Chaffers Beach residential: a critique on the urban morphology

Abstract

The Residential Development at Chaffers Beach has generated a diverse amount of valuable information. The aim of this project is to use this information to examine identify key urban themes within the individual schemes. The first section deals with the background information relating to the site, Lambton Harbour's role, the two competitions, and more importantly, the research methodology. The second section includes a critical analysis of the 1987 Lambton Harbour competition and the 1993 'Twenty Under Forty' competition. Summaries follow each competition analysis. This section also includes a comparative analysis between the two competitions to identify any major similarities or differences between them. The final section summarises the important points raised in the analyses and establishes a set of key issues relating to the design of future developments. This report has revealed that the two competitions for the Chaffers Beach site has generated two very distinct set of designs. The three 1987 Competiton entries proposed many similar ideas for the site while the 1993 ‘Twenty Under Forty’ competition produced twenty very diverse schemes in terms of the issues addressed. Overall, the large amount of information gathered and analysed in this report has produced a number of key issues that may be useful in the design of low-rise urban housing developments within a waterfront context. This report provides sufficient documentation of both the 1987 Lambton Harbour and 'Twenty Under Forty’ competitons. The findings in this research and any conclusions made about the Chaffers Beach Development are based on my own interpretation and attitudes to urban design.