WINNING ARCHITECTURAL BUILDS

Award-winning swamp dwelling

A Christchurch ‘Swamp Dwelling’ in Opawa has won the 2021 ADNZ Resene SUPREME Architectural Design Award.

Designed by Ben Brady of Linetype Architectural, the unique 150sqm home is built opposite a river in a fl ood management area, exemplifying what is possible on an unforgiving, uninspiring site with no views, no bush and no heritage

The ADNZ judges were wowed by the project, saying it was a building where the more you keep looking, the more you fi nd.

“There is nothing exceptional about the site to exploit, there is no stunning view, no native bush, no fl owing stream, and no heritage setting, no inspiration is present. Instead, this unforgiving site presents two direct di culties – a long thin plan and a high ground water level.

“Yet, what has been produced here is an outstanding design. The extended gable to the front creates a sheltered link to the exterior landscaped areas; and a fi nely crafted folded perforated Corten screen creates a complementary screening and sheltering element to the front deck and elevation. A stepped deck softens the height of the exterior elevation inside and throughout, the design is exquisitely detailed and consistent.

“When you peel back the engaging and pleasing skin of this building, underneath you fi nd the solid bones of a set of well-understood, eco-friendly technologies and design solutions. Out of the swamp has risen a sophisticated but unassuming beauty,” they said.

Brady’s fondly referenced ‘Swamp Dwelling’ was built for a retired couple looking to downsize maintenance commitments while also building a house tailored to their specifi c needs. They wanted easy accessibility, good building performance, an art studio, motorcycle workshop, a bedroom and a guest suite, plus good outdoor living.

Challenges with the site included a required fl oor level of 1.4m above ground, tough rules on earthworks and fi lling, a narrow lot, and a generous road setback from the river.

In addition to Brady’s SUPREME award win, nine other New Zealand designers were awarded National ADNZ Resene Architectural Design Awards, including Craig South of South Architects, Greg Young and Andy McLeod of Young Architects, Mitchell Coll of Coll Architecture and Pippin Wright-Stow of F3 Design, all from Christchurch.

LIANNE DALZIEL CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL | MAYOR

Join the freedom fi ght

November is the month we come together and celebrate so much with Cup and Show Week right at the heart of it all.

This is the November where our focus is now directed to getting our vaccination rates over 90 percent.

There is no magic in the number. It is a minimum before we can shift to more freedom to come together, as we have done in Novembers past.

It o ers us a degree of protection that was missing a century ago when two events caused a massive spread of the 1918 infl uenza virus – Armistice Day and the A&P Show – the latter spreading the virus right across the region and beyond.

It is helpful to think of our history, when we judge decisions that are being made today.

I am really pleased to see the response of our local businesses to supporting sensible precautions – scanning in, mask wearing and social distancing. Every bit helps.

The Word Festival has reduced its programme and scaled back attendance in accordance with Level 2 requirements.

Although it means some of the guests will be beaming into a live audience, at least we will have the chance to hear from them. Well done to Rachael King and the Word team.

And as we come up to Christmas, let’s think about how we might support local businesses as a way to share gift-giving with ensuring our city’s recovery. unvaccinated that could trigger an outbreak. That may push our health services to breaking point and frustrate our ability to provide all of the other important health support and services we depend on. Local health and wellness education, aggressive focused health research, and communicating critical fact-based health messages to our wider community have never been more important. Te Papa Hauora, the Health Precinct has an important role to play in all of these areas, to ensure that Canterbury remains a thriving healthy region, and a great place to live.

PETER TOWNSEND TE PAPA HAUORA ADVISORY COUNCIL | INDEPENDENT CHAIR

The adjustment bureau

We are now well into the “call to arms” to get as many of our community vaccinated against Covid-19 as is possible. The push for vaccinations has highlighted some challenging issues that are inherent in our community.

They include obvious inequities within and across our communities. It is very clear that we have a lot more work to do in health to address the disadvantaged, disengaged, and undertreated in our city and beyond. The statistics around vaccinations relating to ethnicity, age, and socio-economic status are telling. We also have a small minority who are sceptical about the merits of vaccination, despite unequivocal scientifi c evidence of the benefi ts.

This is going to test the ability of our region to adjust to living with Covid-19, as it is the fi nal few percent of

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JOHN BRIDGMAN ŌTĀKARO LIMITED | CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Shining bright

Between Te Pae Christchurch and Cathedral Square you may have noticed a large, strikinglooking black tower.

Adorned with rainbow discs and shiny, copper-coloured strips, it stands out against the Convention Centre’s braided river facade. The tower is the central feature of a new public space we’re delivering - Conduit Square. It will be truly brought to life with the addition of some automated lighting, that will refl ect o the tower and onto the surrounding area after sunset.

In classic Covid style, the delayed arrival of our lighting experts from Auckland has been a bit of a speed bump in completing this space but their work will be worth the wait, as they’re also setting up something special for the grey wall on Gloucester Street.

The area around Te Pae Christchurch will be home to a set of new hotels in the future, but we could see no reason why you shouldn’t be able to enjoy the space in advance of that.

So, you’ll see plenty of picnic tables and seating in Conduit Square to be used as a summer lunchtime spot.

We’ve also incorporated the necessary services for events to be held there and spill out onto the adjoining grass area.

So, I would say watch this space - but in reality, once the light switch is thrown, you’ll struggle to miss it.

JAN EVANS-FREEMAN UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY | PRO-VICE-CHANCELLOR OF SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability goals

My exciting new role is to deliver the university’s environmental sustainability goals from its Strategic Vision 2020-2030.

These include being carbon net neutral by 2030 and signifi cantly raising awareness of sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across all aspects of university life.

Operating in a more sustainable way is a critical issue facing all of society and is strongly supported by our sta and our students, who are increasingly concerned about how universities are taking action and leading on climate change and other urgent sustainability matters.

My appointment tops a year of sustainability action at the university, where activities were recently aligned to each of the SDGs and captured in the university’s fi rst SDG update. This shows some 100 examples of research breakthroughs, awards, initiatives to support diversity and equality on campus, and of course developments in education, such as new programmes, that all contribute to a more sustainable world.

The university also recently hosted the 20202021 Aotearoa SDG Summit Series, with Lincoln University, Ara Institute of Canterbury, Christchurch City Council and other partners. The series drew over 900 participants and 83 speakers from the research, community, business and government sectors, resulting in an SDG Summit Declaration, signed by almost 200 organisations, a national SDG Alliance and 75 video recordings of sessions that are available online to the public.

That’s just the start.

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