Disasters are a critical topic for practitioners of landscape architecture. A fundamental role of the profession is disaster prevention or mitigation through practitioners having a thorough understanding of known threats. Once we reach the ‘other side’ of a disaster – the aftermath – landscape architecture plays a central response in dealing with its consequences, rebuilding of settlements and infrastructure and gaining an enhanced understanding of the causes of any failures. Landscape architecture must respond not only to the physical dimensions of disaster landscapes but also to the social, psychological and spiritual aspects. Landscape’s experiential potency is heightened in disasters in ways that may challenge and extend the spectrum of emotions. Identity is rooted in landscape, and massive transformation through the impact of a disaster can lead to ongoing psychological devastation. Memory and landscape are tightly intertwined as part of individual and collective identities, as connections to place and time. The ruptures caused by disasters present a challenge to remembering the lives lost and the prior condition of the landscape, the intimate attachments to places now gone and even the event itself.
Memorial design in the West has been explored in depth (Stevens and Franck, 2016; Williams, 2007), and for landscape architects it presents opportunities and challenges. However, there is little in the English language literature about memorial design in China. How have Chinese designers responded to the commemorative settings of war and disaster? This study will adopt the method of case study to analyse two of the most representative memorials in China: Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall (war) and Tangshan Earthquake Memorial Hall (disaster). Both landscapes have undergone three or four renovations and extensions in the last four decades, demonstrating the practical effects of the Chinese landscape theory. These examples of responses to trauma through memorial landscape interventions are testimonies to the witnesses, victims, abusers, ordinary people, youth and the place where the tragedy took place. This study will explore the reconstruction and expansion of the two memorials under the background of China's policies on memorial landscapes in different periods, as well as their functions of each stage. The research will examine how existing Chinese memorial theories exhibit unique responses at different times in response to the sadness and needs experienced by different users. Key Words:memorial landscape; memorial language; victims; descriptive; architecture; experence; disaster; memorial hall; landscape development; Chinese memorial; war.
A photograph of a floating installation on the Avon River. The installation consists of four chairs and a table situated on a grass-covered platform. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation titled The River on the Avon River. The installation consists of dresser, stool and lamp, situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of painted bird cut-outs hanging from a tree next to the Avon River on Oxford Terrace, near the Worcester Street bridge. The decorations were part of an installation titled The River, created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of painted bird cut-outs hanging from a tree next to the Avon River on Oxford Terrace, near the Worcester Street bridge. The decorations were part of an installation titled The River, created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation on the Avon River. The installation consists of four chairs and a table situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation on the Avon River. The installation consists of dresser, stool and lamp, situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation on the Avon River. The installation consists of two armchairs, a table and a floor lamp situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation titled The River on the Avon River. The installation consists of a floor lamp, dresser and stool situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation titled The River on the Avon River. The installation consists of four chairs and a table situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
Imagined landscapes find their form in utopian dreaming. As ideal places, utopias are set up according to the ideals of their designers. Inevitably, utopias become compromised when they move from the imaginary into the actual. Opportunities to create utopias rely largely on a blank slate, a landscape unimpeded by the inconveniences of existing occupation – or even topography. Christchurch has seen two utopian moments. The first was at the time of European settlement in the mid-nineteenth century, when imported ideals provided a model for a new city. The earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 provided a second point at which utopian dreaming spurred visions for the city. Christchurch’s earthquakes have provided a unique opportunity for a city to re-imagine itself. Yet, as is the fate for all imaginary places, reality got in the way.
A close-up photograph of a floating installation titled The River on the Avon River. The installation consists of four chairs and a table situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of one of several painted bird cut-outs hanging from a tree next to the Avon River on Oxford Terrace, near the Worcester Street bridge. The decorations were part of an installation titled The River, created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation titled The River on the Avon River. The installation consists of two armchairs, a table and a floor lamp situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation titled The River on the Avon River. The installation consists of two armchairs, a table and a floor lamp situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation titled The River on the Avon River. The installation consists of two armchairs, a table and a floor lamp situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation titled The River on the Avon River. The installation consists of two armchairs, a table and a floor lamp situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation titled The River on the Avon River. The installation consists of a floor lamp, dresser and stool situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation on the Avon River as part of Canterbury Tales. The installation consists of a floor lamp, dresser and stool situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation titled The River on the Avon River. The installation consists of two chairs, a lamp and a table, situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation titled The River, on the Avon River. The installation consists of four chairs and a table situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecture for Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
The September and February earthquakes were terrifying and devastating. In February, 185 people were killed (this number excludes post earthquake related deaths) and several thousand injured. Damage to infrastructure above and below ground in and around Christchurch was widespread and it will take many years and billions of dollars to rebuild. The ongoing effects of the big quakes and aftershocks are numerous, with the deepest impact being on those who lost family and friends, their livelihoods and homes. What did Cantabrians do during the days, weeks and months of uncertainty and how have we responded? Many grieved, some left, some stayed, some arrived, many shovelled (liquefaction left thousands of tons of silt to be removed from homes and streets), and some used their expertise or knowledge to help in the recovery. This book highlights just some of the projects staff and students from The Faculty of Environment, Society and Design have been involved in from September 2010 to October 2012. The work is ongoing and the plan is to publish another book to document progress and new projects.
A photograph of a floating installation titled The River on the Avon River. The installation consists of four chairs and a table situated on a grass-covered platform. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecturefor Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation titled The River on the Avon River. The installation consists of four chairs and a table situated on a grass-covered platform. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecturefor Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a floating installation titled The River on the Avon River. The installation consists of two armchairs, a table and floor lamp situated on a grass-covered platform, with net curtains hanging from the frame. It was created by students from Lincoln University's School of Landscape Architecturefor Canterbury Tales, a carnivalesque procession and the main event of FESTA 2013.
The increase in urban population has required cities to rethink their strategies for minimising greenhouse gas impacts and adapting to climate change. While urban design and planning policy have been guided by principles such as walkability (to reduce the dependence on cars) and green infrastructure (to enhance the quality of open spaces to support conservation and human values), there have been conflicting views on what spatial strategies will best prepare cities for a challenging future. Researchers supporting compact cities based upon public Transit Oriented Development have claimed that walkability, higher density and mixed-uses make cities more sustainable (Owen, 2009) and that, while green spaces in cities are necessary, they are dull in comparison with shopfronts and street vendors (Speck, 2012, p 250). Other researchers claim that green infrastructure is fundamental to improving urban sustainability and attracting public space users with improved urban comfort, consequently encouraging walkability (Pitman and Ely, 2013). Landscape architects tend to assume that ‘the greener the better’; however, the efficiency of urban greenery in relation to urban comfort and urbanity depends on its density, distribution and the services provided. Green infrastructure can take many forms (from urban forests to street trees) and provide varied services (amended microclimate, aesthetics, ecology and so forth). In this paper, we evaluate the relevance of current policy in Christchurch regarding both best practice in green infrastructure and urban comfort (Tavares, 2015). We focus on the Christchurch Blueprint for rebuilding the central city, and critically examine the post-earthquake paths the city is following regarding its green and grey infrastructures and the resulting urban environment. We discuss the performance and appropriateness of the current Blueprint in post-earthquake Christchurch, particularly as it relates to the challenges that climate change is creating for cities worldwide.
The urban environment influences the way people live and shape their everyday lives, and microclimate sensitive design can enhance the use of urban streets and public spaces. Innovative approaches to urban microclimate design will become more important as the world’s population becomes ever more urban, and climate change generates more variability and extremes in urban microclimatic conditions. However, established methods of investigation based upon conventions drawn from building services research and framed by physiological concepts of thermal comfort may fail to capture the social dynamics of urban activity and their interrelationship with microclimate. This research investigates the relationship between microclimate and urban culture in Christchurch, New Zealand, based upon the concept of urban comfort. Urban comfort is defined as the socio-cultural (therefore collective) adaptation to microclimate due to satisfaction with the urban environment. It involves consideration of a combination of human thermal comfort requirements and adaptive comfort circumstances, preferences and strategies. A main methodological challenge was to investigate urban comfort in a city undergoing rapid physical change following a series of major earthquakes (2010-2011), and that also has a strongly seasonal climate which accentuates microclimatic variability. The field investigation had to be suitable for rapidly changing settings as buildings were demolished and rebuilt, and be able to capture data relevant to a cycle of seasons. These local circumstances meant that Christchurch was valuable as an example of a city facing rapid and unpredictable change. An interpretive, integrative, and adaptive research strategy that combined qualitative social science methods with biophysical measures was adopted. The results are based upon participant observation, 86 in-depth interviews with Christchurch residents, and microclimate data measurements. The interviews were carried out in a variety of urban settings including established urban settings (places sustaining relatively little damage) and emerging urban settings (those requiring rebuilding) during 2011-2013. Results of this research show that urban comfort depends on adaptive strategies which in turn depend on culture. Adaptive strategies identified through the data analysis show a strong connection between natural and built landscapes, combined with the regional outdoor culture, the Garden City identity and the connections between rural and urban landscapes. The results also highlight that thermal comfort is an important but insufficient indicator of good microclimate design, as social and cultural values are important influences on climate experience and adaptation. Interpretive research is needed to fully understand urban comfort and to provide urban microclimate design solutions to enhance the use of public open spaces in cities undergoing change.
A PDF copy of signage for the Places of Tranquillity initiative. Healthy Christchurch lead the collaborative project to create six gardens of beauty and peace to fill in some of the grey demolition sites across Christchurch. The signage promotes the initiative and invites people to register to create tranquil gardens at healthychristchurch.org.nz. From healthychristchurch.org.nz: "Healthy Christchurch is leading this innovative collaboration creating six gardens of beauty and peace to fill in some of the grey demolition sites across Christchurch.These gardens are for peace and tranquillity as well as family and community use with spaces designed for both." "This is a Healthy Christchurch collaboration in partnership with the city's ethnic communities to include their traditions, cultures and spiritual beliefs. This ensures that these communities' voices and presence is more visible in the rebuild of our city. There are three key partners in this collaborative project. Greening the Rubble are providing expertise in temporary site development and project managing the creation. Lincoln University School of Landscape Architecture provided the student competition and are supporting the winning students and their designs into fruition. Community and Public Health (CDHB) provide the overall project management, networks and promotion." "In 2012 Lincoln University School of Landscape Architecture students created 40 beautiful designs for the Places of Tranquillity. Six winning designs were chosen from the 995 votes made online or at the displays at Community and Public Health and the Migrant Centre. The six winners were announced at the Healthy Christchurch Hui on the 31st May 2012. Each winning student received a Certificate and a $50 Scorpio Book Voucher. The awards were presented by Michelle Mitchell, General Manager of the CERA Wellbeing Team."
While societal messages can encourage an unhealthy strive for perfection, the notion of embracing individual flaws and openly displaying vulnerabilities can appear foreign and outlandish. However, when fallibility is acknowledged and imperfection embraced, intimate relationships built on foundations of acceptance, trust and understanding can be established. In an architectural context, similar deep-rooted connections can be formed between a people and a place through the retention of layers of historical identity. When a building is allowed to age with blemishes laid bare for all to see, an architectural work can exhibit a sense of 'humanising vulnerability' where the bruises and scars it bears are able to visually communicate its contextual narrative. This thesis explores the notion of designing to capitalise on past decay through revitalisation of the former Wood Brothers Flour Mill in Addington, Christchurch (1891). Known as one of the city's last great industrial buildings, the 130-year-old structure remains hugely impressive due to its sheer size and scale despite being abandoned and subject to vandalism for a number of years. Its condition of obsolescence ensured the retention of visible signs of wear and tear in addition to the extensive damage caused by the 2010-12 Canterbury earthquakes. In offering a challenge to renovation and reconstruction as a means of conservation, this thesis asks if 'doing less' has the potential to 'do more'. How can an understanding of architecture as an ongoing process inform a design approach to celebrate ageing and patina? While the complex is undergoing redevelopment at the time of writing, the design project embraces the condition of the historic buildings in the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes and builds upon the patina of the mill and adjacent flour and grain store in developing a design for their adaptation as a micro-distillery. Research into the traditional Japanese ideology of wabi-sabi and its practical applications form the basis for a regenerative design approach which finds value in imperfection, impermanence and incompleteness. The thesis combines a literature review, precedent review and site analysis together with a design proposal. This thesis shows that adaptive reuse projects can benefit from an active collaboration with the processes of decay. Instead of a mindset where an architectural work is considered the finished article upon completion of construction, an empathetic and sensitive design philosophy is employed in which careful thought is given to the continued preservation and evolution of a structure with the recognition that evidence of past wear, tear, patina and weathering can all contribute positively to a building's future. In this fashion, rather than simply remaining as relics of the past, buildings can allow the landscape of their urban context to shape and mould them to ensure that their architectural experience can continue to be enjoyed by generations to come.