EXPERIMENTATION SITE ANALYSIS

Moa Point

41° 20' 28.3272'' S 174° 48' 39.618'' E

MOA POINT IS AN AREA ON THE SOUTHERN COAST OF WELLINGTON SURROUNDED BY NATURAL FEATURES SUCH AS THE BUSHCLAD HILLS, COOK STRAIT, WELLINGTON HARBOUR, AND LYALL BAY. THE SITE IS SERVICED BY TE ARANUI O PONEKE (GREAT HARBOUR WAY), A TWO-WAY COASTAL ROAD WHICH ACTS AS A PHYSICAL AND VISUAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE COASTAL EDGE AND THE STEEP NATURAL LANDSCAPE. DUE TO ITS LOCATION, THE SITE SHOWCASES PANORAMIC VIEWS OF THE RUGGED COASTLINE, COOK STRAIT, AND SOUTH ISLAND IN THE DISTANCE.

THE COASTLINE IS CHARACTERISED BY ITS VARYING TOPOLOGICAL FORMS SUCH AS THE STEEP CLIFFS, ROCKY OUTCROPS, AND SMALL SANDY BEACHES. DUE TO ITS PROXIMITY TO THE SEA, THE SITE IS EXPOSED TO EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS THUS MAKING IT VULNERABLE TO COASTAL EROSION CAUSED BY STRONG WINDS AND STORM SURGES, AS WELL AS PRECIPITATION AND SEA LEVEL RISE. OVER THE YEARS, THE SITE WILL RESULT IN THE DECAY OF ITS LAND MASS.

Coastal Sea Level

PRECIPITATION, WIND, & STORM SURGES

THE HEIGHTFIELD ERODE MAP GENERATED IN HOUDINI SHOWS THE DEGRADATION OF THE FORM OF THE HILLS OVER THE YEARS WHERE SEVERITY OF DECAY DEPENDS ON SLOPE INSTABILITY AND HIGH QUANTITIES OF SOFT SOIL.

Erosion Rise

IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

AS A COASTAL AREA, MOA POINT IS AT EXTREME RISK AS SEA LEVEL RISES WHICH IS EXPECTED TO ACCELERATE IN THE FUTURE.

THE DIAGRAM SHOWS THE PROGRESSION OF RISING WATER LEVELS ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO COASTAL EROSION DUE TO STRONGER WAVES AND STORMS WHICH LEADS TO THE REDUCTION OF LAND MASS.

PRECIPITATION

Steep valleys and ridges suggests high levels of decay due to soft soil instability

Highest risk of land loss

COASTAL WINDS

Receives high velocity winds