131025 halswell-book zh

8/13/2019 131025 Halswell-book Zh

1/13


2/13


3/13

A leaf vein pattern has been utilized to represent and reect the character of Halswell, with the purpose of providing access for

the community to the sports park as part of the proposed town center. The leaf vascular pattern penetrates the sports park in the

form of the roads that interconnect with the surrounding area. The varying sizes of leaf mesophylls provide numerous possibilities

to form activity zones. The intention of the design is to activate the underutilized sports park, transforming it into a diverse hub

and improving the atmosphere of the proposed town centre.

Halswell is located south west of Christchurch. The majority of this area consists of farmlands and residential housing. Its a resi-

dential town growing rapidly with subdivisions newly created following the Canterbury earthquake. Many residents are moving

from the east to the west, due to the damaged land condition caused by liquefaction.

The research shows that Halswell has no town centre for residents to gather in; the local businesses have to nd a meeting

place elsewhere; the culture of Halswell is not visible, the kids dont have a central place to identify with and to form memories

in. Hence, a town centre would be a necessity for Halswell. There are a large amount of community groups throughout Halswell,

with sporting and leisure groups being predominant. The community offers a number of activities. It has a great focus on sports

activities and it organizes events that create a sense of community and bring people closer. The community is a friendly neigh-

bourhood. However the range of activities being limited to sports could result in boredom. A diverse activity zone near a town

centre would help the growth of the community.

The junction of Halswell Road and Nicholls Road has the most potential to become the town centre. This junction has the busiest

road served by the main road between Halswell and the city of Christchurch; the main supermarket and other commercial stores

are located on one of the three corners; the church, sports elds and Halswell Domain are located on the east side of the junction.

The visit to Halswell showed more about the quietness of the big empty open sports park. The surprising situation is that thereare rarely any people who come to the unplanned open sports ground, despite the increasing local population. The sports eld is

currently an undeveloped open green space, with a couple of buildings and some trees. This sports eld needs to be designed

with its own character to become an attractive feature as part of the town centre.

The design concept came from a leaf venation. Halswell has a great amount of farmland planted with crops and the shape of the

built fabric area on the aerial photo has a similar formation to that of a leaf. The beauty of a leaf is in its venation: The pattern of

the leaf is used to shape the planning for the sport elds, as well as Halswell Domain.

Imagine the vascular leaf pattern as the roads traversing Halswell, vascular bundles forming the pattern of veins in the same

way as roads form road patterns; the pattern of veins called venation also suggests the road patterns that form the transport

circulation of the whole area. Like the mesophyll shaped by a system of venation, the road circulation would shape spaces and

buildings. The main vascular routes provide vehicular access that interconnects most of the sports elds from Halswell Road to

William Brittan Avenue. Narrower vascular bundles for cyclists and pedestrians dene the outline of the sports elds and gardens

around them. The irregular shape and size of each segment provides its own unique identifying characteristics by its shape and

the activity for which it is utilized.

The location of the existing sports elds are adjusted to t into the large mesophyll, to form the whole program, creating specta-

tors seating areas from different angles with easy access around the elds.

The medium size mesophyll pieces which reside next to residential houses and around the sports elds are designed to be

used as gardens for hire as allotments and for community use, as planting vegetables or fruit trees wil l enhance the character of

Halswell and Christchurch city, in keeping with Christchurchs reputation as the Garden City. Along the street front, small meso-

phylls are designated as open spaces between the retail stores and gardens, and are necessary for local residents to use as

meeting points, for example for a trip to the sports park to watch a game with a picnic. This ability to make use of a small meso -

phyll next to a landscaped garden on a sunny day would be quite enjoyable.

Design Description

RECREATION

SUBURBAN

LOCAL3


4/13

Growing Population

Halswell is a residential town growing rapidly with

subdivisions newly created following the Canterbury

earthquake. Many residents are moving from the

east to the west, due to the damaged land conditioncaused by liquefaction.

Over the next 30 years, the population is expected to

grow from 14,680 to 41,000.

OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS

41,000 PEOPLE

14,000 HOMES

5


5/13

Commercial Corner

Sports Park Corner

Town Centre

Halswell needs a town centre. The district currentlyhas no town centre for residents to gather in; the local

businesses have to nd a meeting place elsewhere; the

culture of Halswell is not visible, the kids dont have a

central place to identify with and to form memories in.

Hence, a town centre would be a necessity for Halswell.

The junction of Halswell Road and Nicholls Road has

the most potential to become the town centre. This

junction has the busiest road served by the main road

between Halswell and the city of Christchurch; the main

supermarket and other commercial stores are locatedon one of the three corners; the church, sports elds

and Halswell Domain are located on the east side of

the junction.

7


6/13

Sports Park

There are rarely any people who come to the un-

planned open sports ground, despite the increasing

local population. The sports eld is currently an un-developed open green space, with a couple of build -

ings and some trees. This sports eld needs to bedesigned with its own character to become an attrac-

tive feature as part of the town centre.

There are a large amount of community groups

throughout Halswell, with sporting and leisure groups

being predominant. The community offers a numberof activities. It has a great focus on sports activities

and it organizes events that create a sense of com-

munity and bring people closer. The community is a

friendly neighbourhood. However the range of activi-

ties being limited to sports could result in boredom.A diverse activity zone near a town centre would help

the growth of the community.

9


7/13

Leaf Concept

The design concept came from a leaf venation.

Halswell has a great amount of farmland planted with

crops, and the shape of the built fabric area on theaerial photo has a similar formation to that of a leaf.

The beauty of a leaf is in its venation: The pattern of

the leaf is used to shape the planning for the sports

elds, as well as Halswell Domain.

11


8/13

Design Logic

Imagine the vascular leaf pattern as the roads travers-ing Halswell, vascular bundles forming the pattern of

veins in the same way as roads form road patterns;the pattern of veins called venation also suggests the

road patterns that form the transport circulation of the

whole area. Like the mesophyll shaped by a system

of venation, the road circulation would shape spacesand buildings.

13


9/13

Circulation - Vascular

The main vascular routes provide vehicular access that

interconnects most of the sports elds from Halswell

Road to William Brittan Avenue. Narrower vascular

bundles for cyclists and pedestrians dene the outlineof the sports elds and gardens around them.

15


10/13

Gardens, Sports elds - Mesophylls

The location of the existing sports elds are adjusted to t into the

large mesophyll, to form the whole program, creating spectators

seating areas from different angles with easy access around the

elds.

The medium size mesophyll pieces which reside next to resi-

dential houses and around the sports elds are designed to be

used as gardens for hire as allotments and for community use,

as planting vegetables or fruit trees will enhance the characterof Halswell and Christchurch city, in keeping with Christchurchs

reputation as the Garden City.

17


11/13

Open spaces - Mesophylls

Along the street front, small mesophylls are desig -

nated as open spaces between the retail stores and

gardens, and are necessary for local residents to use

as meeting points, for example for a trip to the sportspark to watch a game with a picnic. This ability to

make use of a small mesophyll next to a landscaped

garden on a sunny day would be quite enjoyable.

19


12/13

Halswells Vein

The main vascular routes provide vehicular access that

interconnect most of the sports elds from Halswell

Road to William Brittan Avenue. Narrower vascular

bundles for cyclists and pedestrians dene the outlineof the sports elds and gardens around them. The

irregular shape and size of each segment provides

its own unique identifying characteristics by its shape

and the activity for which it is utilized.

The location of the existing sports elds are adjustedto t into the large mesophyll, to form the whole pro -

gram, creating spectators seating areas from differ -

ent angles with easy access around the elds.

The medium size mesophyll pieces which reside nextto residential houses and around the sports elds are

designed to be used as gardens for hire as allotments

and for community use, as planting vegetables or

fruit trees will enhance the character of Halswell and

Christchurch city, in keeping with Christchurchs repu-

tation as the Garden City.

Along the street front, small mesophylls are desig -

nated as open spaces between the retail stores and

gardens, and are necessary for local residents to use

as meeting points, for example for a trip to the sports

park to watch a game with a picnic. This ability tomake use of a small mesophyll next to a landscaped

garden on a sunny day would be quite enjoyable.

21


13/13

AD 2 - Future Christchurch

Zara (Cheng) Huang

Oct 2013

131025 halswell-book zh

Documents