Colour and the City

The city is rarely considered as a creative field, like painting and sculpture are. Each building is placed into its cadastral site, one metre from the boundary, and extruded to it’s maximum height according to council regulations. Often the designs entail extensive glazing, and grey tones. Sometimes, colour is used to accent form - but it is often seen as an afterthought to the formal qualities of our urban environments.

The research explores how we might utilise the physiological qualities of colour through form, in relation to the city. Instead of simply using colour as mere decoration, how can it contribute to the fabric of the city?

In this thesis I explore how colour operates on the city through my own creative practice. I use painting as a method to explore relationships of colour. The complexities and contradictions between the boundary of art and architecture are navigated through the realm of colour.

This design-led research is realised through the primary design being a mixed-use urban scheme in Newtown, Wellington. The scheme explores issues of urban circulation and density, with the primary design outcome consisting of an elevated pathway, a laneway, a cafe, a community gallery, green space and medium density housing.

This thesis proposes that the physiological qualities of colour can alter our perceptions of architectural form. By designing through colour, we can contribute to the future character of our city, and the composition of the urban fabric.