Abstract:
This masters thesis uses urban design and landscape
architecture to investigate the role of open spaces in
increasing the adaptive capacity of New Zealand's sand spit
communities in the face of climate related change.
In order to respond to potential climate related change, the
design of open spaces should acknowledge the crucial role
that natural processes and ecosystems play in protecting
coastal environments.
Urban design and landscape architecture have the potential
to encourage interaction at the interface of the social and
ecological systems within these coastal communities. The
design of public open space can encourage more sensitive
development patterns and increase the communities'
awareness of coastal processes. These spaces can
become the focus of social capital building while ensuring
the environment has the capacity to absorb potential climate
related changes.
This research focuses on three sand spit resort
communities on the east coast of New Zealand's North
Island. Through a series of design studies, a range of
strategies are proposed and tested in response to the
potential impacts of climate change and sea level rise.
The exclusive and expensive coastal development trend
is augmented to provide for all potential beach users.
Diversification in both the users, and types of use, in these
coastal areas will increase the social capital investment and
awareness, further building the adaptive capacity of the spit
system.
