Diffusion

Strata, a design driving concept.

Derived from an interpretation of the sites history and geology (the layers of which were revealed extensively by clay quarrying) the notion of Strata was to heavily influence the process of designing the clay pit park concepts.

This concept reflects the manner in which New Lynn’s gritty industrial past has been progressively overwritten by new development, becoming strata in the ground itself, and was used to reveal these layers of heritage through its influence on the character of my design, both during the day and at night.

Context: Site History

Now Suburban and Commercial in nature, New Lynn was once an industrial hub of Auckland, with Tanneries, Factories and Timber yards. However the scale Ceramics Industry overshadowed all of these and has left the most lasting imprint on the region.

West Auckland is well known for its boggy clay soils, initially unsuited to farming. But it was in this clay that enterprising businessmen saw an opportunity to create the bricks, drainage pipes and tiles the fledgling city of Auckland was craving. By the 1920’s the industry was fiercely competitive, with 3 major works in New Lynn. Realising this could not last many of the companies merged or were taken over to form the conglomerate Amalgamated Brick and Tile, which later created the famous but defunct NZ dinnerware brand “Crown Lynn”.

The site of the proposed park is located in one of this firms now infilled Clay Pits, which was closely bordered by its major kilns and works. Clay was initially extracted by hand, but later by mechanical means as in this 1929 photograph of the nearby ex-Gardner Works clay pit (Incidentally today’s Manawa Wetland Reserve).

Image sourced from local history blogger “Timespanner”

Context: Site Analysis

Today the future location of the planned Clay Pit park is defined by a large storm water pond, home to families of resident and visiting birdlife. Two Council owned industrial units currently occupy the parks other half of the proposed park, with demolition planned only when construction of the developments first stage gets underway.

Under the New Lynn Urban Plan the new park will occupy an entire block, initially bordered by a fenced industrial boundary to the west and another similarly uninviting rear of a supermarket to the north. This leaves the eastern and southern streets as being the most attractive boundaries to be developed and indicates an opportunity to provide pedestrian access across the park between the residential and urban areas of Southern New Lynn.

In addition the Urban Plan specifies that the park shall be formal, a minimum of 1ha and contain a stormwater retention pond, Play Park, Kiosk, Passive Grassland, Food Producing Landscapes and Mass drift planting.

A Clay Pit Park 

B Shared Space Lanes 

C Margan Reserve

D New extended avenues from Memorial Drive and Clark Street

E New or realigned local roads

Context: Site Selection

Planned as a Transit Oriented Redevelopment, the New Lynn Urban Plan Aims to create a sustainable High Density Metropolitan Centre centred on the new transit interchange. It is hoped that by 2030 it will attract and maintain a population of 20,000 residents and 14,000 local workers.

Under this plan The Crown Lynn Precinct (marked 2 on this map) contains the Clay Pits site and is intended to become a transition zone between the higher densities of the town centre and the suburban fringe, containing a mixture of building types and heights centred around the new Clay Pit Park, my chosen site.

With a predicted population of 1900 people within walking distance, this park will play a large role in the lives of the surrounding residents and is hoped to become the show piece park of the region. This makes it the ideal site to investigate how light may contribute to achieving high patronage throughout the day and year.

(Map originally sourced from the Waitakere City Council New Lynn Urban Plan Document)

Context: Site Selection

“Auckland has a shortfall of about 10,000homes and will need 13,000 additional houses each year to meet the projected population growth of one million by 2040” Auckland Plan paragraph 609

I chose New Lynn as the site you my research project because it is one of 10 regions defined as Metropolitan centres under the recent Auckland Plan. These centres are the target of urban intensification strategies to accommodate the projected population growth and as such must offer a high quality of life to attract residents from the traditional suburban model of living.

Among other qualities these centres are expected to have day and night activities, and contain high quality public spaces. (Auckland Plan, Table 10.2)

Light Pollution Over Auckland City, from Titirangi Road, Waitakere Ranges. New Lynn and my site is mid shot.

It’s only when you get up high that you realise how important well considered lighting is at a regional scale, and how much is wasted, creating light pollution.