The Dream Island

This thesis investigates architectural place identity and architecture and architectural drawings ability to represent people, community, culture, heritage and place. The research site for this design-led investigation is Christchurch and the post-disaster city centre that has lost much of its heritage architecture and ultimately its identity. The investigation examines the importance of the experiences created by heritage architecture not as essential artefacts but as functional and experiential physical spaces; these experiences define the collective memory of Christchurch and ultimately its cultural and heritage identity. It proposes that the concept of a dreamscape as a speculative tool to help keep the collective memory of Christchurch alive, allowing us to see and engage with Christchurch for the first time once again. In the wake of the 2011 February 22nd earthquake, damaged historic buildings were seen as dangerous, when in fact only 44 deaths out of 185 were due to unreinforced masonry buildings (Ansley, 2011).

The majority of deaths were attributed to buildings of modern construction. The proposition of this investigation is that this oversimplification, labelling Christchurch heritage buildings as killers, was not a constructive response. Evidence of the destruction and trauma has been erased, but in doing so Christchurch’s collective memories of its historical past have been eroded; thus the remaining heritage sites have become even more valuable.

Christchurch’s most important broken architectural heritage elements are currently stored in an archive repository, lost to view. This investigation proposes to give them back to the city, turning the city centre into a unique urban repository of archive elements. At the same time, it uses architectural drawing and collage to present the collective memories of Christchurch as a dreamscape that invites new ideas for Christchurch’s preservation and resurrection – restoring its cultural and heritage identities in new and compelling ways that add value to the rebuild. The drawings also allow viewers to recognise for the first time some of the lost and hidden identities that may no longer exist; if these hidden identities can be preserved through architectural drawing, then they have a viable chance to give back to Christchurch during the process of its evolution as it moves forward. All cities move forward but it is the recognition and realisation of their history that defines their identity. And the biggest problem caused by so much of Christchurch being lost is that it has now lost so much of its identity that only past generations can salvage the identity, remember it, and safeguard it before it is lost forever. This investigation invites people to dream; and in dreaming to use their imagination, allowing the next generation to also remember even within the context of the new.