GRAVITY 2.0
Redevelopment of Grey Lynn
Preserving Community
Community. A strong word that evokes a sense of belonging. We build them. They carry our qualities, our hopes, and our fears. But the days are long and the years are short. In the blink of an eye, a community will evolve into a town, and in turn, a metropolis. They cannot function without a shared perception of ‘us’ and ‘not us’. And so, as the city diversifies, the community shrinks. Grey Lynn is one such town, on the cusp of becoming something more. It occupies the confluence of urban and suburban landscapes. Inevitably though, Auckland will grow and densify. In its expansion the city will consume the inner suburbs like an insatiable beast. And ultimately, the isolationist communities of suburbia will collide with the isolationist individuals of the city and the question will become one of reconciliation. Grey Lynn’s pivotal role in the growing pains of a young city merits more intentional architectural speculation, rather than a prodigal scheme to abolish the essence of the community.
Social Gravity
The idea of gravity emerges as a driving force to approach this complex and nuanced eventuality. Not the gravity of falling apples, but social gravity. The kind of gravity that draws you to a certain place, rather than others. The kind of gravity that lingers as an indescribable, yet intuitive attachment. And the kind of gravity that spreads, as you feel the desire to regale others with exaggerated stories so that they too, may share your experiences. And release. For every chance encounter, every coffee date, and every midnight conversation, a little bit of social energy is generated. The collected energy then naturally diffuses outward, activating and revitalizing the urban milieu.
Long Section
Short Section
Long Section
Mixed-Use Density
As a mixed-use building, the scheme capitalizes on “activity” to create social gravity. Through a number of visually interconnected spaces, the design aims to reject isolationist tendencies and allow its occupants to feel linked to their surroundings. This is especially true for the open office and atrium programmes. Of course, privacy must be provided where privacy is due. The residential section is separated from the commotion of the public spaces, however, one must always have the option to participate. Thus extensive shared balconies become integral in promoting community spirit on each floor, and the communities, in turn, are part of something greater. Ultimately, “Gravity 2.0” looks to the encroaching city with excitement, but keeps in mind the value of so-called bourgeois suburban sensibilities.
Design studio taken during Semester 1 of First Year, Master of Architecture (Prof.) at the University of Auckland. The studio project concerns the redevelopment of the suburb of Grey Lynn near the Auckland CBD. Dealing with a gentrified area, the project looks to the predicted densification of Auckland city in the coming years and devises a strategy to diversify the area with a large mixed use building that encourages interaction between its inhabitants.