focal point of its immediate surroundings yet still invisible to anywhere beyond. A building up to 30m tall would not even be as high as its natural surroundings, let alone equal to the high-rise buildings that protrude from the CBD. Given the opportunity, a bold design on this site could eventuate into a future landmark for the city that will continue to grow contextually relevant into the future.
Out of Context This collage is comprised of images that have all been taken out of the context of the site and reassembled to form a new meaning. Whilst on the site they each individually seem like insignificant and uninspiring details, when taken out of context they begin to form part of a new, big idea. Currently the site lacks any social content and has little appeal to residents as a positive public space. These images seek to reimagine the content of the site, transforming it into a new hub of public life.
A Vision – The Big and Comfortable Designing big architecture does not have to break architectural convention. Composition, scale, tradition and materiality can tie a building to the past and the present, whilst still inspiring a future vision. This site calls for a design that is both bold and discrete at the same time. It should complement its surroundings whilst also create a focal point for the future Grey Lynn. It will show residents that growth is not something to hide from but to move with, and use to push the limits of design.