Above is my first attempt at making a pocket forest. Based on the research I did on the biodiversity of the surrounding area I tried to replicate what a typical New Zealand forest would look like. I am still to ad a couple more trees, including a large Rimu.

In order to construct this pocket forest I used the following:

• Spagmoss
• Wire
• Super Glue,
• Dead branches
• Lichen

I went on a little bit of a hunt for moss a couple of days ago. Because I live in the city it was a bit more difficult to find, especially the good lichen that looks like trees. Regardless I collected a whole bunch of moss to use and the floor covering of my forest.

In regards to the moss that I used to make the trees, I decided to buy some Spagmoss.

This is basically just dried moss. I ripped it up into smaller pieces and got two different shades of green spray paint, I then proceeded to paint it. It ended up looking like the final I used on my trees, shown in the photo above.

To make the structure of the trees I wrapped wire around the dead branches and twigs, twisting them into a platform like area for the Spagmoss to stick to.

The site is located in a unique area in regards to biodiversity and flora and fauna as it is very much so in an urban area. The Dadley building is surrounded by concrete, with the closes green space of mention being Albert park. In an attempt to bring some nature back to the space we have been tasked to create a mini forest. To make sure that it is in keeping with native New Zealand forests I have done some research into our most common native trees.

• Tōtara
• Rimu
• Kauri
• Kauri
• Kahikatea
• Kānuka

These are some of the most common trees native to NZ, I plan to try and re create these through modelling and my pocket forest. This will also be beneficial in regards to promoting a Shinrin- Yoku atmosphere throughout the space.

What is “forest bathing” and how can it be beneficial to ones health?

After doing some research into the topic and reading the suggested text – Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) and Nature Therapy I have been able to better understand the idea and concept behind Shinrin-Yoku.

Shinrin-Yoku is a term that means “Taking in the forest atmosphere” or more commonly known as “Forest bathing”. This relates to the idea and concept that there are health benefits associated with exposure green environments and nature. Shinrin-Yoku was developed in Japan in the 1980’s and is believed to have healing qualities and restorative effects on the human body and soul.

The name however is deceiving, as Japanese does not directly translate into english. To forest bathe doesn’t necessarily mean to soak in an out door pool but to soak in the forest environment. This could be anything from going on a hike to having a picnic in a National Park, spending time amongst nature.

As part of our project to reimagine the basement space of the Dadley building we have been asked to create a pocket forest for the site. Bathing in a hot pool has a similar kind of healing quality. Putting both of these concepts together could create a very inviting and pleasant space.

As the pocket forest is to sit on the site of the old covered up pool, I plan to incorporate windows into my design that allow the pool goers to see out in the “forest” connecting them to the nature outside and.

This is a “clean” site plan given to us in class. On Wednesday we revisited the site in our groups and measured out all the dimensions of the space. I have added them to the site plan above.

Within this space we are required to include:

A major bathing space (5-10 people; around 40m2)

Two small complementary bathing spaces (1-2 people; around 3m2 each) Changing rooms with lockers, showers, and toilets. (around 40m2)

Refreshment space (around 30 m2). A space (either self-service or staffed) to make and consume a drink of some kind: pearl tea, wine, rosewater etc.

I have also noticed that there are contour lines overlaid on-top of the site plan. This will be useful in helping to make the site model. I plan to increase the plan in size in keeping with the 1:100 scale and photocopy it in order to use it as a template to cut the cardboard with. Not too sure if this will work, but I guess you’ll find out in my next couple of posts

Above is a photo of the Dadly building, in its current state. Only a couple years back the Dadley building was home to AUT’s spatial design course and housed studios and offices over 4 levels. It was known as the WW building. However before AUT existed it was originally built as a hospital/live in care facility for disabled children. In and Amongst its varying array of facilities it included a pool, a space for the children to play.

Rotorua’s famous Bathhouse was designed with the intention of putting Rotorua on the international spa map. As Rotorua is a naturally thermal area, the idea was to make use of this and use the thermal pools to their advantage, This was conceived at a time when the government was trying to increase . International tourism

The Bathhouse building was originally constructed in 1906-1908 and is of Elizabethan architectural style. Significant features include the large central foyer with high ceilings and grand staircases, the half-timbered exterior, wings extending north and south, gabled windows, and towers.The Bathhouse building was originally constructed in 1906-1908 and is of Elizabethan architectural style.

Today the building is no longer used as a bathhouse, rather converted into the local museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa

It is interesting to see such a grand scale building purposed for purely bathing. It seemed to be the pride the town when completed, a monument to saviour. How can I capture this feeling and sense of scale and implement it into my own ideas and designs?

This bathhouse is also interesting in regards to location as both Auckland and Rotorua lay atop a volcanic landscape.

Bath House Building

A nice hot shower after a hard days work is something that I very much so look forward to. Hot water helps to sooth, refresh and revitalise the human body, riding us of toxins and cleansing the skin.

Bathing is a large part of my daily routine, It’s something that I cant live without. However my personal bathing experience is not exactly the most exciting. As much as I would love to soak in bubble bath or stand under a rain shower, I am limited to my uni student lifestyle. I live in a student flat (Across the road from the Dadley building) I live with 4 other people in a flat of 5. We share 2 bathrooms between us, each of which are internally located meaning they have no natural light source.

On most days of the week I shower twice, once in the morning and once at night. I wake up go to the toilet then take a shower. For me being clean makes me feel so much more comfortable, theres nothing worse than going to sleep with out having a shower.

Showering and bathing can have different effects on the human body based on the temperature of the water. For example in the morning I like to have a shower that is more on the cold side, this for me acts like liquid sleep waking me up, ready to begin the day. I associate a hot shower with comfort, much . like the feeling of being tucked up in a warm bed, you don’t want to leave a hot shower has the same feeling, resulting in a longer shower. Theres noting wrong with having a long hot shower, however I associate this more with the idea of leisure bathing, rather then to purely wash ones self. This lead me to think that Depending on the situation different bathing experiences and conditions are required.

I will ensure to take into account my own bathing experiences in regards to designing a bath-house proposal for the Dadley building basement. I plan to do further research in order to better understand the subject.

In order to better understand bathing and the associated health benefits I decided to do some research into the topic. With any new project that I start I like to try and understand the background and the history, this allows me to make more informed decisions when it comes to the design process.

By definition Bathing is: the washing of the body with a liquid, usually water or an aqueous solution, or the immersion of the body in water. It may be practiced for personal hygiene, religious ritual or therapeutic purposes. 

The cleaning of ones body is very much so personal experience, at least in western culture, this is a very private ritual that is conducted away from prying eyes.

In the past people did not have such luxuries as having your own bath and shower in your home was unheard of, this lead to the popularisation of communal bath houses, where people would go to not only bath but socialise. This was especially popular in the Roman era in which every town had its own bath complex.

In more recent times communal baths have become more leisure oriented, spas and public pools cater to this demand. As the process of washing ones self has become a much more private activity the general publics perception has altered.

Monday – 9:00am

Introduction to project

Today in class we were introduced to our new project for our semester two paper Spatial Design Studio 1. This is a semester long project with formative submission half way through.

The projects requires us to come up with a bath house proposal for the current basement space of the decommissioned Dadley building. Across the road from WSA located on 8 mount street.

The Dadley Foundation building, currently AUT’s WW building, was a hospital and live-in care facility for disabled children. It included spaces for physiotherapy, speech therapy, classrooms, a knitwear workshop, and recreation rooms. On the roof there was a caretaker’s apartment; and in the basement a swimming pool. Designed by Haughey, Fox & Partners, many of the building’s modernist features have been lost: the rooftop pergola, the perforated east façade, the piloti which elevated it above the ground. The pool was lost in 2018, after part of the building at the rear was demolished for AUT’s WZ building development. The filled-in remnants of the pool are under the gravel of the courtyard. The basement is now a warren of small rooms and semi-enclosed spaces boarded up with plywood.

Imagine that the building is to be converted into apartments for visiting scholars and artists-in- residence. As part of this redevelopment, you are asked to design a bath-house for the basement level. The bath house is for the use of the residents, for students and staff of the university, and for the public.