Time for Tea

Globalisation has transformed conventional cultural boundaries and experiences. However, representations of cultural architecture often fail to reflect this evolving context, leading to unresponsive spaces that reinforce static and binary cultural understandings. This contributes to broader societal implications such as reduced community cohesion and sense of belonging. While existing theories emphasise the significance of evoking emotions and responding dynamically to the localised environment, there is a gap in research explicitly addressing how cultural architecture can be responsively designed for a relocated context. This study aims to apply these ideas by exploring how the Chinese teahouse can effectively respond to the contemporary context of Wellington. This research unfolds in two phases, delving into culture and context to propose a Chinese teahouse for Wellington. Echoing the process of the Chinese ceremony of tea, The First Steep examines the cultural evolution of Chinese tea from its origin to its contemporary significance in Wellington. This phase proposes a series of moments from Mount Victoria to Oriental Bay. The Second Steep evaluates design strategies through sited experimentation, leading to the development of a design outcome that adapts to the present-day context of Wellington. By challenging conventional approaches to cultural architecture, this thesis aims to broaden perspectives and cultivate environments that respond to the evolving global landscape.