schooling by design

or an architectural stimulus by way of a series of unique projects (SOUP), was an Advanced Design 2 design paper run with Judy Cockeram for the School of Architecture and Planning at The University of Auckland.

Excerpts from the paper description:

You know you’re in CHCH when         a blue box has landed outside your house and you don’t think the Doctor has arrived in his Tardis.

Using a Superhero for the city, a new School, and a reinvigorated Square as generative work, students will propose something that is not a school as we currently know it but something that allows people of all ages to engage with wisdom, commitment and passion in a vibrant city centre that is all it was before and more.

You know you’re in CHCH when           high-vis is the new black.

After such a serious event we felt that the city of Christchurch could benefit from a superheroes intervention.  

'Serious design should be fun not solemn' - Paula Scher

 Initial 'superhero' briefing paper to the students.

 Another briefing paper during the semester: public spaces precedents.

Some of the student's work: 


Kai Qin and his 'Oliver Mute' looked to reinvigorate the city through a school for the deaf.

Wade Southgate aka 'the Social Butterfly' designed a bold structure that redefined the cruciform of the square and provided social space to occur between the fabric of the form and the existing buildings.

Further background on the paper was published in Avenues magazine.