Unitec Institute of Technology

Unitec Hosts Architectural Science Conference

Architectural practitioners and academics from around the world gathered at Unitec for the 44th Annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Architectural Science Association.

The event was jointly hosted by Unitec’s Departments of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, with 80 delegates attending the three-day programme.

Architectural science focuses on the technical aspects of design, materiality and sustainability. At the conference the research focus centred around architectural science with sub-themes that encouraged other disciplines such as landscape architecture and urban design.

The theme was ‘On the edge: Cross-disciplinary and intradisciplinary connections in architectural science’ and included a thought-provoking keynote address on New Zealand’s future by Member of Parliament for Mt Albert, David Shearer. At the closing address delegates moved to draft a remit representing the Architectural Science Association’s view regarding climate change and the role of the building industry which will be passed back to David Shearer to present.

Papers presented at the conference covered a range of perspectives, including those focused on education, demographics, the effects of landscape elements on the built environment, photography, trees for cooling and carbon stores as well as for building, and plant databases. These sat comfortably beside presentations on more classic architectural science topics such as leaky homes, historical treatises, climate change and control, and a focus on computer and web-based technologies.

The conference was quality assured with double-blind refereeing and production of full refereed proceedings, with the help of an international committee of referees.

Organising committee co-chair Sue Wake, Lecturer in Landscape Architecture, said that aside from the full programme of presentations, delegates enjoyed the chance to join in the buzz of the Unitec Grad Show and participate in a powhiri that welcomed them onto the Unitec marae, Te Noho Kotahitanga.

“The conference gave Unitec staff and students the opportunity to experience and contribute to an academic conference without needing to travel, with 15 staff and students presenting papers. This conference has helped put Unitec on the Architectural Science Association map and highlighted the wonderful skills, resources and collegiality present within the institution.”