Spatial Narrative and Guardianship

Demographic

In the future, Naenae will increase in population. Targeted interventions and community initiatives will work towards creating a stronger community and a safer environment. Sustainability Trust is Wellington’s energy specialists, focusing on providing the best for their customers, and the environment. Their vision is ‘An environmentally, socially, economically and culturally sustainable Wellington Region’. They work with households and communities across the Wellington Region to improve well-being and reduce our collective environmental impact. They focus on urban sustainability, particularly to do with housing and day to day lifestyle choices. They offer Education programmes delivering a range of workshops on sustainable urban living. They tailor these workshops for individuals, businesses, schools, and community organisations. Thereby, NaeNae will not only become a wealthier and safer suburb to live in, but also a sustainable urban living space http://sustaintrust.org.nz.

I will act as a guardian for the future resident of this home (whom will have a wealthy background), which is realistic in terms of my future clients. This house will cater for a small family of approx 3 people.

Targeted Issue: Heating

Lack of heating was problematic for a number of people living in NaeNae state housing, leading to serious health risks. Many informants in the NaeNae region reported that houses can get “cold and damp, not insulated, just basically your standard house" - Housing worker. 

The main issue is that many houses in New Zealand are simply too cold and damp, poorly oriented to the sun, and badly insulated. During winter, the temperatures of living areas and bedrooms of many New Zealand homes have been shown to be up to 6°C below the World Health Organisation suggested minimum indoor temperature of 18°C. The average winter temperature in New Zealand living rooms is 13.5°C in winter. More than 75 percent of New Zealand homes have insufficient ceiling insulation and 70 percent where the floor could be insulated, have no underfloor insulation at all.

What makes a healthy home? 

Adequate heating and insulation to ensure a warm, dry house and good ventilation that prevents toxic mould and moisture build-up and reduces allergens. Removing potential toxic substances such as lead paint and asbestos is important and the installation, maintenance, and consistent use of safety devices – along with good design – will eliminate potential health and safety hazards.

Energy-efficient heating systems 

Healthy heating systems go hand in hand with energy efficiency, but some systems also have significant health risks. Research has shown that unflued gas heaters generate significant amounts of moisture and nitrogen dioxide. However, modern flued gas appliances offer a fast and efficient heat source with a wide range of options from small heaters through to central heating.

Spatial Generator: Kotikoti (to cut to pieces, dice, divide, lay out boundaries)

KotiKoti is a mechanism in order to solve this heating issue. By using sustainable materials and methods, I aim to 'cut' and 'divide' several areas of the house (e.g. walls, roof, ceiling, property) so that I can address and solve this problem. Insulation, energy efficient heating, and harnessing the suns energy to heat a home efficiently are all methods to achieve this.

When I come to design the house, I will not only look into the heating aspect, I will also create a carbon neutral dwelling, addressing the quality of the existing housing, by transforming and modifying the space into a safer, more comfortable and sustainable area for the future occupants.

This State house is built in a spatially confined section. I will improve the original house by focusing on vertical elements, whereby previously, the house was horizontally spread. It is important to sufficiently use the space, both indoors and outdoors, and have a low carbon footprint. By employing vertical elements within the design, the future occupants of this house will have the ability to utilise the space to its greatest potential.

Key features to incorporate into the design:

- In relation to KotiKoti, rooms and walls will need to be relocated in order to harness the suns energy  to heat a home efficiently. 

- Create an open, spacious environment aiming to occupy a small family of 3 people.

- Houses in Naenae can get cold and damp; heating was problematic for a number of informants. I will use sustainable heating methods to create a comfortable, dry environment.

- Environmentally friendly, energy efficient products and materials will be used in both the interior and exterior structure of the house.

- Use safe, carefree, low maintenance resources.

- Reuse/reduce/recycle of materials from the existing house.

- Indoor/ outdoor flow.

- Multiple windows, allowing as much natural light into the house.

New Zealand State Housing Research

State Housing in NaeNae, Wellington

- The number of households in NaeNae has been increasing at a slower rate than the population growth, implying that the number of people (and possibly families) per household has increased.

- Naenae has an ethnically diverse population.

- About 13 percent of Housing New Zealand ’s households and 24 percent of all households in the areas had lived at their current address for less than one year. This suggests that Housing New Zealand may have a stabilizing influence on tenure. 

- A smaller proportion of Housing New Zealand tenants (13 percent) lasted under one year, which is lower than other residents (24 percent) in the area. This suggests that Housing New Zealand may be a stabilising influence, or that Housing New Zealand tenants are less able to be, or desirous of being, mobile. 

- Naenae is a highly socio-economically deprived area. 

- Residents of Naenae were more likely to report that they did not own their dwelling than regional or national averages.

- Households in Naenae tended to have more residents compared to the average for Lower Hutt City, or the Wellington region.

- A greater proportion of residents of Naenae received income from government means-tested benefits than national and regional averages.

- Housing New Zealand is a major landlord in Naenae.

- Dwellings in Naenae tended to have fewer rooms than regional or national averages.

- About three percent of residents in Naenae reported not heating their dwellings. Some families were living in poorly maintained dwellings.

Research into State Housing in my hometown (Auckland City): Redevelopment of Glen Innes

The Northern Glen Innes Redevelopment Project is part of a national Housing New Zealand redevelopment programme that aims create mixed communities with better quality state houses that matches demand, and more affordable home ownership and social housing opportunities.

About the project:

In northern Glen Innes, we have expensive state houses on big sections in an area close to the city and we need to use that land wisely to help address Auckland’s growing housing problems. This is a priority area for both Auckland Council and Housing New Zealand. To achieve our goals for the area, they plan to redevelop 156 properties to create at least 260 new houses, including:

- 78 owned by Housing New Zealand

- At least 39 other market-based affordable houses 

- And the remainder for private sale.

The project also involves modernising another 40 state houses in Glen Innes, and exterior upgrades to a further 276 state rental houses across Glen Innes and Panmure.

Community partnerships:

Housing New Zealand has supported and welcomed the formation of the Tamaki Redevelopment Company (TRC) aimed at bringing the urban renewal of Tamaki to life. The TRC is accountable for delivering the Tamaki Transformation Programme. They share the TRC’s vision of making Tamaki a safer, prosperous and vibrant place to live. As a partner agency, we will work closely with the TRC to contribute towards the TRC’s overarching plan while progressing the Northern Glen Innes Redevelopment Project.

Tenant liaison:

At some stage, all of the tenants in the state homes earmarked for redevelopment will need to move to alternative state homes and we will assist them with that. Tenants affected by the Northern Glen Innes project will be transferred to another state house in an area of their choice, including Glen Innes. Of the families that have moved to new houses, those that have wanted to remain living in Glen Innes have done so. To date, they have made every effort to relocate families to locations that suit them, including being close to schools, work and community networks. Housing New Zealand has paid for reasonable relocation and reconnection costs. They will continue meeting with all tenants to discuss their needs and options well before they are required to relocate.

I decided to visit Glen Innes to personally evaluate the process of the redevelopment. By transforming the state house in NaeNae into a sustainable, comfortable living space, it too, will become "safer, prosperous and vibrant place to live." 

Text Concerns

Text for review: Climate Futures edited by Judy Lawrence, Alana Cornforth and Peter Barrett (research climate change)
http://www.spatialdesign.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/climate-futures_152.pdf

The provided reading explores the impact of climate change both nationally and globally. Climate change is a significant concern within design. Sustainable resources and materials will be incorporated within my own work, in order to establish an environmentally friendly approach to design.

Key points from reviewed text:
- Fossil fuels and greenhouse gases lead to climate change, destroying the ozone layer.

- Rise in sea levels, meaning that 100 million people, globally, will need to retreat from coastlines in the near future.

- Climate change introduces a new level of social responsibility because the issues are global and have major long term implications for future generations.

- Dealing with such fundamental changes in a small part of the world takes us into new dimensions and requires a collective social response.

- Fundamentally, the public debate about climate change is not so much about the merits of the science (although this is critical), it is more about values and beliefs.

- We need to identify the barriers to behavioural change, and focus efforts where they are likely to be most efficacious.

Text of personal interest: New Housing Forms for Future New Zealand by Susan Bates, Karen Bayne, and Chris Kane (research into the NaeNae area, the demographic, and heating systems)

http://www.spatialdesign.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/FutureHousing_10.pdf
This text explored the future housing in New Zealand in terms of:
- The advent of technology (building forms, functions, changes in materials and building processes may eventuate.
- More mass-produced/factory housing.
- Capability changes within the construction industry.
- Increase in the number of household relative to the population.
- Ageing of population.
- Climate change.
- The need to address the quality of existing housing.
- Regulatory changes to the New Zealand building industry.

Future housing:
- Affordability.
- Customised services.
- Health and safety.
- Comfort and energy efficiency.
- Social responsibility.
- Quality — fit for purpose and high performance.
- Compatibility with denser living requirements.
- Ease of maintenance.
- Environmental performance.
- Adaptability/flexibility of design.
- Ease of (dis)assembly.
- Desirability.
- Self sufficiency in terms of water and energy.
- Resilience to the impacts of climate change.
- Smart technologies.

Dwelling Size and Residents 
Households in Naenae tend to have more residents than averages for Lower Hutt City, or Wellington. In Taita and Naenae overall 18 percent of households (varying from 14 percent in Naenae South to 22 percent in Taita North) had more than four residents; regional and national averages were 11-12 percent of households with more than four residents. The most common households were those with one or two residents.

Number of usual residents in households:

Dwelling Heating 
Over three-quarters of the dwellings in Naenae and Taita were heated with electricity. Although mains gas is available in much of Taita and Naenae, only 13 percent of dwellings were reported to be heated by gas, which is lower than the regional averages. In contrast, nearly a third of dwellings were reported as heated by bottled gas, a rate greater than regional averages. A recent analysis of the price of heat per kW/hr among common New Zealand heating methods had bottled gas as the most expensive of the tested forms of heating. Just over two percent of dwellings in Naenae and Taita South were reported as not being heated. Electricity was the fuel most commonly used for heating among residents of all tenures. Dwellings owned either by a family trust of the residents, or directly by the residents, were much more likely to report heating through mains gas in Taita and Naenae, than households which rented their dwelling. Dwellings owned by a family trust of the residents had lower reported use of bottled gas than the residents of other major tenure forms. Coal as a fuel was most frequently reported by households renting from Housing New Zealand.

Heating fuels: 

Heating fuels by tenure:

Crime, Safety and Stigma 
Many of the informants were concerned, not just with economic poverty, but with lowered intergenerational expectations - the dampening of experience and aspirations that is associated with living in a deprived area. The amount of gang activity, and access to drugs, in the areas was mentioned by a number of informants.