The search for common ground

Abstract

Through the writer's course of study in architecture it appeared that we as designers are often concerned more with the object building than a relationship between the architecture and the landscape. The writer personnally believes there is a need for architecture to built in a response to the landscape. This viewpoint, combined with a close affinity with the rural sector provided the inspiration for this report. This topic, the writer believes, is important as people become more aware and conscious of their environment and we, as New Zealanders, are searching to find an architectural identity which includes our bi-culturalism. The writer's research through literature and discussion identified a varied history in the treatment of land. Those traditions were found to influence the design of architecture. Architecture was built in a response to the landscape. The writer concentrated on five major approaches to landscape evident in Europe and New Zealand. Two major cultures are resident in New Zealand- the Maori and the Pakeha. Having identified landscape traditions, in both Maori and Pakeha cultures that influenced the design of architecture, it appeared to the writer, that landscape did not always influence the design of architecture; often the architecture seemed devoid of any connection to the landscape. But why did architecture have no contextual relationship to the lanscape? This fact prompted the investigation to try and identify theories as to why architecture was not influenced by the landscape, specifically post- colonization New Zealand. However, also identified were examples of architects who have found a relationship between architecture and the landscape. They are inserted to provide a constrast thus, are included amongst the theories. Several writers who, have identified how architectural design should respond to the landscape, offer insight and backing to the landscape traditions identified in section one thus, a discourse is included at the end of section two to offer a possible conclusion to what they perceive is a positive design approach for architecture and the landscape. From the above, the writer aimed draw from the history of landscape treatment and the examples of architects whose designs have been influenced by the landscape and offer a conclusion on an approach to a direction for positive design. A design that responds to the landscape context the architecture is being built in.