Scoria Field: Volcanic Imaginaries of Tamaki Makaurau

Abstract

How might a volcanic material imaginary — particularly of the basalt scoria volcanic field that underlies Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland in Aotearoa New Zealand — provide ways for people to see themselves collectively? Our surroundings shape a sense of identity, and spatial interactions organize our experience in the city. ’Scoria Field’ is a spatial design research inquiry into place-making; investigating the potential for material experiences of a volcanic landscape to produce public space along the coast of Takapuna, on Tāmaki’s North Shore. Through imaginative engagement with volcanic rock, this research explores abstract and tangible ways to unfold a narrative of matter. Through a practice of drawing and artisanal material explorations, the research engages with geographical, cultural, and social aspects of scoria and the volcanic landscape of Tāmaki Makaurau. The project culminates with a proposal to refurbish an existing car park as a public space that offers a new way for people to see each other collectively by engaging with their volcanic terrain.