What if there is another chance (to establish a balanced architectural relation between a heritage building and a new construction)?

Abstract

RESEARCH QUESTION: What if there is another chance to re-establish a balanced architectural status between heritage buildings and new constructions?

This primary question is divided into a number of secondary research questions and they will be identified and briefly described below:

• How can the unbalanced relation between Aickin House and the new construction be changed to protect the status of Aickin House as a valued heritage building on Symonds St?

A problem facing Aickin House is that the old building has lost its architectural and aesthetic values through it being installed within a new construction. To address this problem, the research also explores:

Symonds Street runs through the centre of a number of educational facilities in the Auckland City area. In the past, Aickin House was Dr. Aickin’s house, granted by the government as a private residence. The house’s ownership was transferred to Auckland University to provide a medical service. Now, it has become a retail space and is used as a part of AUT’s student accommodation. The purpose of the building has changed over time in line with the requirements of different owners. This research also examines its new function and attempts to answer the above-stated questions.

ABSTRACT: Old buildings are windows into the past and can tell us about local history and culture. However, due to rapid urban expansion, historic buildings are becoming redundant or are being attached to modern buildings. Intervention is a good way to preserve them; this can benefit current and future generations.

The chosen site for this project is the remaining part of an historic residence on Symonds Street, Auckland, New Zealand. Regarding the current state of the site, the remaining part of Aickin House has been squeezed into a corner as being a part of the new student accommodation. The latter is a giant new attachment attached to the old residence and now has dominant status. Hence, what if there is another chance to change the relationship between them?

A systematic study was conducted based on architectural, historical, and contextual analyses to provide insights into recreating architectural heritage. Through strategic design intervention, this project develops an architectural exploration for the recreation of an historic building to build a balance between its utility and aesthetic significance. More specifically, the project examines the possibility of changing an old house into a multifunctional centre to serve students living in Auckland’s city centre. The primary aim of this project is to redesign Aickin House for students’ multiple uses and propose a method that may apply to the recreation of other historic buildings in similar situations.