From the Middle: Infrastructural Equity and the Potentials of a Landscape-Led South Pacific Urbanism

Abstract

This landscape design-led research investigates what a South Pacific urbanism may offer the living landscape of Cannon’s Creek in the City of Porirua. Initiated at the catchment level - whaitua – the research develops an understanding of ‘catchmentality’ though questioning poor water management, overlooked social infrastructure provision and the potentials of Pacific space, place and belonging in the context of urban growth. The research aims towards imagining infrastructural and spatial equity through exploring improvements to water quality, housing densification, and relational space. Ki Uta Ki Tai - holistic recognition of fresh water catchments supports design thinking alongside considered topographical attunements and alaga – nested space of relations - in the strategic extending of Cannon’s Creek’s local ecologies. Drawing from a variety of Polynesian thinkers an emergent and non-linear approach, akin to a ‘situated patchwork’ or Su’ifefiloi is honed as a relational way of practicing landscape design research. With these means the project finds an expressive way to make urban networks both visible and palpable to form meaningful relationships between community and local conditions through the life giving qualities of water.