Wharf Dwellers

Abstract

Lyttelton is a port town connected to the world via the sea. The progressive expansion of the port zone has disrupted the connection between the town and the water’s edge, causing the occupants to experience a diminished sense of place. Consequently, this research explores the proposition that architecture can play a central role in developing our sense of place. It investigates this proposition by developing a method to represent place through architectural form, which will in turn reconnect the occupants with the water’s edge. In order to understand how architecture might achieve this, the research used an iterative design process as the overarching methodology. The thesis establishes the literary and physical context of the research before presenting the design exploration. This design work investigated the proposition through three experiments, each increasing in scale and architectural complexity: an installation, a house, and a public wharf. These developed a range of architectural techniques for representing place through architectural form. The works of Bill Hammond, and his role as an eminent Lyttelton occupant, were used as a narrative throughout to characterise some of the town’s ephemeral characteristics. The research recognises that an important role of designers is to interpret both the physical aspects of a location as well as the atmospheric and ephemeral aspects, and communicate this sense of place in a way that enables the public to fully engage with their environment.