THE RARANGA OF SHADOWS
AAA VISIONARY AWARDS STUDENT FINALIST
Brief - To design a pavilion that helps to rejuvenate the Omaru River in Glen Innes, Auckland.
Glenn Innes, a community with rich and appreciable histories, both cultural and ecological. Through its centre the Omaru River weaves its way delicately amongst the landscape, a passage of connection and familiarity. However, what once was a waterway of communal congregation and supply now rests as a reminder of its neglect caused by an avid disconnect of people and place. The lightening of its condition, a sign of its feeble state. We must strive for its darkening as only then will it again be defined as abundant and safe. For this to become the rivers reality we must bind the community back to their Awa, creating a weaving of people, place and culture.
The concept of this proposal is centred around the notions of weaving and shadow. The application of the derived aesthetics taken from the visual study of cultural weaving such as repetition, patterning, linear and texture allow for the designs to result as a group of interiors that act as a metaphoric strategy in the achievement of the objective to once again connect the people of Glenn Innes to their Awa. The play of light and contrast within such interiors binds the momentary inhabitants to the quality of space and the site itself, with shadows presenting themselves as individual celebrations of the darkness the river should healthily possess.
The Raranga Shadows scheme presents itself as a series of structures situated along the edge of the Omaru River. Visually as one linear composition, weaving amongst the land of Point England Reserve it exists as an exaggerated gesture of traditional cultural weaving. Mimicking the movement of a woven patterns single strand it juts in and out of the site. Above the surface occurring either as a built steel structure or that of landscaping many different activities become possible. The main structure of the scheme is that of the main pavilion space, comprised of a steel framework of beams and rods, it acts as a filter of light casting shadows towards its interior as the result of such sunlight. To the front of the main pavilion exists an area landscaped to act as that of a traditional Atea space, where cultural practices and ceremonies have to opportunity to be formally carried out. Ramp access to the main platform ensures the welcoming to all members of the public. The multifunctional interior of the pavilion space includes pivoting/sliding gallery walls that can be used as interior walls, gallery sliders or simply sit pressed flush with the exterior wall. A main stage and its portable seating allow for a celebration of local performances or the hosting of large community gatherings. An interior of shadows send patterns aplay upon all that exists within. Softly resting on the surface of your skin, you are bound to its atmosphere and performance. The shadows act as a literal and metaphorical device that weave the people and site back together. This effect is present amongst all other lightweight structures within the scheme also, such as the road canopy. Shadows and lines repeat themselves upon the cars and people passing by, highlighting the pedestrian crossing that exists below. Picnic and seating areas weave those who find their use to the site and rivers presence. The projected shadows that rest on the water itself within the area proposed to exist as a swimming whole bind those who swim to the Awa. Through these spatial structures housing of shadow and atmosphere people and place no longer seem distant from one another, they themselves comprise their own unique pattern, a pattern that is Glenn Innes.
