Mapping Liminality
creating links between the profane, liminal and sacred in Tutukaka  

Urban Arrangement
defining placement of the profane and liminal

Defining the Liminal


Definition of liminal
adjective
technical
1relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process.
2occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold


Origin:

late 19th century: from Latin limen, limin- 'threshold' 
Oxford Dictionaries


I have spent the last few weeks (and unfortunately the majority of the holidays) completely clarifying the concept of the liminal. From the concept of liminality in tourism and founding anthropological literature to the application of the idea in architectural and artistic precedents, these investigations have solidified the importance and value of the liminal. As well as clarifying the liminal this research is where I see my thesis going (see the draft contents page below). 

Thesis Structure

Chapter 0                   Abstract

                                   

                                   Acknowledgments

                                   Contents Page

                                   List of Figures

                                   Define

                                   Definition and thesis questions

                                    

Chapter 1                 Introduction

                                

Chapter 2                 The Coastal Places Passed Through

                                        Introduction to issues raised

         2.1 Coastline as a Liminal Space

                                           2.1.1 Environment

                                                     Liminal environment

                                                         2.1.2 Tourism

                                                               Mass tourisms creation of the destination and the places passed through in    order to achieve it

                                         2.2 New Zealand Coast

                                      Importance to New Zealand identity (liminal qualities fun, energy etc) and economy     (fuelled by tourism)

                                          2.2.2 Tourist Development

                                                              Detail example of conditions of the liminal and the stagnant expression that defies its true self (translation of inappropriate expression e.g. resort, mass Bach development)

                                          2.2.3 Tutukaka

                                                    Detailed investigation

                                                      2.2.3.1 Liminal history

                                                      Established as an in between

                                   

                                

Chapter 2                  Liminality

                                                    Introduction to the concept of liminality

1.1  Conception of the concept

Rites of passage van Gennep

                                  1.2 Rediscovery and Development?

                                                     Writings of Turner

                                                     Implications for anthropology

                                      1.3 Beyond the Study of Us     

                                                     Implications for other sectors

                                      1.4 An im/permanent state of liminality                                          

 Plight of the contemporary world…conception of programs of liminality…the impact of   constant flux in a modern world…positive and negatives

Chapter 3                  Investigating the poetics of liminality

                                       Discuss the value of residing in the liminal for a fixed amount of time (beyond the anthropological stuff)

                                 3.1 Liminality in Artistic Expression

Interest artistic streams have in concepts in liminality in our lives and their wish to investigate it through creative means.

                                     3.1.1 Literature

                                        Liminal Readings-Forms of Otherness in Melville, Joyce and Murdoch

                                     3.1.2 Film

                                         The Films of Krzysztof Kieslowski-the liminal image

                                     3.1.3 Sculpture of James Turrell

                                          Skyspace

                                                        Roden Crater

                                         

Chapter 4                  Theory

                                 4.1 Place in Western Contemporary Architectural Theory

                                       Minimalism-Architecture of self-reflection-Zumthor, Ando 

                                            4.2 Indigenous South East Asian Architecture

                                      Journey through, blurring between interior and exterior

                                                   Talk about reasons, climate, layers of hierarchy/privacy                                         

                                    

Chapter 5                  Architectural Precedents

                                    5.1 Geoffrey Bawa- Hotel

                                    Journey through, blur of interior and exterior, of the place, relevant program    

                                    5.2 Tadao Ando- Naoshima  

                                    Journey between the profane and the sacred, celebration of place, intensity of  space

                                           

Chapter 6                  Design

                                 6.1 Site Analysis

                                 6.2 Space Arrangement

                                 6.3 …

                                 6… Final Design

Chapter 7                  Conclusion

                                   Appendices

                                   Bibliography

The next couple of weeks (after going snowboarding in Queenstown for a weekend!) will be dedicated to working out where the concept will take the re-development of the Tutukaka area. The profane (service to the destination), the liminal (residing in the journey) and the sacred (the anticipation of the up coming destination) must be defined and morph into a solid architectural proposal. The liminal mapping and urban arrangement is my first attempt to put pen on paper, decidedly harder the more theory one has.


A lot to do, always. 

a new beginning


It been a while since my last post, and during this break I have found many things and lost others.
My thesis is still very much orientated towards developing the experience of residing in Tutukaka BUT moving away from the idea of 'placemaking' (prone to becoming the vague village square) rather celebrating the liminality that this place passed through creates. 



The concept of the liminal (an act of passing through a threshold) first dawned on me whilst on a bush walk between the main land of Tutukaka and an adjacent island.   
Walking from mainland to island one does not simply travel from here to there, a path winds down the cliff face through a variety of natural thresholds (see large image above). The journey from mainland to the island is directed, focused and intensified; magic can be found, not only in arriving at the destination but in the journey.

With the rise of globalised tourism to the travelled landscape the divide between the destination and the locations traveled through are forever increasing. The contemporary tourist jumps from continent to continent; distances, orientation, time and the appreciation of the journey are lost. The success of a trip abroad is no longer determined by experiences or memories of these travels but the number of destinations ticked off the individuals bucket list.

The destination becomes a place to be celebrated, revered and conserved; the location passed through deemed place-less or locations of service.

The design portion of the thesis now chooses to embrace the liminality of the landscape passed through.  Slowing down the contemporary consumer tourist to appreciate the essence of places journeyed through, whilst acknowledging the pull of the destination.  

Concrete modelling (right) have helped me solidify my idea. I see Tutukaka at present as a single threshold, in which one only arrives to then leave again on their quest to the destination (Poor Knights Island). In the design portion of my thesis my goal is that the program created will act like that of the bush walk and modelling. The ability to slow, intensify and focus the experience of travelling through a place so one may experience its essence rather than be a trip of lost opportunity.

Next step is to research where these ideas might fit into architectural theory (thesis) and how the idea of the journey through program/place/landscape have influenced architects and resultant architecture (design). 

A lot to do, always.

Initial Massing
A sample of successful massing on 1:200 contour
model. Suggesting ideas of containment and enclosure;
reacting to the dispersed and exposed existing
built form. 

Sun Paths
Reflecting on the impact of the large mass of existing
hotel and landscape features will affect daylight
on the site. Another sun path study will be completed once
a footprint is decided on. 

Diagramming Intent for Tutukaka
Detached existing programs....Grouping existing programs
...Creating a destination through injection of an activity based
program and local services. Intending Tutukaka to become
a destination in its own right as well as a gateway to Poor
Knights Island.

Foot Print
The foot print at this point of the process reflects on the character
of the bay (see diagram to the left) whilst taking on environmental
impacts:daylight, prevailing weather exposure and existing view shafts.

Processing...

As a thesis that hopes to drive home the importance of place-making and designing with intent to encapsulate the identity and unique in places; the logistics of placing form on a site starts with considering the existing conditions, built form and most important the character of this place. 

The past few weeks have been a process of working through possibilities of form in reflection of the specifics of Tutukaka. Modelling on the site, diagramming and using environmental software (in the above case revit) to create and analyse potential proposals.

The next phase is delving into the conceptual drivers of the project; what I want to draw out of my extensive research of tourism's effect on place, those who visit and those who are visited. What will resolve conflicting issues of place and liminality in tourist destinations?  

Tutukaka Mapping
Illustrating the facts of the site (mapping built expression,
first and second diagrams respectively) and visiualising character
of the spaces existing of the site in terms of the tourism studies
concept of 'chora'. Characterising space present into spaces of
interaction, dissociation and conservation (third diagram). 

 Program Diagram
Outlining the existing condition of Tutukaka as a space in which
people pass through, locals and tourists alike (above diagram)
into a place in which locals can live, tourists can enjoy and where
 both parties can interact to create a sense of community in a
 location which at present has a very little.  

program

It feels fantastic to finally get out of the books and start designing! The site visit to Tutukaka has made all the difference; seeing the place, experiencing the positive with the negative and discovering what is needed on the site has really opened my eyes up to the potential this coastal settlement has to become a dynamic and year long tourist and local community.
This week has been dedicated to formalising what I have learnt from the site and where I see my project progressing in the (near!) future (mid semester crit is only a couple of weeks away!). 


Going forward a site model of the mapping above will be made to meld all of this important information into a tool to place my activity based program.
From then on is conceptualising the possibilities of form in close reference to the theoretical base my thesis has outlined; creating a place in a location of flux. 

Thesis Site
Bridging the divide

Views
Historic Club Rooms

Site

Over the weekend a group of Thesis students traveled to the far north in a bid to discover the site of their proposal. 
The journey to Tutukaka was a beautiful one, winding through native bush punctuated with coast and cossie informal settlements...until you hit Tutukaka. 
Tutukaka's struggle with scale, enclosure and its tourism backbone distinguishes it from any other settlement I have seen. Its disjointed, and often inhabitable spaces make it not only a difficult place to dwell but there is a sense of the incomplete, there should be either more or less. This unsettled character of the place begs another look at the design and use of the marina and surrounding facilities...a challenge that this thesis will take up.

distraction...


For the past few weeks the thesis has been a little on the back burner, I know 'gasp' but don't fret its all productive.
In the summer holidays, whilst completing a internship, I entered the Dunedin Heritage Competition with the entry [partially] above. Two weeks ago I received the happy news that I had won the special prize for my work and an architectural firm down in Dunedin had offered me a placement there. So that what I've been up to...not working on my thesis but a sectional model and development iterations of my competition entry. 
I know it sounds a little risky in the middle of something so important but well worth it. In a practice that truly knows the worth of modelling I learnt how to use it as a design tool and source of refection and self critique rather than a presentation tool.
At the start of a long design process it was so refreshing to meet with architects that had such a strong design process and enjoyed the work that I produced in the competition and whilst working with them.
Applause isn't everything in life but sometimes encouragement doesn't go amiss. I'm really looking forward to getting my literature review out of the way and start producing!!!

starting

...I have decided there is nothing harder than starting ...especially a piece of writing that has all of your hopes and dreams riding on the back of it.

But one must start if they are to finish and I hope this blog becomes a vehicle to do this. 

As I have called my blog the critical quest[ion] I thought a proposal for the work I am about to embark on might be a relevant place to start.

So without further ado here it is:

Thesis Title

The Local vs Tourism: the oxymoron of coastal settlement             

Summary

(200-350 words)                 

My thesis will inquire the relationships between tourism and local in NZ coastal settlements.

"We inscribe [landscape] with our hopes and dreams: the land is our waka, our location beacon, a site of layered history. Landscape is a state of mind: the environment that determines the character of a people; it is a map of our assumptions, desires, projections...Feelings about places haunt us and inspire us. We seek clues in the landscape for answers to the riddle, the secret of where we are, who we are, here on earth."

David Eggleton

Here on Earth

Eggleton describes the landscapes importance in forming the local sense of place belonging and identity but also the drive humankind has to travel and explore new frontiers. "We seek clues in the landscape for answers to the riddle, the secret of where we are, who we are, here on earth." in the exploration of different cultures, histories and landscapes we seek to answer the riddle of our own existence.

Despite the shared need to place oneself in the world the concepts of tourism and the local start to diverge. The local landscape is linked to identity, belonging and authencity; is integral to the individual and their culture. Whereas the travelled landscape becomes a reflection of oneself; seeing other landscapes and cultures in comparison to our own. The local and travelled landscape both place the individual on earth, the differences rise in the level of intimacy.

The rise of globalized tourism to the travelled landscape creates an even larger divide between the local (people and landscape) and the tourist. The tourist jumps from continent to continent; distances, orientation and relationships are lost and the success of a trip abroad is no longer determined by the new experiences and memories but the number of views and jealous comments on facebook holiday albums. The travelled landscape becomes a natural product to be “consumed” and spurred by the increasing relationship of consumption tourism activities become further embedded in the landscape.

Many New Zealand coastal settlements rely heavily on tourism to keep afloat the local economy but in return are becoming over run with tourist accommodation, activities and facilities. In the on season place is lost in flux, the local becomes slave to the crowds and the tourist machine whereas in the off season the place is still and empty.

With such opposites residing in NZ settlements; tourism and place, local and tourist, landscape and travel, on and off season; how can a place be conceived to negotiate such differences? The current model of the ‘modern’ holiday home in transposed suburb is both unsustainable and stale; it lends nothing to the dynamism and culture of holiday making the informal bach communities once embodied. With future growth in coastal settlements, such as Tutukaka, likely, how can we regain the essence of place and the local in our tourist destinations?

Critical Question of your thesis       

How can two opposing concepts of tourism and the local inform the sustainable future of NZ coastal development? 

Key References                 

Place vs Tourism

Colafranceschi, Daniela. Landscape + 100 Words to Inhabit It. Spain: Editorial Gustavo Gili, 2007. Book.

Lew, Alan. A Companion to Tourism. UK: Blackwell Publishing, 2004. Book.

NZ Landscape Literature

Eggleton, David. Here on Earth. Nelson: Craig Potton Publishing, 1999. Book

Park, Geoff. Nga Uruora- the groves of life. Wellington: Victoria University Press, 1995. Book.

NZ Contemporary Coastal Settlement

Cheshire, Pip. Architecture Uncooked- The NZ Holiday House Through an Architects Eyes. Auckland: Random House New Zealand, 2008. Book

McKay, Bill. “Omaha Beach Invasion.” Architecture New Zealand 65. December (2007):41-47. Print.

Tutukaka

Keene, Florence. Tutukaka Coast. Whangarei: F.Keene, 1993. Book.

Ruru, Jacinta. Making Our Place: exploring land-use tensions in Aotearoa New Zealand. Dunedin: Otago University Press, 2011. Book.

Thesis Presentation

Maeda, John. The Laws of Simplicity. UK: The MIT Press, 2006. Book.

 

As an architecture student that has lived and traveled to many coastal settlements all over New Zealand I very much care for the growth and change tourism has imparted on our physical, abstract and social landscapes.

Landscape (physical and abstract), Tourism and Community dynamics are all massive core subjects, each with volumes and volumes of written word and opinion. The next week will involve narrowing my topic of inquiry and thinking about what direction my architectural component for the thesis might take from this research. 

Alot to do…always