Showcasing the New Urban Edge of Christchurch

On Friday I visited the University of Auckland's School of Architecture to critique the work of the architectural design class of Camia Young and Derek Kapiti. The class had studied issues surrounding Christchurch and how it should recover from the devastation of the earthquakes earlier this year.  

To be honest, I was half expecting emotional discourses on this destroyed gem of New Zealand’s heritage. Instead I came away thrilled by the amazing insights these students came up with and the outstanding creativity this emerging generation is showing.

The engaging presentations showcased groundbreaking new thinking on the macro-level of urban design. Four groups of students began with the topic of "what is," instead of "what was" and made the Christchurch earthquakes and its destruction an opportunity for a new city of the 21st century to unfold, exploring:

• Structural responses to soil conditions
• Overarching green strategies for transport, energy and water supply, or urban interconnectivity
• The shopping malls as generators of urban identities
• Real-time urban development control applying field theory.

This last point really affected me, as there are many aspects in urban development that can be defined as field conditions in an ever-changing environment rather than by our usual deterministic zoning laws. Envisioning urban agents, such as houses, apartments, warehouses, distances, climate or noise conditions, environmental issues, as self-adjusting parameters of planning gives way to a performative interpretation of city and architecture. Scripting a city can work but what about the human factor, the emotions?

The critiques and the students also discussed the influence of the internet on the city of the future, and how working on mobile devices could negate daily commutes. They tackled subjects like whether introverted shopping malls can turn outwards and contribute to the public realm and asked questions like: "Is sprawl evil or part of New Zealand’s lifestyle?" Others asked whether Robert Moses has been rehabilitated and, if so, what role will Jane Jacobs then play? This is all exciting and necessary content to explore before Christchurch can take action.

After having seen the students' work I’m convinced that there is hope for Christchurch. The past might be lost to a certain extent but there is a future to be won.  The youth has the privilege of looking forward - to forge new ways into the tomorrow. And this work doesn't only concern Christchurch, but all of our cities! Congratulations Camia and Derek in leading this class to open up and expose fresh ideas to the radically new paradigms of the urban future.

For more information please visit their blog and take an adventure into the future of our urban environments.

- Posted Oct 26, 2011