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Final exhibition 

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trialling render styles

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finalizing Spatial layout - I decided to keep the path reasonably simple in the end, it allows for the visitor to flow through space with opportunities to diverge along the way. 

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Central access concept - I started playing around with a central feature which would allow access to all levels while being able to be closed and locked at night so that only the ground level could be accessed after hours

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pinup - visualising design

At this stage I decided to change the internal aspect of the site into a seed bank which would function under the same model as other existing seed banks. The main idea is that private space makes up a huge percentage of Wellingtons ground cover, but we are not optimising the space to foster biodiversity. As people are free to use their private spaces as they please, the greatest impact we can offer is to provide the resources needed to influence the development of privately owned spaces to encourage biodiversity.

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I decided to progress with the tip top factory as I am interested in the relationship between nature and urban waste. I started by creating a structural model of the site on revit which I then took to rhino to start playing with ideas for the path

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Conceptualizing the tip top factory - I am interested in creating a path through space which would be juxtaposed with the existing structure, the path would allow flow through the space, providing vantage points where nature and structure can be observed co-existing.

The internal areas of the space that the path does not flow through would operate as offices for DOC, to assist in maintaining the space, as well as providing information to visitors.

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I began conceptualizing how the tip top factory may function as a park, I was particularly interested in this site as a lot of my research in the previous semester was informed by Marco Casagrande who works a lot with informal architecture in post-industrial spaces. The concept for this park was to play on the idea of where a sanctuary should exist. Similar to U-Thant island I wanted to create ecological sanctuary within an urban wasteland

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Zones of Retainment - One of the ideas I explored in my presentation was ways in which birdlife could be kept for a brief period of time within the city. The main path of flight through the city are birds migrating from Zealandia to Mt Vic and vice versa, I wanted to look at how these species could be enticed to stop and how that would affect the flow through the city.

The areas I am looking at are Frankits Park, the empty lot by Massey University and the old tip top factory in Newtown. These three zones are evenly spread and located centrally between the two major habitats. Each park would focus on a different form of natural interaction whilst providing a green link and breaking up the distance between the two major habitats in Wellington

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week four presentation

In this presentation, I briefly recapped on the themes I had been exploring in relation to my early research as well as the direction I was heading in terms of my design output. One of the major ideas I was looking into for my design output was establishing an archipelago of micro sanctuaries around the city.

I was also interested in U-Thant island at this stage, which is a manmade Island in New York, which exists as a result of the landfill created in excess from a tunnel. The pile of landfill that remains is now off limits as it as a sanctuary for migratory birds, the idea that a landfill can exist as a wildlife sanctuary I find really interesting.

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Development on conceptualizing Frankits Park - In a Ted talk by Emma Marris she talks about expanding the definition of nature to where all life flourishes. This is an idea I want to explore in relation to my design output, this concept I am exploring the idea of creating a space that provides habitat as well as social and recreational spaces for people, a space where all life flourishes.

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Another potential design output I am exploring is reconfiguring the average city block to allow for a sustainable balance between green space and structure. 

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I began exploring ideas for a design output. I was interested in how park design assisted the ecosystem and the idea of potentially speculating on park design for a pest-free Wellington. The first design is of where Frankits park meets the water, which incorporates an artificial wetland system that acts to help clean the harbour water whilst providing a habitat for seabirds. The second design is located on the South coast and is speculating on what this area could be like if the gorse was replaced with native bush and a path included. This idea was inspired by an article (linked below) about how Instagram was changing the way we designed. The article focussed more on restaurant and interior fit-outs however tracks such as the Escarpment trail in Paekakareki that are continuously shared via facebook and Instagram I believe can be viewed in the same way. If Wellington included more ‘Instagram worthy’ natural experience within the city perhaps that would be a great way for the city to market itself as a biodiverse eco-city, and attract more like-minded people to join the cause.

https://www.archdaily.com/876903/instagram-is-changing-how-we-design-spaces-and-creating-incredibly-lucrative-businesses

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One benefit of gorse I had heard was that it can be used as a nursery for the growing of native plants, however this article compares gorse to Kanuka and suggests that they may lead to different forrest types. 

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In many coastal regions of New Zealand gorse has become prolific, I have lived on the south coast of Wellington most of my life and gorse dominates most of the uninhabited areas. Gorse is important for protecting some insect and bird life, however, this plant was introduced in the colonisation and has since overpowered much of New Zealand’s native plant life. Gorse does provide a habitat for some important species, however when uncontrolled it does far more harm than good. The space that Zealandia occupies is minuscule in comparison to the amount of the green belt dominated by gorse, the impact of Zealandia, however, is observed all throughout the city, if these gorse dominated areas were controlled then perhaps it would provide more green links for the species of Zealandia and create more habitats throughout the city.

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Exploring possibilities of constructed habitats. The floating wetland system is cheap, efficient and adaptable. It provides a habitat for birds and fish whilst also assisting in water filtration as the plants absorb nitrate.