In collaboration with the University of Auckland, Unitec and AUT, TUA worked with the Uptown Business Association to put on a festival that brought communities together to imagine the future of their neighbourhood.
The Challenge
The Uptown precinct (which captures portions of Eden Terrace, Grafton and Newton) is undergoing rapid change. TUA and the Uptown Business Association had worked together previously to establish a vision for the area, but now needed to showcase it in a way more people could experience and contribute to.
The Solution
Bringing on board the architecture schools at AUT, Unitec, and the University of Auckland, TUA developed courses and programmes for these students centred around the future of Uptown. This involved sharing the history and current context of the Uptown neighbourhood with the students, and what this could mean for designing its future.
The stunning student work was showcased at a public, week-long festival which involved 3 pop-up galleries and 4 events over the course of 8 days. The festival encouraged Aucklanders to boldly imagine what the future of the precinct could be, and reinforced the Uptown Community Vision to the Auckland's decision makers.
The Journey
550+ students - from year 1 through to Master's students - worked on a variety of projects based on addressing some of the challenges in Uptown or enhancing the existing character. This gave a real-life example of a regeneration project to the students and built awareness of the constraints of this area.
TUA planned the Futures Festival alongside the Business Association, helping with theming, locations, and content. One of the festival's key events involved a panel discussion involving influencers such as Green Party MP Chlöe Swarbrick, who spoke to hundreds of people about the opportunity for the precinct's regeneration. The Festival was successful in showcasing how a community vision can be reflected in design responses, as well as the value in having young people, business associations, and residents contributing to conversations about the built environment.
