Billet-Doux to The Coast

Abstract.

So, what about the little guy? This thesis is a love letter to the Coast. It addresses the homogenisation and mischaracterisation as a backwash many of our beautiful small towns have experienced. It is my architectural letter to the Coast exploring what makes Hokitika and the Coast unique.

This design-led research advocates for the reconsideration of our small towns in a national context by drawing attention to the uniqueness of place and the creation of unique and recognisable citizenship practices. It explores the premise that architecture and urban planning may sustain and reinforce connection to place.

The research expressed in this thesis is developed under a dual inquiry. It first explores the historic and present character of Hokitika and the wider Coast region, discovering the facets of its identity and what they mean for the practices of its citizens. It then seeks to react critically to these facets through architectural and urban interventions, revealing methods to strengthen rural identity and citizenship practices for locals, returners, and visitors.