Builds and Housing Prices: A case study of the impacts of special housing areas and accords in Selwyn District

Builds and Housing Prices: A case study of the impacts of special housing areas and accords in Selwyn District Dr Michael Rehm Senior Lecturer, Department of Property University of Auckland Business School m.rehm@auckland.ac.nz Dr William K.S. Cheung Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland william.cheung@auckland.ac.nz Dr Kay Saville-Smith Director, CRESA kay@cresa.co.nz Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto In 2016,…

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Home on wheels part of housing solutions for young Maori

Home on wheels part of housing solutions for young Maori Maia Ratana Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto If you’re a young Maori looking to own your own home, imagine one on wheels with bedrooms and an upstairs, no money owed on it and little of the hassle of a consents process. Maia Ratana has done just…

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He Whare Mō Wai? A video podcast series about rangatahi and housing

He Whare Mō Wai? A video podcast series about rangatahi and housing Maia Ratana, Jacqueline Paul, Hanna-Marie Monga, Pania Newton Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto He Whare Mō Wai? is a by rangatahi, for rangatahi podcast and video series hosted by Jacqueline Paul, Maia Ratana, Hanna-Marie Monga and Pania Newton. The title of the podcast reflects…

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What housing characteristics support seniors? Seniors’ experiences of housing and home in New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic

What housing characteristics support seniors? Seniors’ experiences of housing and home in New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic B.L. James Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This paper aims to explore what can be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic about adaptable, functional housing design that supports seniors’ resilience. This paper considers how physical and design features enable…

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Water Sensitive Urban Design ‘desperately needed’

Water Sensitive Urban Design ‘desperately needed’ Robyn says the large, tree-filled raingardens in Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter show how to absorb excess run-off water from impermeable surfaces. There are a myriad of ways to help create ‘sponge’ cities such as dual use of low-lying parks to hold runoff, roadside raingardens to reduce flow into guttering, trees…

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Innovating housing futures: case studies from the Waikato and Nelson

Innovating housing futures: case studies from the Waikato and Nelson The Waikato. Photo: James Thomas. There have been several innovative responses to housing unaffordability in both the Waikato and Nelson. Researchers in the Affordable Housing for Generations (AHfG) research programme in the Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge (BBHTC), Bev James, Gauri…

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Government residential maintenance incentives and information programmes

Government residential maintenance incentives and information programmes Nigel Isaacs Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This report investigates programmes or requirements in other countries on the maintenance of residential dwellings to ascertain if these incentives and programmes are useful in a New Zealand context. It uses a web-based literature review undertaken from November 2020 to October 2021.…

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Innovating Housing Futures: Waikato Case Study

Innovating Housing Futures: Waikato Case Study Bev James; Gauri Nandedkar Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This report presents a case study of social innovation in housing, through developing integrated responses to housing unaffordability within the Waikato region. The two linked innovative responses described are strategic networking (exemplified by the Waikato Housing Initiative – WHI), and the…

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A home is a place of hope

A home is a place of hope Tiana Kiro, left, and Beyonce Kahui, two young māmā who recently travelled to Wellington with E Tipu E Rea Whānau Services to share their thoughts on alcohol harm and the need for alcohol reform. Photo: Zoe Hawke, E Tipu E Rea Whānau Services. BY JACQUELINE PAUL, Ngā Puhi,…

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Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua: Māori housing realities and aspirations – chapter summaries

Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua: Māori housing realities and aspirations – chapter summaries Fiona Cram; Jessica Hutchings; Jo Smith (Eds) Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto The Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua Kaupapa Māori Research Project draws on expertise from across the Māori housing sector. The project responds to the right and aspiration of Māori researchers, in collaboration with…

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Reflections on kaumātua, pakeke and seniors’ housing: Building robust solutions with research

Reflections on kaumātua, pakeke and seniors’ housing: Building robust solutions with research Kylie Bailey Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Launched on 2 November 2022 at the Moa Crescent Kaumātua village in Kirikiriroa (Hamilton) this booklet is an information resource to promote better housing for our ageing population. It presents BBHTC/Ageing Well research exploring why changes are…

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Rangatahi Māori demonstrate the value of transformational approaches to housing

Rangatahi Māori demonstrate the value of transformational approaches to housing From left, Jacqueline Paul, Maia Ratana, Pania Newton, and Hanna-Marie Monga. Photo: Tuputau Lelaulu A talented team of Māori researchers are working alongside communities to create a repository of knowledge and resources dedicated to ensuring housing security for rangatahi Māori. Tātaiwhetu ki te Rangi, He…

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Māori researchers shed light on severity of youth homelessness

Māori researchers shed light on severity of youth homelessness Homelessness is catastrophic in any phase of life, but is especially difficult for young people. Symptomatic of a range of complex challenges, homelessness signals real deprivation, when the basic need for shelter cannot be met. Photo: Taufiq Klinkenborg. Half of those experiencing homelessness in Aotearoa are…

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A critical review of Rangatahi Māori and housing policy

A critical review of Rangatahi Māori and housing policy Jacqueline Paul Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This working paper is a critical review of rangatahi Māori and housing policy in Tāmaki Makaurau, forming part of the research project ‘He tātai whetu ki te rangi, he rangatahi ki te kāinga: Rangatahi pathways to safe, secure and affordable…

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Huritanga: 10 years of transformative placemaking – outdoor public exhibition

Huritanga: 10 years of transformative placemaking – outdoor public exhibition Lydia Hannah Thomas, Project Coordinator from Life in Vacant Spaces and Dr Reuben Woods (left), Director of Watch This Space getting the container ready. Photo: LiVS. People of Ōtautahi – Christchurch and anyone visiting the area from 13 – 29 September 2022, Life in Vacant…

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Huritanga: 10 years of transformational place-making

Huritanga: 10 years of transformational place-making Kelly Dombroski; Hugh Nicholson; Rachael Shiels; Hannah Watkinson; Amanda Yates Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This book celebrates a decade of Life in Vacant Spaces, affectionately known as LiVS, and the collection of over 700 projects that LiVS have supported in the ten years since the devastating Canterbury earthquakes of…

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Where do graduates go? It depends on their degree

Where do graduates go? It depends on their degree Recent BSc Graduates at Victoria University of Wellington’s capping parade in May 2022. Graduates from all fields of study other than agriculture are attracted to locate in places that have high overall quality of business, which tend to be the large cities. Photo: Louise Thomas. A…

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Researchers combine identity and expertise to empower rangatahi in housing

Researchers combine identity and expertise to empower rangatahi in housing From left, Jacqueline Paul, Maia Ratana, Pania Newton, and Hanna-Marie Monga. Photo: Tuputau Lelaulu A dedicated team of researchers are combining their identity and expertise to champion the intelligence and innovation of an entire generation in the housing sector. Ngā Wai a Te Tūī, Unitec’s…

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Innovating Housing Futures: Case Study of the Nelson Housing Reserve Fund

Innovating Housing Futures: Case Study of the Nelson Housing Reserve Fund Simon Opit; Bev James Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Nelson has consistently been identified as one of New Zealand’s least affordable regions. In response to growing housing pressures, Nelson City Council has made solving housing unaffordability one of their top priorities. An important component of…

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Trade-offs in community housing providers’ procurement decision-making: The critical role of residents’ perspectives

Trade-offs in community housing providers’ procurement decision-making: The critical role of residents’ perspectives James, Bev Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This report presents a case study of the trade-offs that one community housing provider (CHP) made in procuring new-built stock, with a focus on how consideration of residents’ needs and perspectives is factored into their decision-making.…

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Social Impact Assessment: Guidelines for thriving regions and communities

Social Impact Assessment: Guidelines for thriving regions and communities A city council considered a programme of works to develop new cycle ways and improve public transport creating busways and bus stations along arterial roads. They wanted to understand the social impacts of these proposals in order to decide on preferred routes and an appropriate level…

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Te Puea Marae leads transformational approach to transitional housing

Te Puea Marae leads transformational approach to transitional housing The Manaaki Tāngata Programme Kaimahi. Te Puea Marae is transforming the lives of whānau experiencing homelessness with a tikanga Māori based approach to transitional housing. Manaaki Tangata E Rua, funded by Building Better Homes, Towns, and Cities (BBHTC), is New Zealand’s first marae based transitional housing…

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Youth homelessness in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa New Zealand

Youth homelessness in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa New Zealand Jacqueline Paul; Maia Ratana Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This scoping report draws attention to youth homelessness in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa New Zealand. Homelessness is on the rise in Aotearoa New Zealand, with half of those experiencing homelessness under the age of 25. Internationally, youth homelessness is well…

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Social Impact Assessment: Guidelines for thriving regions and communities

Social Impact Assessment: Guidelines for thriving regions and communities C. Nicholas Taylor; Michael Mackay Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto In this paper, Building Better researchers Dr Nick Taylor, from Nick Taylor and Associates, and Dr Mike Mackay, from AgResearch, have developed a comprehensive practical guideline to Social Impact Assessment (SIA) to help councils and community groups…

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Kaupapakāinga: The potential for Māori cohousing

Kaupapakāinga: The potential for Māori cohousing Earthsong Eco-Neighbourhood, Ranui, Auckland. Photo: James Berghan. Māori conceptions of ‘home’ are relational and multi-dimensional. They can extend beyond the physical house, drawing on connections and relationships within and between whānau, whenua, and whakapapa. These conceptions can be at odds with mainstream societal regimes, which tend to focus on…

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Dialogues for wellbeing in an ecological emergency: Wellbeing-led governance frameworks and transformative Indigenous tools

Dialogues for wellbeing in an ecological emergency: Wellbeing-led governance frameworks and transformative Indigenous tools Amanda Yates; Kelly Dombroski; Rita Dionisio Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto At a time of ecological emergency there are pressing reasons to develop more responsive wellbeing-led governance frameworks that engage with both human and more-than-human wellbeing. Attempts to incorporate wellbeing indices into…

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World’s top university awards scholarship to young Māori researcher

World’s top university awards scholarship to young Māori researcher MIT scholarship recipient Jacqueline (Jackie) Paul. Photo: Emma Wharepouri. The world’s top-ranked university, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has awarded Jacqueline Paul (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) a full-ride scholarship. The Ngā Wai A Te Tūī and He Kāinga Whakamana Tangata Whakamana Taiao…

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Research experts – Co-governance integral to establishing equality for Māori

Research experts – Co-governance integral to establishing equality for Māori Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities: He Kāinga Whakamana Tangata, Whakamana Taiao National Science Challenge Co-directors Ruth Berry (left) and Rihi Te Nana. Photos: Louise Thomas (Ruth) and Desna Whaanga Schollum (Rihi). Leaders of a national research entity operating under a Treaty-based co-governance structure say…

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Jetties and small settlement regeneration

Jetties and small settlement regeneration The Church Bay jetty was successfully restored by the community by December 2016, after the Christchurch City Council made the decision in 2011 not to finance the jetty repair. The overall effect was of “bringing the community together”, with the grand re-opening occasion marked by a sign stating “We have…

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Sustainable paving selected as ‘top venture’

Sustainable paving selected as ‘top venture’ The Alps to Ocean pavement design concept was one liked by Timaru residents in Imogen’s survey. Photo: Imogen McRae. A sustainable paving project sponsored by Venture Timaru, with support from AgResearch via the Thriving Regions programme of the Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge, has recently…

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Jetties and small settlement regeneration in Te Pataka o Rakaihautū/Banks Peninsula

Jetties and small settlement regeneration in Te Pataka o Rakaihautū/Banks Peninsula Oranje, Kate; Farrar, Jess; Nissen, Sylvia; Rennie, Hamish Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Report of a research project exploring the community-led restoration initiatives of jetties in small settlements around Te Pataka o Rakaihautū/Banks Peninsula. This project is funded by Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities…

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BBHTC wellbeing compass aids in Bill submission

BBHTC wellbeing compass aids in Bill submission “Mauri ora – wellbeing – created by the built environment matters, and has been ignored for too long. The compass is a valuable tool to remind us of the different aspects of wellbeing we should be considering in building developments.” In late November, Te Tatau o Te Arawa,…

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Ecology of community

Ecology of community Dr James Berghan at graduation. Photo: Kate Herdman. Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities: He Kāinga Whakamana Tangata, Whakamana Taiao (BBHTC) was pleased to invest in a PhD scholarship to allow James Berghan (Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri) to complete his important mahi on social tenure. In 2020, James successfully defended his PhD…

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Christchurch Conversations: Towards 2030

Christchurch Conversations: Towards 2030 Christchurch locals shared their experiences of having easy access to the things they need for day-to-day living, by bike or on foot. Photo: Robyn Simcock, Landcare Research/BBHTC. What if you could get everything you need for daily living within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from home? Is it worth getting…

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COVID-19 and media constructions of housing and home in Aotearoa New Zealand

COVID-19 and media constructions of housing and home in Aotearoa New Zealand Photo: Suzy Hazelwood, Pexels. Mainstream media persistently reduces housing to a property investment and housing stock as a commodity for trade according to new research by Building Better’s Dr Gauri Nandedkar, a researcher in the Affordable Housing for Generations team. “Despite the home…

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Covid-19 and media constructions of housing and home in Aotearoa New Zealand

Covid-19 and media constructions of housing and home in Aotearoa New Zealand Nandedkar, Gauri Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Aotearoa New Zealand responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by adopting an elimination rather than a suppression strategy, which involved using traditional public health techniques of rapid tracking and tracing, isolation and quarantine. The home became the central…

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Spotlight on housing

Spotlight on housing The Royal Society Te Apārangi recent report “Spotlight on housing” features research from a number of Building Better reports and contributions from several Building Better researchers. The report, one in a series by Te Tapeke Fair Futures panel, puts a spotlight on housing through a fairness lens and finds that differences in…

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Te Tiriti-anchored housing strategies

Te Tiriti-anchored housing strategies The Government’s recently released MAIHI Ka Ora, the National Māori Housing strategy, envisages a future where “all whānau have safe, healthy, affordable homes with secure tenure, across the Māori housing continuum.” – it’s an ideal that should ultimately be extended to all New Zealanders, so why the particular focus on a…

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Kaupapakāinga: The potential for Māori cohousing

Kaupapakāinga: The potential for Māori cohousing Berghan, James Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Approaches to kaupapa Māori development such as papakāinga housing bear similarities with collective housing models such as cohousing. Cohousing, a Danish model of collective housing, combines private dwellings with shared spaces and facilities. Papakāinga and cohousing communities often share aspirations for social, environmental,…

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Te Wairoa, Te Kāinga Tahi

Te Wairoa, Te Kāinga Tahi Munro, Morehu Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto In late 2019, Morehu Monro began a housing research project in Te Wairoa, a small town in the north of the Hawke’s Bay region of Aotearoa New Zealand. Over a four week period he talked with people at marae, at meetings with local organisations,…

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Co-Director (Tangata Whenua) appointment for Ko ngā wā kāinga hei whakamahorahora

Co-Director (Tangata Whenua) appointment for Ko ngā wā kāinga hei whakamahorahora Rihi Te Nana has been appointed to the role of Co-Director (Tangata Whenua) of the Building Better Homes Towns and Cities: Ko ngā wā kāinga hei whakamahorahora National Science Challenge. Photo: Desna Whaanga-Schollum. Rihi Te Nana has been appointed to the role of Co-Director…

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Pathways to renting among older former homeowners

Pathways to renting among older former homeowners James, Bev; Coleman, Tara; Cram, Fiona; Bates, Laura; Kearns, Robin Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto In the context of Aotearoa New Zealand, we explore the experiences of older renters who were former homeowners. These renters’ trajectories reflect society’s shift to complex and risky housing pathways. The typical causes of…

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The condition of owned and rented housing in Aotearoa New Zealand

The condition of owned and rented housing in Aotearoa New Zealand White, Vicki; Ferguson, Alexander; Goodyear, Rosemary; Saville-Smith, Kay Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Using a national housing assessment survey and information on housing tenure, this paper explores the distribution of a range of indicators of housing condition, comparing between owned and rented stock. On average…

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Transforming geographies: Performing Indigenous-Māori ontologies and ethics of more-than-human care in an era of ecological emergency

Transforming geographies: Performing Indigenous-Māori ontologies and ethics of more-than-human care in an era of ecological emergency Yates, Amanda Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This paper explores how spatial governance models oriented to the well-being of the more-than-human might better enable Indigenous peoples’ capacity to live-well-with and care for our more-than-human whanaunga (kin). The discussion positions Indigenous…

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Exploring the factors affecting Māori home ownership

Exploring the factors affecting Māori home ownership Whitehead, Jay; Walker, Grace Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto By 2040, 25% of people living in Aotearoa New Zealand will be aged 65-years and over. The He Kāinga Pai Rawa project aimed to find out what made Moa Crescent Kaumātua Village in Kirikiriroa Hamilton, a healthy housing community for…

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An exploration of the Māori housing-health nexus during the mid-Twentieth Century

An exploration of the Māori housing-health nexus during the mid-Twentieth Century Rout, Matthew; Walker, Grace Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Māori died at seven times the national rate during the 1918–1919 influenza pandemic. Government officials noted what they described as the shocking housing conditions experienced by Māori. Despite the connections between Māori health and housing being…

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Mahi Aroha: Māori work in times of trouble

Mahi Aroha: Māori work in times of trouble Following the Canterbury earthquakes, Māori Wardens mobilised to door knock and deliver food, water, and other resources. Photo: Leonie Wise, Unsplash. Building Better researcher, social scientist Dr Fiona Cram (Ngāti Pahauwera) recently investigated the response of Māori to both the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes and the…

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Ageing in place as an older tenant: Independence and uncertainty

Ageing in place as an older tenant: Independence and uncertainty James, Bev Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto More people in mid-life and older are renting in New Zealand. This is a significant change. We asked 108 older tenants about their experiences of ‘ageing in place’ in rentals in five areas: Waiheke Island, Marlborough District, Western Bay…

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Hei whakatū ngā kāinga mō te iwi Māori: Producing, retaining and maintaining affordable housing for Māori

Hei whakatū ngā kāinga mō te iwi Māori: Producing, retaining and maintaining affordable housing for Māori Diane Menzies; Lena Henry; Patricia Austin; Emma Fergusson Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Māori Housing Providers are relatively new to social and affordable housing supply and management. As capacity and capability is now strengthening, there is a strong will for…

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The social impacts of irrigation

The social impacts of irrigation Irrigation in the Lower Waitaki and Amuri brought changes in land ownership, land uses, farming systems, and farm size. Photo: Dr Mike Mackay. A Building Better research team has recently looked at the social impacts of irrigation developments in the Waitaki Valley (North Otago) and Amuri (North Canterbury) as part…

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Enhancing the role of benevolent property developers in town-centre regeneration

Enhancing the role of benevolent property developers in town-centre regeneration The rise of e-retailing and changes in transport and vehicle parking preferences, and opportunities in edge- and out-of-centre sites, has meant that regional town-centres must innovate to attract investment. Timaru’s Stafford Street. A team of Building Better researchers studying town-centre regeneration in the South Island…

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A mobile sense of place: Methodology to study urban cycleways

A mobile sense of place: Methodology to study urban cycleways Smartphone with attached Giroptic iO 360-degree camera. Photo: Dr Andreas Wesener. A Building Better research team has developed a user-centred methodology for collecting, categorising, visualising, and interpreting data on urban cycling infrastructure and related cycling events using smart phones to measure accelerometer, gyroscope, speed, and…

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Ex post analysis of irrigation development for future SIAs

Ex post analysis of irrigation development for future SIAs Nick Taylor; Mike Mackay Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Irrigation development is an important way that rural communities can drive economic regeneration. However, it also creates a complex set of positive and negative social impacts. Their assessment and management has implications for net social wellbeing over time.…

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Urban employment growth in NZ’s smaller cities

Urban employment growth in NZ’s smaller cities Local job networks may promote growth in big cities, but not in small ones. Wellington docks: Photo by James Coleman. European regional policy promotes “smart specialisation” by encouraging regions to expand into activities that build on local strengths. The idea is that bringing together people with complementary skills…

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Practicing wellbeing through community economies: an action research approach

Practicing wellbeing through community economies: an action research approach Smith, Thomas and Dombroski, Kelly Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Research at the intersection of wellbeing and economy has tried to understand socio-economic ‘development’ differently. Yet it has often done so by conceiving of wellness in narrowly individualistic terms, easily overlapping with economic modelling based on individual…

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Social impact assessment and (realist) evaluation: meeting of the methods

Social impact assessment and (realist) evaluation: meeting of the methods C. Nicholas Taylor, Michael Mackay & Harvey C. Perkins Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto In this paper, the researchers examine the interlinkages between social impact assessment and evaluation and, in particular, realist evaluation. They draw on recent research in the South Island, in which they link…

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Food for people in place – building resilient food distribution systems

Food for people in place – building resilient food distribution systems Photo: Mark Stebnicki, Pexels. Aotearoa New Zealand is a massive food producer. We are in the enviable position of being one of the few countries that can be self-sufficient as well as contribute to global food needs. With 45% of New Zealand’s arable land…

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Building the foundations of collaboration: From housing development to community renewal

Building the foundations of collaboration: From housing development to community renewal State houses in Aranui, such as this multi-unit building, were designed without consultation and with reduced cost in mind. The dwellings caused widespread dissatisfaction because of the lack of privacy and limited private outdoor spaces. They were monotonous and the proximity of several multi-unit…

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Life when renting for older Māori

Life when renting for older Māori The proportion of Māori aged over 55 years living in rental accommodation is likely to rise as home ownership becomes less attainable. To examine what the future of rental accommodation may hold for older Māori, Building Better Researchers Dr Fiona Cram and Morehu Munro interviewed 42 older Māori renters…

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Quality of life ultimate goal for ‘smart’ communities of any size

Quality of life ultimate goal for ‘smart’ communities of any size The knowledge of what is going on with infrastructure in a city helps city managers to anticipate and plan for changes needed to investment and operations. For this, good geospatially-referenced data is crucial to making good decisions. City managers also need the capacity to…

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Financialisation of NZ’s housing market driving house price increases

Financialisation of NZ’s housing market driving house price increases The reality of undersupply: This infographic shows that in the 1960s over 35% of new builds in Aotearoa New Zealand were in the lowest quartile of value. By 2003, only eight percent of new builds were in the lowest quartile of value. In Aotearoa New Zealand,…

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Sharing or owning autonomous vehicles? Comprehending the role of ideology in the adoption of autonomous vehicles in the society of automobility

Sharing or owning autonomous vehicles? Comprehending the role of ideology in the adoption of autonomous vehicles in the society of automobility Mohammadzadeh, Mohsen Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Emerging mobility technologies, including connected shared platforms and automation, are disrupting urban transportation. There is an expectation that Shared Autonomous Vehicles (SAVs) will eventually replace ubiquitous private car…

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Supporting geospatial decisions

Supporting geospatial decisions Urban planning is complex. How do you address population growth in cities without degrading the local environment, while promoting social and environmental sustainability, liveability, health, and wellbeing? Decisions should be informed from the current evidence for better social, environmental, and economic outcomes at the city and neighbourhood scales. However, planners face the…

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BBHTC researcher profile: Gradon Diprose

BBHTC researcher profile: Gradon Diprose Gradon Diprose has a curious mind, he has always questioned the world around him. Now he is a geographer working as a social science researcher at Manaaki Whenua—Landcare Research. He is a key researcher in Building Better’s Huritanga research team and was a key researcher on the Delivering Urban Wellbeing…

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2020: A Year without Public Space

2020: A Year without Public Space 2020: A Year without Public Space under the COVID-19 Pandemic is a webinar series which includes presentations and moderation by BBHTC Urban Wellbeing researcher Manfredo Manfredini, Associate Professor in Achitecture and Planning at the University of Auckland. Series 1, Webinar 2, Innovative Approaches and Creative Practices in Response to…

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Accommodation Supplement: High expenditure, low efficacy

Accommodation Supplement: High expenditure, low efficacy Kay Saville-Smith; Ian Mitchell Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto In the 2020 budget, almost $2.4 billion was allocated to the provision of the Accommodation Supplement. There have been substantial increases in Government expenditure on accommodation supplements over the last twenty-five years. Even so, many households in Aotearoa New Zealand face…

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Building the foundations of collaboration: From housing development to community renewal

Building the foundations of collaboration: From housing development to community renewal Zohreh Karaminejad; Suzanne Vallance; Roy Montgomery Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Collaborative governance and planning are an improvement on technocratic “top-down” approaches. They are however, often criticized for exacerbating power imbalances. Other criticisms include failing to be inclusive and impartial and ignoring historical conflict. In…

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Kaumātua launch Māori-designed cookie cutters

Kaumātua launch Māori-designed cookie cutters Rauawaawa Kaumātua Charitable Trust (RKCT) is launching three Kuki Reka Kani (Māori-designed cookie cutters), lovingly named and inspired by its kaumātua, at its facility in Frankton, Hamilton. The Rauawaawa Kaumātua Charitable Trust (RKCT), a research partner of Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities, has been investigating social enterprise initiatives that…

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Building solutions for people with dementia

Building solutions for people with dementia Almost 70% of people living with dementia continue to do so in their own homes, rather than in residential care, despite this, research about building design solutions has primarily focused on residential care. Building Better Homes and Spaces researchers have recently published two literature reviews examining research related to…

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Searching for community wellbeing in Oamaru

Searching for community wellbeing in Oamaru A rejuvenated waterfront in Oamaru contributes to the area’s prosperity and wellbeing. Photo: Mike Mackay, AgResearch. Regions around New Zealand are striving to create positive futures. To do so, the issues that need to be considered are wide and varying and include the future of work in rural areas…

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Defining functional labour market geography

Defining functional labour market geography Administrative labour market areas don’t necessarily capture the effects of commuting networks to deliver workers to firms. Photo: Craig Boudreaux on Unsplash. Building Better Thriving Regions researchers Dr Dave Maré and Ben Davies have been delving into the nitty gritty of how to define the geography of interactions between employers…

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Older people’s housing experiences during COVID-19 response

Older people’s housing experiences during COVID-19 response Older people’s homes provide safety, security, and wellbeing – ideally with care and support to assist ageing in place. During the COVID-19 pandemic response at levels 3 (restrictions) and 4 (lockdown), the home-based bubble became the first line of protection and defence against the virus and was crucial…

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Delineating functional labour market areas with estimable classification stabilities

Delineating functional labour market areas with estimable classification stabilities David Maré; Benjamin Davies Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This paper describes a method for delineating functional labour market areas (LMAs) in national commuting networks. Identifying functional, rather than administrative, LMAs is important for analysing spatial patterns of economic activity. Functional boundaries capture the geography of interactions…

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The price of Airbnb
The impact on long-term rental availability in Waitaki

The price of Airbnb The impact on long-term rental availability in Waitaki Airbnb growth in Waitaki, from July 2018 to July 2019, saw the number of short-term rentals rise from 263 to 322. An increase in Airbnb accommodation reduces the number of long-term rentals available, resulting in rental price increases. Photo: Mike Mackay, AgResearch. Airbnb…

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Social impacts of cycle trails on small towns and settlements

Social impacts of cycle trails on small towns and settlements The A2O is a 300km, mostly off-road, cycle trail that descends from the base of Aoraki Mt Cook in the national park, through several small settlements located in the Waitaki Valley, before reaching the regional town of Oamaru on the Pacific coast. Photo: Mike Mackay,…

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Searching for community wellbeing: population, work and housing in the town of Oamaru

Searching for community wellbeing: population, work and housing in the town of Oamaru Nick Taylor; Mike Mackay; Katherine Russell Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Regional settlements experience great variation in social, cultural, environmental and economic change, and the capability and resources they have to manage change. In the Waitaki, the primary rural economy comprises agriculture, associated…

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Waitaki short and long-term rental accommodation

Waitaki short and long-term rental accommodation Malcolm Campbell; Nick Taylor; Mike Mackay Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This research collects and curates data about Airbnb within the Waitaki District. These data relate to housing, rents, social housing waiting lists, and accommodation sharing. Where relevant, comparative data are provided for Timaru and Ashburton Districts. Airbnb listings appear…

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Drivers of urban development in New Zealand

Drivers of urban development in New Zealand The cost of building new housing rises as population increases in a city. Photo: Chris Gray on Unsplash. New research by Stuart Donovan, Dr Arthur Grimes, and Dr David Maré uses census data to reveal the drivers that influence urban development in New Zealand. The modelling looks at…

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“Hometown & whānau, or big city & millennials?” The economic geography of graduate destination choices in New Zealand

“Hometown & whānau, or big city & millennials?” The economic geography of graduate destination choices in New Zealand Arthur Grimes; Shaan Badenhorst; David Maré; Jacques Poot; Isabelle Sin Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto One of the main challenges facing non-metropolitan regions is the attraction and retention of highly-educated young people. A loss of the brightest can…

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Where do bright young things settle after graduation?

Where do bright young things settle after graduation? Graduates from all fields of study other than agriculture are attracted to locate in places that have high overall quality of business, which tend to be the large cities. High quality of life is also an attractor for some students but its impact is more diffuse than…

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Lessons from Māori voices in NZ’s science sector

Lessons from Māori voices in NZ’s science sector The Rauika Māngai ‘assembly of representatives’ from the 11 National Science Challenges and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga are Māori scientists, research leaders, and programme managers at the national forefront of Vision Mātauranga implementation. “Good seeds grow best in fertile ground,” says Dr Jessica Hutchings, Kaiarahi of…

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Betting on house prices: Housing speculation in Auckland

Betting on house prices: Housing speculation in Auckland Michael Rehm; Yang Yang Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Until now the Income Tax Act’s intention test has not been used to curb housing speculation in Aotearoa. This Act could allow government to effectively control housing speculation. This paper uses a simplified equation to determine the initial (first-year)…

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A house that is a home for whānau Māori

A house that is a home for whānau Māori What makes a house a home for whānau Māori? What are the things that enable the ideal and what are some of the barriers? In conversational interviews, Building Better researcher Dr Fiona Cram spoke with 27 Māori key informants about what makes a house a home…

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Engaging communities in the design of homes and neighbourhoods in Aotearoa New Zealand

Engaging communities in the design of homes and neighbourhoods in Aotearoa New Zealand Rebecca Kiddle Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This Counterfutures journal article says a successful engagement process empowers communities by acknowledging their mātauranga (place-based knowledge), and by taking the time to build strong relationships that can form the base of all future engagement. Specifically,…

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Regeneration & revitalisation
The role of the built environment

Regeneration & revitalisation The role of the built environment Thriving regions: “Stakeholders need to understand the real function of the town, who the potential residents and visitors are, the mix of retail, service, and social activities needed and where they should be located to create employment opportunities and the vibrancy small settlements need.” How do…

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Essential workers’ bubbles: Crowding, housing affordability and tenure

Essential workers’ bubbles: Crowding, housing affordability and tenure Kay Saville-Smith; Ian Mitchell Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Looking at housing for essential workers is important to protect our communities in the future because pandemics are likely to be more prevalent. During the COVID-19 lockdown in Aotearoa New Zealand, research was done on the housing of essential…

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Commuting to diversity

Commuting to diversity People from neighbourhoods with high residential diversity tend to commute to workplace neighbourhoods that are also more diverse than average. Photo: Fabrizio Verrecchia, Pexels. Does commuting increase workers’ exposure to difference and diversity? The uneven spatial distribution of different population subgroups within cities is well documented. Individual neighbourhoods are generally less diverse…

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Social mortgages and affordable housing

Social mortgages and affordable housing The Earthsong Eco-Neighbourhood in Ranui, West Auckland, has 32 homes cemented by relationships. Photo: build magazine. BY JAMES BERGHAN AND DAVID GOODWIN, UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO Could some of our problems with affordable housing be solved by establishing communities based on social mortgages where there are mutual responsibilities, shared values, and…

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Too many costly homes

Too many costly homes Table 1. National housing affordability for households earning 80% of median household income. BY KAY SAVILLE-SMITH, RESEARCH DIRECTOR, CRESA While more new houses are going up, they’re not necessarily ones that middle and low-income New Zealanders can afford, leaving the housing affordability crisis unresolved. NEW ZEALAND IS BUILDING more homes now…

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Betting on capital gains: Housing speculation in Auckland

Betting on capital gains: Housing speculation in Auckland Michael Rehm; Yang Yang Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This paper examines housing speculation in Auckland, New Zealand, the second most unaffordable market in the world. The study considers rental property purchases from 2002 to 2016 within the Auckland region. The authors apply a simple cash flow model…

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Too many costly homes

Too many costly homes Kay Saville-Smith Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Aotearoa New Zealand is building more homes now than it has in the last 45 years. This is critical to make up the housing supply deficit of recent years. While more new houses are going up, they’re not necessarily ones that middle and low-income New…

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Building Better sunshine value research cited internationally

Building Better sunshine value research cited internationally Photo: Jack Redgate, Pexels. Building Better research on Valuing Sunshine has recently been cited by researchers in the United States in the Building and Environment journal. The paper, The value of daylight in office spaces, cites the BBHTC paper by David Fleming, Arthur Grimes, Laurent Lebreton, David Maré,…

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Minister opens stage 1 of kaumātua building upgrade

Minister opens stage 1 of kaumātua building upgrade Minister Nanaia Mahuta (centre) celebrating the opening of stage 1 of the Rauawaawa Age-friendly Facility Upgrade with their Kaumātua Kapa Haka roopu. Photo: Megan Lacey. Minister Nanaia Mahuta cut the ribbon to reveal stage 1 of Rauawaawa Kaumātua Charitable Trust’s age-friendly facility upgrade on 31 January. It…

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Life when renting for older Māori

Life when renting for older Māori Cram, Fiona; Munro, Morehu Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto The proportion of older Māori (55+ years) living in rental accommodation is set to rise as home ownership becomes less attainable. To anticipate the future of rental accommodation for older Māori, 42 older Māori (18 men, 24 women) renters in the…

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Co-design with young Aucklanders

Co-design with young Aucklanders A team of BBHTC researchers say there is widespread support for the idea of including of children in urban planning, but inertia because of lack of knowledge on how to go about it. To address this knowledge gap, the researchers explored effective methods and processes to engage with children in public…

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Ecology of community: Exploring principles of socially-based tenure in urban papakāinga and cohousing communities

Ecology of community: Exploring principles of socially-based tenure in urban papakāinga and cohousing communities Berghan, James Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Social (or communal) tenure refers to systems of rights which are based on social norms, processes and relationships. Social tenures are a feature of many Indigenous cultures, where land and resources are managed from a…

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Urban regeneration and social cohesion

Urban regeneration and social cohesion Home Fires event. Photo: Dr Ella Henry. Glen Innes was built in the 1950s, close to central Auckland, and was a primarily low socio-economic suburb, with a significant Māori population, living in State (social) housing. Housing New Zealand transferred 2,700 properties to Tamaki Regeneration Company (TRC), a collaboration between Housing…

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Assessing the impacts of a new cycle trail: A fieldnote

Assessing the impacts of a new cycle trail: A fieldnote Mike Mackay; Nick Taylor Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Prior to the Covid-19 lockdowns, Building Better researchers assessed the impacts of the South Island’s Alps to Ocean (A2O) cycle-trail. The study focussed on the sustainability of tourist trails and how associated tourism initiatives were working together…

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Commuting to diversity

Commuting to diversity David Maré; Jacques Poot Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Auckland is New Zealand’s most diverse city, but the impacts of diversity are likely to be less if interactions between different groups are limited by where they live and work. This study examines exposure to local cultural diversity based on where people work as…

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Changes to BBHTC’s Governance Group

Changes to BBHTC’s Governance Group Challenge host BRANZ, and all the Challenge Parties are pleased to announce changes to the governance group of Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities: He Kāinga Whakamana Tangata, Whakamana Taiao. The Challenge, one of eleven national science challenges, is working to identify new ways of living that reflect Aotearoa’s unique…

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Toitū te Kāinga, Toitū te Ora, Toitū te Tangata

Toitū te Kāinga, Toitū te Ora, Toitū te Tangata An initial interior layout design by project design partners, Tallwood. Research project partners Scion, Tallwood, and Toi Ohomai worked to develop base designs for eventual implementation as a papakāinga development for Matekuare Trust, at Tawhitiwhiti. Image: Tallwood. Affordable housing has become a primary focus of political…

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Disruptive mobility and the potential for land reclamation

Disruptive mobility and the potential for land reclamation In a future where carparks become underused, land reclamation could provide a great opportunity for planners, urban designers, and other decision makers. If shared electric autonomous vehicles (SEAVs) become the dominant transport system in the near future; the transition from the current private car ownership system will…

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Modelling inter-urban migration in an open population setting: The case of New Zealand

Modelling inter-urban migration in an open population setting: The case of New Zealand Omoniyi Alimi; David Maré; Jacques Poot Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto In this book chapter, BBHTC researchers examine the modelling of gross inter-urban migration flows in Aotearoa New Zealand. They identify a range of geographic, demographic, economic, and climatic characteristics of urban areas,…

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Regional development and the mana whenua of Pōkeno

Regional development and the mana whenua of Pōkeno 1863 map of Pōkeno showing the town and land to be auctioned. Source: Auckland Council. During the 1990s, the township of Pōkeno was held up as an example of a declining rural Aotearoa New Zealand. By-passed from the national state highway, it lost its status as a…

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Soft infrastructure for hard times

Soft infrastructure for hard times Waimakariri District Council staff create interest in a draft long-term plan. Image: Waimakariri District Council. – In the Waimakariri District, a planner told the research team that it was important to have a “good communication team who experiment and who are not afraid to engage. We have a videographer on…

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Urban Regeneration and Social Cohesion

Urban Regeneration and Social Cohesion Ella Henry; Diane Menzies; Jacqueline Paul Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This report investigates the effectiveness of the Tāmaki Regeneration Company (TRC) project. Glen Innes was built in the 1950s, close to central Auckland, and was a primarily low socio-economic suburb, with a significant Māori population, living in State (social) housing.…

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Commuting to diversity – Report

Commuting to diversity – Report David Maré; Jacques Poot Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Does commuting increase workers’ exposure to difference and diversity? The uneven spatial distribution of different population subgroups within cities is well documented. Individual neighbourhoods are generally less diverse than cities as a whole. Auckland is New Zealand’s most diverse city, but the…

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Regional district and town profiles show positive results

Regional district and town profiles show positive results While there are key issues facing many regional settlements, such as aging populations, the research shows that there are also many positive influences afoot in some areas. Building Better Thriving Regions: Supporting Success in 2nd Tier Settlements researcher Malcolm Campbell has recently completed an analyse of three…

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Designing walkable neighbourhoods

Designing walkable neighbourhoods Are suburban neighbourhoods meeting the needs of children for independent mobility and access to play? Having a neighbourhood where the residents are free to walk has wide-ranging benefits for the community and the individual – from the health benefits of physical activity; reducing the use of cars, which can contribute to reducing…

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Valuing cultural diversity of cities

Valuing cultural diversity of cities David Maré; Jacques Poot Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This paper estimates the impact local cultural diversity has on city wage and rent premiums, and whether diversity is a source of local production and/or consumption of amenities. Cultural diversity is measured by birthplace, ethnicity, or religion. The researchers find that the…

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Assessing environmental sustainability outcomes at neighbourhood scale: A Post-Occupancy Evaluation of Hobsonville Point, Auckland

Assessing environmental sustainability outcomes at neighbourhood scale: A Post-Occupancy Evaluation of Hobsonville Point, Auckland Paola Boarin; Natalie Allen; Errol Haarhoff Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This research focusses on assessing the environmental sustainability of neighbourhoods. It further develops and tests a framework for post occupancy evaluation of the planning and delivery of a neighbourhood’s environmental sustainability.…

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Green infrastructure in water-sensitive urban design fundamental

Green infrastructure in water-sensitive urban design fundamental Christchurch roadside raingarden and densely planted trees provide beauty, shade, and WSUD. Photo: Robyn Simcock, Landcare Research. Urban areas typically alter landscapes from vegetated ground, which is able to absorb water, to a series of interconnected hard surfaces that result in large quantities of storm-water runoff scouring our…

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Designing walkable future neighbourhoods: Considering diversity

Designing walkable future neighbourhoods: Considering diversity Patricia Austin; Jacquelyn Collins; Kate Scanlen; Polly Smith Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Research about walkable neighbourhoods is commonly based on the notion of an adult able-bodied walker. However, people have different physical, social, cultural, emotional, and financial abilities and resources to navigate the neighbourhood landscape. This diversity should be…

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Soft infrastructure for hard times

Soft infrastructure for hard times Suzanne Vallance; Sarah Edwards; David Conradson; Zohreh Karaminejad Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto In this report, the researchers present seven case studies looking at various initiatives for rebuilding after the Canterbury earthquake sequence of 2020-2021. They range from community-led projects through to more hybrid approaches, to state-led examples. Though many of…

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Te Ao Māori and Water Sensitive Urban Design

Te Ao Māori and Water Sensitive Urban Design Afoa, Emily; Brockbank, Troy Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This report complements ‘Activating Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) for healthy, resilient communities’ research that aims to enhance capability and to address current barriers to the uptake of WSUD. It explores how WSUD in Aotearoa New Zealand values, recognises,…

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Radical rethink of our cities will improve urban wellbeing

Radical rethink of our cities will improve urban wellbeing A crowd gathers to examine E Amio Haere Ana te Ao I Te Ra | Circling The Sun – Revolution Cycle installation part of Te Mana o Te Ra | The Power of the Sun solar-power, zero-carbon energy workshops and installation at the Auckland City Library,…

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Papakāinga People

Papakāinga People Rueben Taipari and whānau at their papakāinga, Ahipara. Photo: Desna Whaanga-Schollum. A series of four podcasts focussed on Māori housing has been produced by Becky Kiddle with support from Desna Whaanga-Schollum and Jo Smith as part of the Ako ahu team in the Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua (KTKR) research programme. The role of…

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Papakāinga in the 21st Century: Going up

Papakāinga in the 21st Century: Going up Concept design for vertical papakāinga. Image: Design Tribe Architects. A series of four podcasts focussed on Māori housing has been produced by Becky Kiddle with support from Desna Whaanga-Schollum and Jo Smith as part of the Ako ahu team in the Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua (KTKR) research programme.…

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Moving for business or pleasure?

Moving for business or pleasure? Do people choose to move to locations with better quality of life or better quality of business? Moving. Photo: Mike Bird from Pexels. A new study from Motu Economic and Public Policy Research for the Building Better Homes, Towns, and Cities National Science Challenge uses a deep-dive analysis of census…

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SHIFT: Housing as a human right

SHIFT: Housing as a human right Key-note speaker, Paul Hunt, the Chief Commissioner at the New Zealand Human Rights Commission, at the Shift Aotearoa conference in June 2019. Photo: Louise Thomas. Shifting Aotearoa Co-hosted by the Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge, the Shift Aotearoa Conference in early June was a catalyst…

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SHIFT: Fixing a broken system

SHIFT: Fixing a broken system Key-note speaker, the Associate Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Minister of Māori Development, and Minister of Local Government, the Hon Nanaia Mahuta. Shifting Aotearoa Co-hosted by the Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge, the Shift Aotearoa Conference in early June was a catalyst to provide a…

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Māori Housing 4-Part Podcast Series

Māori Housing 4-Part Podcast Series Housing Kaumatua. Daisy Haimona Upokomanu outside her Hamilton whare. Photo: Desna Whaanga-Schollum. A series of four podcasts focussed on Māori housing has been produced by Becky Kiddle with support from Desna Whaanga-Schollum and Jo Smith as part of the Ako ahu team in the Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua (KTKR) research…

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Whanake mai te mauri ora: Think piece – an expanded wellbeing framework and urban science data tool for integrated wellbeing governance

Whanake mai te mauri ora: Think piece – an expanded wellbeing framework and urban science data tool for integrated wellbeing governance Yates, Amanda Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This paper asks how an indigenous-Māori cultural perspective might expand wellbeing discourse with positive effect for wellbeing-led governance. It attends to mauri ora as an indigenous wellbeing construct.…

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Understanding Costs and Maintenance of WSUD in New Zealand

Understanding Costs and Maintenance of WSUD in New Zealand Ira, Sue; Simcock, Robyn Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Water sensitive urban design (WSUD) is often perceived as an expensive option for stormwater management in both the long and short term. This research looks at the implications of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management on the…

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Study trip to Melbourne, November 2018 – Findings: Activating WSUD for healthy resilient communities

Study trip to Melbourne, November 2018 – Findings: Activating WSUD for healthy resilient communities Moores, Jonathan; Ira, Sue; Batstone, Chris Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Australia has substantial experience in Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), Melbourne is home to Australia’s Co-operative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities (CRCWSC) as well as agencies that have world-leading experience…

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Recommendations for future research: Activating WSUD for healthy resilient communities

Recommendations for future research: Activating WSUD for healthy resilient communities Ira, Sue; Moores, Jonathan; Simcock, Robyn; Batstone, Chris Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) is an alternative to conventional forms of urban development, integrating urban planning and water management to better manage, for example, water supply security, water quality in natural waterbodies, flood risk, and…

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Field days in ‘meanwhile spaces’

Field days in ‘meanwhile spaces’ A field day for primary children designed by the Mauri ora and Urban Wellbeing research team: An AUT Sustainability Studio co-design, holistic wellbeing, project with local communities, the Southern Initiative, Healthy Families, Panuku, Auckland Teaching Gardens, and AUT sustainability students at the Papatoetoe Food Hub ‘meanwhile space’. Diagram: Angelica Wong,…

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Whanake Mai Te Ara Hiko: Think piece – Wellbeing-led, home-based energy infrastructures and low emissions transport

Whanake Mai Te Ara Hiko: Think piece – Wellbeing-led, home-based energy infrastructures and low emissions transport Yates, Amanda; Nair, Navin; Renwick, James Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This think piece explores energy strategies and policy in relation to its generation, usage patterns, outputs, global atmospheric, urban and public health implications, all within a holistic wellbeing-led framework.…

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Biodiversity can enhance urban wellbeing

Biodiversity can enhance urban wellbeing Vestibulum vel porta libero. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Participants in the sound workshop at Auckland’s Ōtara Library answer the question “What sound does a kererū make?”. The Building Better Mauriora and Urban Wellbeing team were at Auckland’s Ōtara Library over the…

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Exploring Papakāinga: A Kaupapa Māori quantitative methodology

Exploring Papakāinga: A Kaupapa Māori quantitative methodology Ella Henry; Charles Crothers Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This paper offers a strategy for gathering and analysing large-scale data. The aim is to understand how Māori might better fulfil aspirations for the designing, financing, and building of housing, as well as perceptions of housing and papakāinga, and the…

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He kāinga pai rawa atu mō ngā kaumātua: He keteparaha tēnei mō te whare kaumātua – A really good home for our kaumātua: A toolkit for kaumātua housing

He kāinga pai rawa atu mō ngā kaumātua: He keteparaha tēnei mō te whare kaumātua – A really good home for our kaumātua: A toolkit for kaumātua housing Reddy, Rangimahora; Wilson, Yvonne; Simpson, Mary; Nock, Sophie Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto By 2040, 25% of people living in Aotearoa New Zealand will be aged 65-years and…

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The disruptive mobility and the potential for land reclamation: the case of Auckland’s CBD and other metropolitan centres

The disruptive mobility and the potential for land reclamation: the case of Auckland’s CBD and other metropolitan centres Mohammadzadeh, Mohsen Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This working paper investigates the potential for land reclamation based on the deployment of disruptive mobility in Auckland’s CBD and ten other metropolitan areas. It assumes shared electric autonomous vehicles (SEAVs)…

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The Shift Aotearoa: Collaborative action for NZ housing

The Shift Aotearoa: Collaborative action for NZ housing Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities He Kāinga Whakamana Tangata, Whakamana Taiao National Science Challenge and Community Housing Aotearoa are bringing together a diverse group across the housing sector for a major event to fix Aoteroa New Zealand’s housing delivery system. The Shift Aotearoa is a three-day…

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Developers and financiers: impacts in the NZ housing market

Developers and financiers: impacts in the NZ housing market Under construction. Photo Louise Thomas. Counter to the theory that developers and financiers simply respond to market wide forces of supply and demand, new research from Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities researcher Dr Larry Murphy of the University of Auckland says that developers and financiers…

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Living at density in Hobsonville Point, Auckland: Resident perceptions

Living at density in Hobsonville Point, Auckland: Resident perceptions Errol Haarhoff; Natalie Allen; Patricia Austin; Lee Beattie; Paola Boarin Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Over half of residential development in Auckland now involves attached housing types such as terraces and apartments. This working paper presents residents’ perceptions of living at higher density in Hobsonville Point. Despite…

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Gauging the appeal

Gauging the appeal BY ARTHUR GRIMES, SENIOR FELLOW, MOTU ECONOMIC AND PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH A National Science Challenge study has looked at why some places are better to live and do business in. Lessons from this could help other towns and cities improve their economic viability and liveability. WHICH ARE New Zealand’s best settlements to…

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Assessing the full benefits of WSUD: Activating WSUD for healthy resilient communities

Assessing the full benefits of WSUD: Activating WSUD for healthy resilient communities Moores, Jonathan; Batstone, Chris Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto The potential benefits of water sensitive urban design (WSUD) usually include better hydrology and water quality and healthier aquatic ecosystems. However, assessments of the benefits of WSUD that focus solely on these water-related outcomes are…

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An investigation of alternative funding and incentive mechanisms to support implementation of WSUD in New Zealand: Activating WSUD for healthy resilient communities

An investigation of alternative funding and incentive mechanisms to support implementation of WSUD in New Zealand: Activating WSUD for healthy resilient communities Ira, Sue; Batstone, Chris Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto There are significant challenges in securing funds for stormwater managers to address the costs of operating and maintaining desired levels of service, and for planning…

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The four key essentials for a functional housing system

The four key essentials for a functional housing system Photo by Bartek Wojtas. As KiwiBuild and capital gains tax dominate headlines about the direction of the housing sector, Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities says it has clear evidence of New Zealand’s housing delivery system being dismantled over the last 30 years. This means there…

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Local growth is complex!

Local growth is complex! Local job networks promote growth in big cities, but not in small towns. Wellington docks: Photo by James Coleman. Current European regional policy promotes “smart specialisation” by encouraging regions to expand into activities that “build on local strengths”. Smart specialisation rests upon the idea that bringing together people with complementary skills…

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Building solutions for changing needs

Building solutions for changing needs BY SALLY BLACKWELL, PROJECT MANAGER, BUILDING SOLUTIONS, BRANZ New Zealand has struggled to deliver new builds that are accessible to all ages and abilities. Now, a research project is looking at ways to deliver affordable functional housing, particularly for older people. THE NEW ZEALAND Building Code and standards do not…

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The regeneration of Oamaru

The regeneration of Oamaru With a population of around 14,000 and climbing, the regeneration of Oamaru continues to be a New Zealand success story for the revitalisation of second-tier settlements. The town provides a primer for how to reboot a region and prevent the development of “zombie” settlements. The Oamaru case study by Building Better…

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The ‘More than Water’ WSUD Assessment Tool

The ‘More than Water’ WSUD Assessment Tool Moores, Jonathan; Ira, Sue; Batstone, Chris; Simcock, Robyn Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This report describes the More Than Water (MTW) assessment tool, developed for evaluating the benefits and costs of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) projects. The name of the tool reflects the notion that WSUD can deliver…

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Te Manaaki o Te Marae

Te Manaaki o Te Marae Some members of Building Better’s Te Manaaki o Te Marae research team at Te Puea Memorial Marae, from left Anaru Waa, Rau Hoskins, Professor Jenny Lee-Morgan, Rihi Te Nana, Professor Linda Smith, and Reuben Smiler. In the winter of 2016, Te Puea Memorial Marae – based in South Auckland’s Mangere…

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Success in Regional Settlements team delivers results at RSA Conference

Success in Regional Settlements team delivers results at RSA Conference Places that are attractive to live in tend to be sunny, dry and near water. Kerikeri River. Photo: Louise Thomas. Building Better’s Supporting Success in Regional Settlements research team was out in force to deliver research results from Phase 1 at the Regional Studies Association…

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Te Moemoeā: The Dream

Te Moemoeā: The Dream Reddy, Rangimahora; Simpson, Mary; Wilson, Yvonne; Nock, Sophie; Johnston, Kirsten Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Think Piece One: This first report in a series of three discusses culturally responsive, secure, affordable, and healthy housing for kaumātua. It tells the beginning story of Moa Crescent Kaumātua Village, Kirikiriroa Hamilton, which started in the…

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Kia tūtuki te moemoeā: The road to making the dream/vision a reality

Kia tūtuki te moemoeā: The road to making the dream/vision a reality Reddy, Rangimahora; Simpson, Mary; Wilson, Yvonne; Nock, Sophie; Johnston, Kirsten Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Think Piece Two: This report continues the story of the development of Moa Crescent Kaumātua Village, Kirikiriroa Hamilton. What could we learn from the stories of ngā kaimahi about…

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Te ao mārama – Kua ea te moemoeā: Achievement of the dream/vision

Te ao mārama – Kua ea te moemoeā: Achievement of the dream/vision Reddy, Rangimahora; Simpson, Mary; Wilson, Yvonne; Nock, Sophie; Johnston, Kirsten Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Think Piece Three: This is the third and final report in a series about culturally secure, responsive, affordable, and healthy housing for kaumātua. It explores the stories of being…

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Virtual environments in urban design

Virtual environments in urban design Designing an urban environment involves complex physical and social issues. The design decision-making process should be configured to deal with these complex issues, but most of the design methods used by urban professionals are top-down approaches, where the scope for involving laypeople in the design process is poor. Urban design…

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Planning for regeneration in the town of Oamaru

Planning for regeneration in the town of Oamaru Mike Mackay; Nick Taylor; Harvey Perkins Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This paper provides a preliminary insight into Oamaru’s past, present, and future regeneration initiatives and the issues associated with their integration and resourcing. It emphasises the importance of careful planning, the effective integration of multiple regeneration activities,…

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Tourism-led settlement regeneration: Reaching Timaru’s potential

Tourism-led settlement regeneration: Reaching Timaru’s potential Laura Dance; Mike Mackay; Harvey Perkins Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This paper is a preliminary study of tourism development in Timaru, South Canterbury. Tourism is used to illustrate how local efforts are focused on making regional settlements more attractive places economically, socially, culturally, and environmentally. There are many actors…

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Waimakariri Way: Community engagement in Kaiapoi Town Centre Plan

Waimakariri Way: Community engagement in Kaiapoi Town Centre Plan Mithran Gopinath; Suzanne Vallance Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Waimakariri District Council’s Kaiapoi Town Centre Plan is part of a broader recovery – and now regeneration – process for Kaiapoi following the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes. The Council employed a number of innovative and interactive tools and engagement…

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Australia and New Zealand Association of Planning Schools Conference, 1-3 November 2018: Conference theme: “Decisions, decisions”

Australia and New Zealand Association of Planning Schools Conference, 1-3 November 2018: Conference theme: “Decisions, decisions” Hamish Rennie Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto In 2018, the annual meeting of the Australia and New Zealand Association of Planning Schools (ANZAPS) was hosted by Waikato University and supported by Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge.…

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Editorial – Special issue on building better towns and communities

Editorial – Special issue on building better towns and communities Hamish Rennie Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Associate Professor Hamish Rennie, Lincoln University, writes the editorial for this special issue of the Lincoln Planning Review with a theme dedicated to rural towns (Oamaru, Timaru and Kaiapoi) and community development. The journal issue features three articles by…

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The disruptive mobility and the future of our neighbourhoods

The disruptive mobility and the future of our neighbourhoods Mohammadzadeh, Mohsen Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This paper looks at the characteristics of disruptive mobility. This includes three intertwined technological trends: automation, electrification, and smart shared mobility. The research investigates the potential positive and adverse impacts of disruptive mobility on urban form and the built environment…

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Building Better performing well, $24.3m approved for next five years

Building Better performing well, $24.3m approved for next five years The Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge is set to continue to develop and deliver world-leading research into our built environment. Following the National Science Challenges midway review, the MBIE Science Board has approved Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science…

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Action-packed month for New Zealand’s housing sector

Action-packed month for New Zealand’s housing sector Throughout November, planners, policymakers and the public will gather around the country to look at how to plan and build in ways that create more connected communities. This month Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities (BBHTC) – He Kāinga Whakamana Tangata, Whakamana Taiao – is sponsoring a number…

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Cultural landscape approach to design at ICOMOS

Cultural landscape approach to design at ICOMOS Attending the ICOMOS 2018 conference, from left, Jade Kake, Gordon Edward (from Vanuatu), Jacqueline Paul. Gordon was also funded by the New Zealand Government to attend the conference. Photo: Jade Kake. Integrating Kaupapa Māori and Te Aranga design principles into design processes was the theme of a paper…

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Virtual reality for urban design decisions

Virtual reality for urban design decisions Virtual reality is a likely tool to be utilised in the near future to visualise our urban environment. VR as a technology already exists, but not yet in a form readily useable by urban planners to engage with stakeholders. A new study by Building Better Shaping Places: Future Neighbourhoods…

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Te Puea Memorial Marae to host hui for urban homelessness

Te Puea Memorial Marae to host hui for urban homelessness Te Puea Memorial Marae and researchers from He Kāinga Whakamana Tangata, Whakamana Taiao – the Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities (BBHTC) National Science Challenge – will hold their first symposium about their research and share initial insights that centre on the work of the…

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ESP finalist in Asia-Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards

ESP finalist in Asia-Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards A web-based urban planning tool, Envision Scenario Planner (ESP), developed by the researchers in the Next Generation Information for Better Outcomes research team is one of three finalists in the Asia-Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards (2018) in the Environment and Sustainability category. The ESP tool allows local government and…

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Te Aranga Māori Design Principles

Te Aranga Māori Design Principles Jacqueline Paul; William Hatton Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Te Aranga Māori Design Principles were developed by Māori design professionals as a response to the New Zealand Urban Design Protocol in 2005. Over time the principles have been developed and adopted by the Auckland Council with the support of Ngā Aho.…

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Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities reveals research focus

Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities reveals research focus Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities reveals research focus for the year ahead. Photo Louise Thomas. Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities (BBHTC) – He Kāinga Whakamana Tangata, Whakamana Taiao – has announced the key themes of their research in the year ahead. Continuing to address…

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Intergenerational kaumātua village helps Kirikiriroa achieve age-friendly status

Intergenerational kaumātua village helps Kirikiriroa achieve age-friendly status Trustees of Rauawaawa Kāumatua Charitable Trust. Photo: Rauawaawa Kāumatua Charitable Trust An iwi-led housing project designed to ensure kaumātua of Kirikiriroa are safe, secure and well cared for is being recognised for its role in helping Hamilton become New Zealand’s first age-friendly city. Te Rauawaawa Kaumātua Charitable…

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Concepts of Neighbourhood: A Review of the Literature

Concepts of Neighbourhood: A Review of the Literature Natalie Allen Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This report looks at why the concept of neighbourhood is important. Key ideas include neighbourhood planning (development, growth, and transit-oriented development), neighbourhood units and boundaries, neighbourhood walkability, neighbourhood (and in some cases residential) satisfaction, and neighbourhood change. Studies that look at…

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Impact of covenants on affordable housing

Impact of covenants on affordable housing New Zealand has an acute and persistent under-supply of housing, particularly affordable housing. It seems that privately-imposed covenants on residential land, which are growing in number, are having an almost unreported impact on affordable housing and housing affordability according to a new report by Craig Fredrickson and Kay Saville-Smith…

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Following the money: Understanding the building industry’s exit from affordable housing production

Following the money: Understanding the building industry’s exit from affordable housing production Kay Saville-Smith Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto The NZ Productivity Commission’s 2012 report suggested the building industry has largely stopped building in the lower value segments of the housing market. This research bulletin suggests an explanation is the significant withdrawal of government capital assistance…

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Post-Occupancy Evaluation of neighbourhoods: A review of the literature

Post-Occupancy Evaluation of neighbourhoods: A review of the literature Paola Boarin; Priscila Besen; Errol Haarhoff Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This report provides an overview of the application of Post-Occupancy Evaluation at the neighbourhood scale, focusing on environmental performance and liveability. Post-Occupancy Evaluation is a useful way of confirming the actual performance of the built environment.…

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Tackling homelessness through marae-led care

Tackling homelessness through marae-led care Te Nana, Rihi Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This article looks at Te Puea Memorial Marae’s kaupapa Māori-led work with vulnerable whānau, to show how marae can be an integral part of urban housing solutions. Māori are disproportionately affected by the housing crisis; for example, 53% of rough sleepers in Auckland…

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Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua – Project Team Hui

Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua – Project Team Hui The hui brought together researchers with a diverse range of expertise to wananga together over how their projects might develop across the next 12 months. On 17 and 18 June, Te Herenga Waka hosted around 30 Māori researchers connected to the Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities…

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Urbanism NZ Conference

Urbanism NZ Conference Dr Rebecca Kiddle, Senior Lecturer School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences at Victoria University and researcher in the Give us space BBHTC’s research project, discusses The Death and Life of great Aotearoa New Zealand Cities: Values and Justice in the Urban Realm. Photo: Victoria University of Wellington. The 2018 Urbanism New…

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Revitalising the production of lower value homes: Researching dynamics and outcomes

Revitalising the production of lower value homes: Researching dynamics and outcomes Kay Saville-Smith Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Aggregate under-supply of new dwellings has been cited as a major contributor to New Zealand’s high house prices, falling owner occupation, and increasing numbers of households burdened with unaffordable housing. Central and local government have sought to encourage…

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Unlocking transport innovation: A sociotechnical perspective of the logics of transport planning decision-making within the trial of a new type of pedestrian crossing

Unlocking transport innovation: A sociotechnical perspective of the logics of transport planning decision-making within the trial of a new type of pedestrian crossing Simon Opit; Karen Witten Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This paper investigates the architecture of decision-making that influences delivery and outcomes of urban environments. It uses the case study of a new style…

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Unlocking transport innovation

Unlocking transport innovation A working paper to understand the regulatory and decision-making logics, processes and practices that determine the street design solutions that become part of our built environment and transport infrastructure has recently been published by the Architecture of Decision-making research team. Report authors Simon Opit and Karen Witten consider a proposal to install…

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Could higher density developments help Auckland

Could higher density developments help Auckland The largest single housing development in New Zealand – Hobsonville Point – is emerging as a positive example of how living at density can enhance liveability. Photo: Errol Haarhoff. Could Higher Density Developments Make Auckland More Liveable? The largest single housing development in New Zealand – Hobsonville Point -…

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Autonomous vehicles and future urban environments: Exploring implications for wellbeing in an ageing society

Autonomous vehicles and future urban environments: Exploring implications for wellbeing in an ageing society Fitt, Helen; Curl, Angela; Dionisio-McHugh, Rita; Fletcher, Amy; Frame, Bob; Ahuriri-Driscoll, Annabel Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This think piece presents four scenarios of autonomous vehicle adoption and then present some of the potential impacts on travel behaviour, urban form, and wellbeing,…

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Novel wastewater processing: Impact on our cities, infrastructure and society

Novel wastewater processing: Impact on our cities, infrastructure and society Gapes, Daniel; McGrouther, Kim; Andrews, John; Stocchero, Andrea; Todd, Gillian; Harnett, Michelle Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Push a button or pull a chain, our toilet waste disappearing out of sight is the last time most of us ever think about what goes down our drains.…

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Passive Low-Energy Architecture 2017: Design to Thrive

Passive Low-Energy Architecture 2017: Design to Thrive On 2 to 5 July 2017, Edinburgh, Scotland, hosted the 33rd Passive and Low-Energy Architecture (PLEA) conference. Cresa’s Kay Saville-Smith and Dr Bev James from the BBHTC Understanding and Re-tooling the Architecture and Logistics of Decision-making research programme presented a paper on Resilience, Ageing, and Adapting to Change.…

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How we can build the kind of housing we want and need

How we can build the kind of housing we want and need If New Zealand is ever to produce enough affordable housing to meet the needs of low and middle income earners, such as service workers, teachers and nurses, it must take action using positive planning and investment. Building Better Homes Towns and Cities National…

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Mātauranga Māori provides pathway to future-proof housing

Mātauranga Māori provides pathway to future-proof housing New research conducted by He Kāinga Whakamana Tangata, Whakamana Taiao – Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities (BBHTC) National Science Challenge – has uncovered traditional approaches to housing that stand up to climate change and strengthen communities. The Māori research team travelled to the USA & Canada recently…

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Medium-density dwellings in Auckland and the building regulations

Medium-density dwellings in Auckland and the building regulations Roger Birchmore Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto National thermal standards have historically been set to minimise winter heating energy in detached houses. It is uncertain whether these standards are optimal for the increasing number of joined, medium-density dwellings when summer and winter conditions are considered. Using freely available…

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Remaking community: Building principles of communal tenure into contemporary housing developments

Remaking community: Building principles of communal tenure into contemporary housing developments James Berghan; David Goodwin; Lynette Carter Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Models of land administration often promote a more individualised, Western-style of tenure. The dangers are that Māori values might become diluted or even lost in this transition as social responsibilities become divorced from land…

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Think Tank hui aims at visible and disruptive contribution to housing debate

Think Tank hui aims at visible and disruptive contribution to housing debate Making a highly visible and disruptive contribution to the housing, urban design, and planning debate was the aim of a Māori Housing Think Tank hui, convened on 24 January to establish a kaupapa Māori research programme for the Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua research…

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Activating water sensitive urban design for healthy resilient communities – Discovery phase: Results and recommendations

Activating water sensitive urban design for healthy resilient communities – Discovery phase: Results and recommendations Moores, Jonathan; Batstone, Chris; Simcock, Robyn; Ira, Sue Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This report describes the findings of Phase 1 of the ‘Activating Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) for healthy, resilient communities project’ and makes recommendations for research activities in…

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Māori and indigenous housing annotated bibliography report

Māori and indigenous housing annotated bibliography report Home for Māori starts with the ancestral home-place: important to Māori cultural identity. Home-place links are reinforced by physical associations with land, whakapapa, proximity to extended family, experience of te reo, and the importance of the marae. Home is about whānau, whenua and whakapapa. However, nearly 85% of…

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Crowdsourcing the character of a place: Character-level convolutional networks for multilingual geographic text classification

Crowdsourcing the character of a place: Character-level convolutional networks for multilingual geographic text classification Adams, Benjamin; McKenzie, Grant Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto How do people talk about a place? In this paper, the researchers present a new character-level convolutional neural network model that can classify multilingual text using any character set that can be encoded…

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Four plausible scenarios for transport in New Zealand in 2048

Four plausible scenarios for transport in New Zealand in 2048 Fitt, Helen; Frame, Bob; Fletcher, Amy; Curl, Angela; Dionisio-McHugh, Rita; Ahuriri-Driscoll, Annabel; Baldwin, Nicholas; Hadfield, Hellie Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This research focuses on four scenarios designed to trigger debate about plausible future transport systems. The research used workshops, discussion, and stakeholder consultation to develop…

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Autonomous vehicles and future urban environments: Exploring changing travel behaviours, built environments, and implications for wellbeing in an ageing society

Autonomous vehicles and future urban environments: Exploring changing travel behaviours, built environments, and implications for wellbeing in an ageing society Curl, Angela; Fitt, Helen; Dionisio-McHugh, Rita; Ahuriri-Driscoll, Annabel; Fletcher, Amy; Slaughter, Hayden Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto It has been widely claimed that autonomous vehicles will support the mobility of older adults. However, complex interactions between…

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Initial scan of policy/issues relevant to autonomous vehicle development and deployment

Initial scan of policy/issues relevant to autonomous vehicle development and deployment Fletcher, Amy; Fitt, Helen; Baldwin, Nicholas; Hadfield, Hellie; Curl, Angela Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This document supports forward-planning, additional research initiatives, and public consultation by transport officials and other relevant stakeholders by summarizing a pilot policy scan of national autonomous vehicle regulation and initiatives.…

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Investing in affordable homes

Investing in affordable homes Kay Saville-Smith Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Aggregate undersupply of new dwellings has been cited as contributing to New Zealand’s high house prices, falling owner occupation and increasing numbers of households burdened with unaffordable housing. While central and local government are encouraging new builds and the release of land for residential purposes,…

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New Zealand’s hidden homes

New Zealand’s hidden homes New research offers practical, community-based solutions to New Zealand’s housing crisis by turning existing stock into far more affordable, fit-for-purpose homes. A new report from the Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge shows around 12% of New Zealand’s housing stock is significantly under-utilised and many houses could be…

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Transforming the building industry: State of Nation knowledge report

Transforming the building industry: State of Nation knowledge report The research team from SRA6: Transforming the Building Industry has just released a State of Nation working paper. This combined report, addressing the key themes of: Innovation; People; Technology; and Process, represents the first deliverable of a multi-year project for guiding and supporting the transformation of…

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Challenge to build better

Challenge to build better BY RUTH BERRY, BUILDING BETTER HOMES, TOWNS AND CITIES NATIONAL SCIENCE CHALLENGE DIRECTOR A bold, 10-year government-backed research initiative will re-engineer how New Zealand’s built environment is delivered. Outcomes should be better housing, vibrant neighbourhoods, and thriving towns and cities. The Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities – Ko ngā wā…

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Rangahau Māori (Māori Research): An Indigenous Perspective

Rangahau Māori (Māori Research): An Indigenous Perspective Ella Henry Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This paper explores the strategies being developed and pioneered by Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities: He Kāinga Whakamana Tangata, Whakamana Taiao (BBHTC), whose vision is to build environments that build communities, through a mission involving co-created, innovative research that helps transform…

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Putting knowledge into action

Putting knowledge into action BY JOHN TOOKEY, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY While it’s agreed the construction industry needs root and branch transformation, for this to happen, government will need to take the lead and companies will need to be incentivised to do things differently. With National Science Challenge…

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Preparing for the future

Preparing for the future BY DR CASIMIR MACGREGOR, SENIOR SOCIAL SCIENTIST, BRANZ One of the strategic research areas in NSC 11 is Transforming the building industry. What will this look like? Focus groups have shared their insights and ideas on how best to address issues facing the construction industry. The construction industry plays a major…

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Decoding housing messages

Decoding housing messages Figure 1: The four housing frames in New Zealand (2011-17). BY DR GAURI NANDEDKAR, UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO, AND PROFESSOR IAIN WHITE, UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO By looking at how politicians have defined New Zealand’s housing problems, particularly supply and affordability, researchers hope to better understand how diverse messages are translated into policy and…

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Investing in affordable homes

Investing in affordable homes BY DR KAY SAVILLE-SMITH, CRESA AGGREGATE UNDERSUPPLY of new dwellings has been cited as contributing to New Zealand’s high house prices, falling owner occupation and increasing numbers of households burdened with unaffordable housing. Lots of new builds, if you can afford one While central and local government are encouraging new builds…

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Land costs and affordability

Land costs and affordability BY PROFESSOR LAURENCE MURPHY, UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND Builders and developers say the cost of land is a major barrier to building dwellings that low-income and middle-income households can afford. A National Science Challenge project is looking at what drives land prices. IT HAS BECOME taken for granted that the cost of…

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Kāinga tahi, kāinga rua: A kaupapa Māori Response of Te Puea Memorial Marae

Kāinga tahi, kāinga rua: A kaupapa Māori Response of Te Puea Memorial Marae Lee-Morgan, Jenny; Hoskins, Rau Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto While urban marae have always been able to provide manaakitanga in times of crisis they have also progressively expanded their day to day roles from the 1980s to include health centres, kaupapa Māori education…

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Rebuilding great neighbourhoods

Rebuilding great neighbourhoods New Regent Street in central Christchurch draws locals and tourists. Photo: Opus. BY DR VIVIENNE IVORY, OPUS RESEARCH, OPUS INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANTS The Christchurch rebuild has created a unique opportunity to incorporate the best of what was previously there with a new and vibrant central city culture – including city dwellers. But what…

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Supporting regional settlements

Supporting regional settlements Oamaru is home to warehouses built from locally quarried Oamaru limestone. BY MIKE MACKAY, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, AND HARVEY PERKINS, PEOPLE AND PLACES LIMITED A national conversation is in progress about the strength and integrity of regional settlements in Aotearoa New Zealand. It is influenced by characterisations of small settlements as zombie towns…

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Valuing sunshine

Valuing sunshine The shady side of the street, Constable Street in Wellington. Photo: Motu. Beams of light and warmth make a house desirable, and we value them. The famous Swiss-born French architect Le Corbusier once said that people needed space and light just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep. To…

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Resilience, ageing, and adapting to change

Resilience, ageing, and adapting to change Kay Saville-Smith; Bev James Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This report from the 2017 Passive and Low Energy Architecture (PLEA) Conference looks at architecture and urban design as pivotal factors in successfully engaging with and solving the issues of population aging and environmental sustainability. Three big challenges were identified: the…

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Can higher density enhance liveability?

Can higher density enhance liveability? Medium density terrace housing at Hobsonville Point, Auckland. BY ERROL HAARHOFF AND LEE BEATTIE, SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND Higher-density housing requires quality urban development to deliver liveable, walkable communities. A National Science Challenge-funded survey in Auckland showed this is what people want from where they live.…

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Thinking about the logics of affordable new build delivery

Thinking about the logics of affordable new build delivery Kay Saville-Smith Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto New Zealand faces three conundrums in relation to its housing stock and the new builds which replenish it. The first is persistent under-supply of housing both in the aggregate and, more particularly, housing affordable to people and households on lower…

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Supporting regional settlements

Supporting regional settlements Mike Mackay; Harvey Perkins Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto A national conversation is in progress about the strength and integrity of regional settlements in Aotearoa New Zealand. It is influenced by characterisations of small settlements as zombie towns and is framed by questions about how to reboot struggling regions. Driving the conversation is…

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Māori housing – Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua investment process

Māori housing – Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua investment process We are currently in the process of investing in our final SRA Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua. The initial investment is focused on solutions for the greater Auckland area. The Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua Strategic Research Area recognises the dual and complex nature of our Maori identities…

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Contracted SRAs

Contracted SRAs Research teams, the Governance Group, and the Challenge Directorate have put considerable effort into developing research programmes that align with the challenge vision, mission, and objective and are consistent with the National Science Challenge principles of collaboration and co-creation. The five SRAs approved for funding to date span scales from the local/neighbourhood to…

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The Challenge Directorate

The Challenge Directorate The BRANZ Campus at Judgeford. Photo: BRANZ. The Challenge office has been established at our host BRANZ’s campus at Judgeford, north of Wellington. Office staff include our Director, Ruth Berry, Antje Heymanns, who provides part- time administration support, and Jessica Hutchings, who has joined us to run the Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua…

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Exploring Te Aranga design principles in Tāmaki

Exploring Te Aranga design principles in Tāmaki Jacqueline Paul Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto Te Aranga Design Principles are a cultural landscape strategy/approach to design thinking and making which incorporates a series of Māori cultural values and principles. This study strives towards a better understanding of the principles, and how they apply in developing policy and…

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Can higher density enhance liveability?

Can higher density enhance liveability? Errol Haarhoff; Lee Beattie Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto A magazine article examining higher-density housing in Auckland. Higher-density housing requires quality urban development to deliver liveable, walkable communities. A National Science Challenge-funded survey in Auckland showed this is what people want from where they live. Associating enhanced liveability with higher density…

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Does higher density housing enhance liveability? Case studies of housing intensification in Auckland

Does higher density housing enhance liveability? Case studies of housing intensification in Auckland Errol Haarhoff; Lee Beattie; Ann Dupuis Abstract – Tuhinga Whakarāpopoto This paper examines how liveability is enhanced in intensified suburban contexts. Three case study areas in Auckland were used: Albany, New Lynn, and Onehunga. Key reasons for moving into higher-density housing were…

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Kāinga Tuatahi

Kāinga Tuatahi Kāinga Tuatahi is an innovative residential development on Ngāti Whātua Orākei tribal land. The development embodies the principles, objectives and aspirations of the Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities Challenge. This development has, for the first time in New Zealand, unlocked how to build (and fund) quality homes on tribally owned land in…

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BRANZ hosts last of the National Science Challenges

BRANZ hosts last of the National Science Challenges Following the launch of the challenge: Hon Steven Joyce, Minister of Science and Innovation (centre left), then from left, BRANZ CEO, Chelydra Percy, BRANZ Board members; Alan Bickers, Richard Merrifield and Kevin Stanley, BRANZ staff Richard Capie, BRANZ Challenge Director Ruth Berry, and BRANZ staff Lynda Amitrano.…

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