#03

image source: www.flickr.com

september
chow:hill sustainability quarterly 2009

ee
updates
out there
projects + people
connections
community
small steps
resources
 chow:hill sustainable design low impact
image source: California Academy of Sciences
living roof, by rachaelwrites www.flickr.com

guidelines: regenerative design urban design

The Chow:Hill Sustainable Design Guidelines talk about taking a + development
‘regenerative design’ approach which involves a ‘shift from a fragmented
roadshow
pdate world view to a whole systems mental model’. ‘Instead of doing less damage
to the environment, it is necessary to learn how we can participate with the
environment – using the health of ecological systems as a basis for design.’
A way to achieve this is to take a place-based approach by ‘attempting to
understand how the systems of life work in each unique place.’ By creating
a ‘whole system of mutually beneficial relationships’ we are able to move
‘beyond sustaining the environment to one that can regenerate its health.’
This process connects with the ‘consciousness and spirit of the people
engaged in a place, the only way to sustain sustainability.’

Source: Bill Reed, April 2006, ‘Shifting our Mental Model – “Sustainability” to Regeneration’,
Integrative Design Collaborative and Regenesis, USA, http://www.regenesisgroup.com/pdf/
Low Impact Urban Design and
Development (LIUDD) is an approach
to urban development and stormwater
management which identifies,
recognises and utilises natural features,
processes and systems. Susan Hall from
the Auckland office recently attended
a two-day LIUDD safari and seminar
course run by Landcare Research and
The University of Auckland, focusing on
ShiftingOurMentalModel.pdf its applications in urban intensification
and redevelopment. Susan will be
embarking on a roadshow to all three
Chow:Hill offices on the 21st and 22nd
of October to share the learnings.

Source: http://www.integrativedesign.net/images/RegenerativeDesignPresentation_102006.pdf

sbn awards
As a result of our efforts to date in the
‘Get Sustainable Challenge’ process,
we’re pleased to share that Chow:Hill
We take responsibility was a finalist in the ‘Emerging Large
and Corporate’ category for the 2009
for leading the Northern Sustainable Business Network
Awards, announced on the 3rd of
transformation of our September. Points of interest to note
environments in the are that Kokako Coffee (which we now
buy) won the ‘Trailblazer Small and
pursuit of a sustainable Medium’ category and SKM (whom we
work with on the Onehunga Foreshore)
future were awarded a judges commendation
in the ‘Trailblazer Large and Corporate’
category. There was some great
competition for the awards and although
Chow:Hill was not a winner (this time) it
was a great event to be involved in.
 More of Maurice’s pictures of the High Line can be viewed at:
nature + people reclaim

ut there
image source: Maurice Kiely
Auckland: AKL Admin - Presentation Server - Maurice’s New York Photos
Hamilton: HML Admin - Photographs - Miscellaneous Projects - Maurice’s New York Photos
Tauranga: TGA Projects - Presentation Files - Maurice’s New York Photos
new york infrastructure
The High Line is an elevated linear urban public park within
New York that began life in the 1930s as a raised train
track built to lift dangerous freight trains off Manhattan’s
streets. The track was abandoned in 1980, escaped
demolition in the mid-1980s and gradually became a
wild, rambling, dynamic industrial relic overgrown with
wildflowers. A group called the Friends of the High Line
formed in 1999 to advocate for the development of the
structure as public open space.

The park was designed by landscape architect James

Corner of Field Operations, architects Diller Scofidio and
Renfro and a team of specialists. When completed the
High Line park will run for approx 2.3km through 22 city
blocks between and through buildings in the west side of
Manhattan. Inspired by the way that nature had reclaimed
a once-vital piece of infrastructure, the designers applied
a strategy of ‘agri-tecture’ by combining ‘organic and
building materials into a blend of changing proportions
that accommodates the wild, the cultivated, the intimate,
and the hyper-social’ (James Corner).

There is evidence of the principles of ‘regenerative

design’ (mentioned on the previous page and to the left
here) in the High Line, whereby community input and
regenerative design is... engagement was central to all phases of the project, the
heritage of the industrial relic has been retained therefore
•
• People & Nature as one, part of the same integrated whole maintaining the sense of place, and the wild character
and the associated biological and hydrological systems
•
• participating with nature, instead of doing things to nature have been fully integrated into the design.
•
• aligning healing of living systems with future aspirations The first of the three sections of the park opened in June
•
• continuously evolving relationships 2009 and Maurice Kiely walked this on his recent trip
to New York, pictured left. A highlight for Maurice was
•
• experiencing the whole system seeing ‘the designers’ words were not exaggerated, it
is a hyper-social and sometimes hyper-real experience
•
• expressing relationships in the form of a 'story of place'
walking through a park six metres in the air while passing
•
• a living systems approach through, under and between buildings.’ He also enjoyed
‘the combination of prairie, wetland, artwork, sun-lounge,
•
• combination of Place and the science of living systems industrial grunge and Monet-like all in the one voyeurs
Source: http://www.di.net/articles/archive/2043/ http://www.integrativedesign. package.’
net/regenerative.htm http://www.integrativedesign.net/images/
RegenerativeDesignPresentation_102006.pdf Source: http://www.thehighline.org/ http://www.inhabitat.
com/2009/06/11/inhabitat-exclusive-video-the-nyc-high-line-opens/
http://www.fieldoperations.net/
 chow:hill’s relationship
rojects & people
image source: Miranda Chang
with unitec sustains the
profession + the urban fabric
2009 is the 10th year of Chow:Hill’s relationship with Unitec, whereby each
year a team from the Auckland office runs a design studio programme
with 3rd and 4th year architecture students with the aim to integrate the
learning environment with the realities of professional practice.
This year the team is led by Miranda Chang and assisted by Anthony
Flannery, Colin MacKillop and Joanna Smith. The brief, titled ‘Learning
Morphologies’, challenges students to apply the concepts of Anthony’s
‘Knowledge Cities’ presentation to develop a ‘Learning Commons’ for
Unitec on the soon to be vacated Lion Nathan Brewery site, which is a
large piece of industrial land located between Newmarket and the CBD.
To date, the students have completed the masterplanning phase of the
project, which is soon to be followed by more in-depth design of one
of the building blocks. The masterplans that the students produced
explore aspects of social, environmental and economic sustainability,
for instance:
• mixed-use development was core to the students ideas, as they were
exploring the concept of the university being part of the city, where
tertiary education shares the site with a number of other functions,
including apartments, shops, restaurants, cafes and a library
• the location of the site allowed students to look into the ideas of
walkability and connections to public transport and urban centres
• the students have been encouraged to explore ideas of high density
development, as they learnt from Adam Thompson, Director of
Property Economics, this is crucial to ensure the economic viability
of the site
• one group of students have re-used the existing structures of the
site, allowing for adaptability and flexibility of architecture over time
and retaining the heritage of the site
• some groups have transformed the existing silos (pictured in
background) to provide a water retention function or act as water
features.
Over the years, Chow:Hill’s programme with Unitec has encouraged
many students to engage with the architectural profession and real-
world issues prior to graduating, allowing them to emerge from Unitec
with the skills and knowledge needed to slot into the professional world.
We look forward to seeing the results of the next phase of the 2009
studio and many more to come.
Contact Miranda Chang for more information.
onehunga
foreshore
The Onehunga Foreshore Request for
Proposal put out by Auckland City Council
called for a Design-Build team, preliminary
design and costings. Chow:Hill joined forces
with HEB Construction, Heron Construction,
SKM Consulting, Bioresearches, Andrew.
Stewart, Bespoke Landscape Architects and
Studio Pasifika. We brainstormed design,
construction and costing proposals through
a series of interactive workshops.
Our approach is to ‘make visible’ or at least ‘hint
at’ the hidden stories behind our ever-changing
landscapes. This approach incorporates more
than protection and conservation; it’s about
learning and celebration, respecting past and
present stories while creating opportunities
for new ones. It is about cultural identity and
sense of belonging.
Our design process for the project utilised the
Chow:Hill Sustainable Design Guidelines in
the following ways:
Planet (environmental): our approach is to step
past ‘impact reduction’ to one of regeneration through
the establishment of ecological enhancement areas,
improving water quality, marine environments and bird
habitat.
People (social/cultural): our approach focuses
on wellbeing through community engagement with a
sensitivity to different cultures and a desired outcome of
flexibility and choice for the end users.
Prosperity (economic): an objective of our design
is that it will be adaptable, ensuring it is a vibrant public
open space for future generations including opportunities
that support commercial initiatives.
Aspiration: our aspiration for this project is that it
is more than recreating a few beaches but instead is
an opportunity for expressing the natural and cultural
heritage of this particular place.
Feedback on the evaluation process is
expected in October – fingers crossed!

onnection
image source: Top Tech Writer US www.flickr.com
indigenous knowledge + mayoral
sustainable urban conversation with
design seminar jonathan smales
This seminar, run by the New Zealand Centre for Sustainable Cities on the 9th
of September, included a combination of four speakers, all with different but
interrelated backgrounds – an architect, resource economist, environmental
policy planner and social geographer. The linking theme was the development
of sustainable and regenerative design and planning principles drawn from pre-
contact Maori built environments.
Jonathan Smales, CEO of Beyond Green
Group, is a sustainability strategist and
practitioner and has been working in this
field for over 20 years. In his talk at an
Auckland City Council Mayoral Conversation
on the 25th of August, Jonathan outlined
many of the problems facing the planet and
Amanda Yates (Ngati Whakaue, Rongowhakaata, Ngati Pakeha), registered argued that we need to start ‘living on the
architect and academic, spoke about building as micro-urbanism where she earth as if we intended to stay’. To achieve
interprets the Maori pa and architecture as a generative landscape. Her built works this, Jonathan says we first need to answer
derived from these principles were inspirational. Each project incorporates three the big question of ‘how shall we live?’
key architectural strategies: terracing into the landscape, space that opens to the Jonathan and the team at Beyond Green
outside and garden on rooftop landscape. Amanda’s definition for regenerative believe that the answer to this is not all
design is that it ‘…considers earth and biotic systems as an integrated network doom and gloom, but that our future lives
and aims to replenish these systems through design interventions.’ can be a combination of both sustainability
and pleasure. Jonathan advocates that good
Shaun Awatere (Ngati Porou), resource economist from Landcare Research, has urbanism is the key to enabling people to live
been researching the development of papakainga / communities. His particular more sustainably while maintaining a high
focus is on communities taking responsibility for the management of resources quality of life. He feels that high importance
such as stormwater and wastewater. His work has led to the development of must be placed on the development of the
nine urban / sustainable design principles. A key objective of this work is to give public realm, buildings must be adaptable
Maori a vehicle to express their development aspirations. Shaun expressed one and flexible over time and they should
of the biggest challenges is the need to change (all) people’s perceptions of be planned to last for hundreds of years,
what is sustainable – what do we ‘desire’ and value as ‘quality of life’ / standard walkable mixed-use neighbourhoods must
of living and what do we value as ‘sustainable’. be developed and the urban environment
must be fine-grained and textured to make
Wiki Walker (Ngati Hine), Manukau City Council Environmental Policy Planner walking and cycling more pleasurable.
(tangata whenua), whose role of strategist and tactician across Council has
given her the opportunity to work on a challenging and exciting project where Jonathan spoke of cities that are exhibiting
a key objective is to take people’s stories of place and map these to enable a good urbanism and changing behaviors,
cultural layer to be incorporated into spatial structure planning in a citywide including Copenhagen, Curitiba,Amsterdam,
context. The idea is to map both tangible and intangible cultural resources. Barcelona and Basel. He presented many
great insights and images, and these cities
Ngarimu Blair (Ngati Whatua), Trustee on the Ngati Whatua o Orakei Maori Trust are well worth looking at (either through
Board, discussed the work that Ngati Whatua has been undertaking; with ideas, Google or in real life!).
values and preconceptions challenged through 40 hui, in order to develop their
land in Orakei. Key principles include: a move to medium density, kaitiaki low At the conclusion of his talk, Jonathan’s
impact design and new interpretations of papakaianga / community. Ngarimu main message to planners, designers and
also reiterated the importance of the ‘stories of place’, the narrative of all developers was that ‘if you can’t build
Aucklanders, which enables us to know who we are. sustainably, don’t build anything.’
To view each speakers’ presentation, visit http://sustainablecities.org.nz/2009/08/seminar-series- Visit http://www.beyondgreen.co.uk/ to learn more
indigenous-knowledge-and-sustainable-urban-design-2/ about Beyond Green.

ommunit
cycle ways
Around 10% of our permament staff cycle to work on a regular basis
and a greater number cycle regularly in their leisure time. When asked
what the attractions were for them they replied...
'part of the reason I purchased my bicycle was to save money...
a quick calculation on the amount of money I was spending on fuel
to get to work was about $1000 a year, which is about the same
amount I was going to spend on a bike. If I was to bike to work
6 months each year the pay back period for the purchase of the
bike was approximately 2 years.' Nathan Edmondston
'I have an 11km return trip to work each day from Royal Oak. I
cycle for fitness, to save time and money and because cars clog
the roads, pollute the air, bring the worst out in people.' Leslie Lewis
'I bike to work for the thrill and adrenalin of riding in bike / bus
lanes - there is nothing like nearly being killed by a bus to wake you
up in the morning!! Also it is as fast as driving and saves gas!!'
Doug Oaks
'I cycle to work for... the enjoyment, and
image source: blmurch www.flickr.com
feeling of satisfaction; time to break out
of the daily rat race; a small part of me
feels I'm helping the environment; parking
a car in town is a bit of a pain; I'd like
to think there are some health benefits,
apart from the accidents!; it takes about
the same amount of time as in the car; it
means I can eat more chocolate!'
Ross Owen (also pictured)
Source: Newmarket Primary School
‘ocean wonderland’
in newmarket
As reported in the first issue of seed, a group
from the Auckland office celebrated World
Architecture Day last year by taking their
passion for design and sustainability into
the community, working with students of
Newmarket Primary School to develop a new
play area. The relationship with the School has
been ongoing, and Christina Schregel, Vatra
Bandur, Frances Montero and Simon Woodall
recently attended an Enviroschools event at
the School to talk about their experiences with
assisting to develop the ‘Ocean Wonderland
Playground’. Newmarket Primary School is
a member of the nationwide Enviroschools
programme and this event was a workshop
for teachers in the Auckland Region to see
what has been happening at the School. A
publication put out by the School recently is a
great testament to the benefits that arose from
Chow:Hill’s relationship with the School:
‘A shared vision for the project was developed
using the expertise of local architects
Chow:Hill, students, teachers and parents.
Students took action, participated in authentic,
rich integrated learning projects that resulted
in great areas for learning and creative play. In
partnership, rich learning resources are being
created for the school.’
Visit http://www.enviroschools.org.nz/ for infomation on
the Enviroschools programme.
 image source: Matt Seppings www.flickr.com
help yourself and the planet...
mall step join your fellow office
mates and start cycling
to work...
but don't feel that you
need to become part of
the lycra-clad cyclist
stereotype...
join the Frocks on Bikes
movement instead and
add some glamour to
your commute!
Visit www.frocksonbikes.org
if cycling or public
transport isn't an option
consider:
• eliminating
• short car
trips by walking
• carpooling
• take, have a read of
• driving smoothly and
• World Sweet World,
within the speed
limit
• maintaining your car
• to make great stuff
well
• upgrading to a
• on people, places and
newer, smaller, more
fuel efficient car
Source: www.sustaintrust.org.nz
'Widening roads to overcome congestion is like loosening our belts to solve obesity.'
fight the trend shown 5 clicks
here in Auckland's
image source: 350 Aotearoa www.flickr.com
Britomart and take Visit www.5clicks.org.nz
the stairs instead to perform ‘5 Actions for
of the escalator or a Happy Planet’. You will
lift to reduce energy be directed to:
• www.350.org.nz
consumption and fight Watch the animation
obesity to learn why 350 could
be the most important
image source: glutnix www.flickr.com
number on our planet.
• www.signon.org.nz
Sign on to Greenpeace’s
new campaign, calling
for the NZ government
to commit to a 40%
emissions reduction
target by 2020 at the
UN Climate talks in
Copenhagen this
December.
get off the bus one stop earlier or • www.wwf.org.nz
Find out how to make
park your car further away and small changes in your
walk the remainder of your journey life to make it Earth Hour,
every hour.
• www.choices.net.nz
The Choices programme
for more great ideas has been developed by
the Sustainability Trust
of small steps you can to support a wide range
of groups and individuals
making positive choices
for themselves and their
a nz magazine with planet.
• www.oxfam.org.nz
instructions on how Urge world leaders to
develop a fair climate
change agreement by
and feature articles adding your name to the
Feel the Heat petition.
sustainable living This will be handed
over to the New Zealand
Available from Whitcoulls and government in the lead
www.worldsweetworld.co.nz up to the UN climate
change conference
in Copenhagen this
December.
John Norquist

image source: Orin Zebest www.flickr.com
esource
ecofont
A new font that uses 20% less ink has been
released by Dutch company SPRANQ
Creative Communications: the Ecofont.
The saving is achieved by many small
holes perforating each letter. The holes
are not visible at a normal font size, but
they become clear as the font is enlarged.
Pat Paiti is going to load this font onto
our computers so we can all start to save
the planet and save on printing costs.
Visit www.ecofont.com
tech talk:
ecosystem services
‘Humankind benefits from a multitude
of resources and processes that are
supplied by natural ecosystems.
Collectively, these benefits are known as
ecosystem services. Ecosystem services
are distinct from other ecosystem
products and functions because there is
human demand for these natural assets.
Services can be subdivided into five
categories: provisioning, such as the
production of food and water; regulating,
such as the control of climate and
disease; supporting, such as nutrient
cycles and crop pollination; cultural,
such as spiritual and recreational
benefits; and preserving, which includes
guarding against uncertainty through the
maintenance of diversity.’
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem_services
te aranga maori cultural
landscape strategy
The perceived failure of the Ministry for the Environment
hno
logy
(MFE) to consult adequately with Maori interests in
the development of the Urban Design Protocol, and a
subsequent series of hui (which were attended by MFE
representatives) led to the development of the Te Aranga
Maori Cultural Landscape Strategy.
The document has been developed by a group of Maori
ec
tec
olo
professionals, including Carin Wilson who presented to
gy
us in June this year. To date it has been approved by eight
iwi, several Councils and it has also received favourable
response from the Auckland Regional Council’s Mana
culture Whenua group within the Sustainability Framework. It will
be further reinforced at a hui in September.
‘The ‘Te Aranga Maori Cultural Landscapes Strategy’
seeks the reinstatement, development and articulation
of the physical and metaphysical cultural landscapes of
whanau, hapu and iwi.’
The strategy notes that this understanding is ‘...critical to
cultural identity and a ‘Maori sense of place’.’
what sustainable
things have you Some other pertinent points from the document are as
follows:
been up to or
come across? ‘The fabric of the Maori cultural landscape includes all
we'd love to physical and spiritual dimensions of whanau, hapu and
hear from you iwi as expressed in our living environments - our whenua,
for the next kainga, whare and public spaces. Kaitiaki, designers and
issue of seed... Territorial Authorities play a key role in the development,
articulation and sustainability of cultural landscapes.’
‘...the development and articulation of the Maori cultural
landscape will contribute to the health and well-being of
all who reside in and visit Aotearoa - through realising our
to input, comment
or debate please unique Aotearoa & Pacific identity.’
contact the So the challenge or question is: how will our proposals
editorial team... and design processes seek to engage with the Te Aranga
Bridgit, Maurice Maori Cultural Landscape Strategy?
or Susan
Source: Te Aranga Maori Cultural Landscape Strategy, 28 April 2008,
Second Edition.