Memory Land Scapes

This research is a personal inquiry into the relationship between architecture and memory within the context of the Marlborough Sounds. Leveraging this unique context as a vehicle, the research engages in an intricate conversation between the Sounds and my memories, seeking to unveil the potential of architecture to deepen our connection with a place. Ultimately, the research explores how architecture can intensify memory in the Marlborough Sounds. The research investigates this proposition by developing methods for enabling memory to be agential architecturally.

This speculative inquiry employs iterative design as the overarching methodology centred on speculative architectural drawing. The proposition is investigated through three speculative experiments: an installation, a medium scale experiment, and a public scale proposal. These experiments ascend in scale and complexity, with each design outcome informing the next. The resultant body of design work amalgamates multi-sensory, conceptual, and ideational responses to architecture and memory through drawing. The design research sheds light on the potential for architecture to serve as a conduit for preserving and perpetuating my memory of the Marlborough Sounds while exploring ways memory can be agential in architectural design.

Throughout this process, an ongoing critical reflection on the diverse drawings and design iterations guides a comprehensive discussion of the research proposition. This thesis explores the intricate relationship between architecture and memory and speculates how it prompts a relational approach to architecture through radical design practice.